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WHO revises treatment protocols for HIV patients

Prompted by clinical research into the early initiation of antiretroviral therapies for HIV performed at the GHESKIO clinic in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the World Health Organization (WHO) has revised its treatment protocols for HIV patients.

3 Sep 2010

Hardy Diagnostics releases chemical-free AloeSafe sanitizer

Hardy Diagnostics, an FDA licensed and ISO certified biomedical firm, is pleased to announce the release of AloeSafe, a hand sanitizer that contains aloe vera, vitamin E, and lavender oil. Unlike most alcohol based hand sanitizers, AloeSafe is free from potentially harmful ingredients.

3 Sep 2010

Commitments to global HIV/AIDS programs falter for 'first time in 15 years,' UNAIDS chief says

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe "said Thursday that global contributions to fighting [HIV/AIDS] are dropping off for the first time in 15 years amid tough economic times," Agence France-Presse reports.

3 Sep 2010

Researchers find role of Vpr protein in HIV infection

Dr. Éric A. Cohen, Director of the Human Retrovirology research unit at the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), and his team published yesterday, in the online open-access journal PLos Pathogens, the results of their most recent research on the role of the Vpr protein in HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection and AIDS (acquired autoimmune deficiency syndrome).

3 Sep 2010

Accentus Medical signs licence agreement for Agluna anti-infective technology with Zimmer

Accentus Medical, a leading UK medical technology company that supplies advanced coatings and surface treatments to the medical device industry, announced today that it has signed a Licence and Services Agreement with Zimmer Holdings, Inc., a global market leader in musculoskeletal care. This agreement will enable the use of Accentus Medical's Agluna® anti-infective technology on a potentially broad range of Zimmer products.

3 Sep 2010

Gilead Sciences seeks MAA in Europe for fixed-dose combination of Truvada and TMC278 for HIV-1 infection

Gilead Sciences, Inc. today announced that it has submitted a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for marketing approval for the fixed-dose combination of Truvada® (emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil (as fumarate)) and Tibotec Pharmaceuticals' investigational non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor TMC278 (rilpivirine (as hydrochloride)) for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults.

3 Sep 2010

NEJM publishes study on Xpert MTB/RIF test for rapid molecular detection of TB and rifampin resistance

Cepheid today announced that its Xpert® MTB/RIF test was the subject of a study published in the latest edition of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), "Rapid Molecular Detection of Tuberculosis and Rifampin Resistance." The complete study is now available online (http://www.nejm.org) and will appear in the September 9 print edition.

3 Sep 2010

Hospital for Special Surgery achieves lower than state average rate for infections

For the second year in a row, Hospital for Special Surgery is the only hospital in New York State with an infection rate that is significantly lower than the state average for hip replacement or revision surgeries, according to the 2009 report on hospital infection rates released today by the State Department of Health.

3 Sep 2010

Mandatory disclosure makes hospitals work harder to prevent infections

Dr. Betsy McCaughey, Founder/ Chairman of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths (RID) said that "the 2009 New York State Department of Health Hospital Acquired Infections Report (released 9/1/2010) shows that mandatory disclosure saves lives by making hospitals work harder to prevent infections. Statewide rates decreased for nearly every type of infection measured. None increased."

3 Sep 2010

New TB diagnostic test effective in first large-scale field trial

Research assessing the effectiveness of a new diagnostic test for the detection of tuberculosis (TB) is featured in the Sept. 1 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

3 Sep 2010

New test detects TB faster, with more accuracy than current diagnostics, study says

A new molecular test for tuberculosis can diagnose the disease and detect a drug-resistant form of it in less than two hours and more accurately than current tests, according to the findings of a study published online in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday, Reuters reports (Kelland, 9/1).

3 Sep 2010

Egg recall raises questions about FDA

The recent salmonella outbreak/egg recall is raising questions about whether the FDA is fulfilling its regulatory role, PBS' NewsHour reports. "For the past few years, it's been one food safety scare after another. There was E. coli-laced spinach, salmonella-tainted peppers. ... There have also been problems with drugs. The ingredients in a contaminated blood thinner came from China.

3 Sep 2010

Researchers discover novel compound to combat drug resistant malaria

Novartis announced today that scientists at the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases (NITD), in collaboration with researchers from the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF), the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and The Scripps Research Institute have discovered a novel compound that shows promise as a next generation treatment for drug resistant malaria.

3 Sep 2010

New antibacterial peptide effective against infections in burn or blast wounds

An antibacterial peptide developed by Laszlo Otvos, a research professor of biology in Temple's College of Science and Technology, looks to be a highly-effective therapy against infections in burn or blast wounds suffered by soldiers.

2 Sep 2010

AHF proposes innovative solution to resolve AIDS drug crisis in Florida

As the State of Florida grapples with a budget shortfall that is crippling its AIDS Drug Assistance Program and forcing the state to place more than 1,300 low-income Floridians on waiting lists to access lifesaving AIDS medications, AIDS Healthcare Foundation has proposed an innovative solution to state health officials and seven leading AIDS drug companies that would create a public/private partnership to resolve the drug crisis and get vulnerable Florida AIDS patients on to lifesaving antiretroviral treatment.

2 Sep 2010

Lytix Biopharma granted Hungarian approval for Lytixar Phase IIa clinical trial in Gram positive skin infections

The Norwegian pharmaceutical company Lytix Biopharma AS today announces the approval in Hungary to commence a Phase IIa clinical trial with Lytixar (LTX-109) treatment of skin infections caused by Gram positive bacteria.

2 Sep 2010

HIV-infected children who receive HAART require revaccination: Researchers

HIV-infected children receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy may require revaccination to maintain immunity against preventable diseases. There remains no standard or official recommendation on revaccination of children receiving HAART, an effective intervention in reducing morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected children.

2 Sep 2010

Inhibitex completes INX-189 Phase1a trial for HCV

Inhibitex, Inc., announced today that it has successfully completed a Phase1a, first-in-man, single ascending dose trial of INX-189, its nucleotide polymerase inhibitor in development for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infections. In this trial, 42 healthy volunteers received either a single oral dose of INX-189, ranging from 3 mg to 100 mg, or placebo. The Company plans to present detailed results from this trial during a future scientific meeting.

2 Sep 2010

Unitract Tuberculin syringe clears FDA 510k market clearance

Unilife Corporation, today announced that its Unitract Tuberculin (TB) Syringe has received 510(k) market clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

2 Sep 2010

WPI researchers: Cranberry juice cocktail blocks strain of S. aureus

Expanding their scope of study on the mechanisms of bacterial infection, researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute have reported the surprise finding from a small clinical study that cranberry juice cocktail blocked a strain of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) from beginning the process of infection.

2 Sep 2010