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Anacor Pharmaceuticals, MMV partner to discover and develop promising new malaria therapeutics

Anacor Pharmaceuticals today announced that it has entered into a research agreement with not-for-profit Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) to explore Anacor's novel boron chemistry platform for developing new therapeutics for the treatment of malaria. Under the agreement, Anacor will be responsible for leading the research effort and MMV will contribute its extensive malaria drug research expertise as well as financial support.

26 Apr 2010

Driving evolution of antibiotic resistance backwards

The use of antibiotics to treat bacterial infections causes a continual and vicious cycle in which antibiotic treatment leads to the emergence and spread of resistant strains, forcing the use of additional drugs leading to further multi-drug resistance.

26 Apr 2010

Promising research on cryptosporidiosis could lead to effective treatment: Brandeis University biochemist

Discovered in 1976, cryptosporidium lurks worldwide in water, contaminating swimming pools, water parks, and drinking water supplies. Although it has even been featured on the comedy show The Colbert Report, it is no laughing matter-this microscopic pathogen is a leading cause of diarrhea and malnutrition and the most common source of infection in immune-weakened people such as AIDS patients.

26 Apr 2010

Canadian Red Cross expands Malaria Bites campaign

This World Malaria Day, the Canadian Red Cross is ramping up their fight against malaria. The Canadian Red Cross is expanding their successful Malaria Bites campaign, which has already seen the distribution of six million bed nets, to include additional health interventions and treatment options.

26 Apr 2010

GBS serotype III more commonly associated with urinary tract infections

Research suggests pathogenic strains of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) are an under-recognised cause of urinary tract infections.

24 Apr 2010

1976 "swine flu" vaccine protects against 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus

New evidence shows immunization against "swine flu" in 1976 might provide individuals with some protection against the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus, according to new research from St. Jude investigators.

24 Apr 2010

Mechanisms pathogenic viruses exploit to evade immune systems of hosts

Viruses have evolved a broad range of strategies that enable them to evade the immune systems of their hosts. A team of researchers led by LMU virologist Professor J-rgen Haas has been studying a novel, recently discovered mechanism that pathogenic viruses exploit for this purpose, and their latest results could point the way to new antiviral therapies. The mechanism is based on the production of short RNA molecules, called microRNAs, by the virus.

24 Apr 2010

New research project to make anti-malarial drugs more affordable in Third World countries

Dr Geoff Brown, from the University of Reading's Department of Chemistry, is beginning a £400,000 project that could prove vital for the developing world in its ongoing fight against malaria. His research aims to make anti-malarial drugs more affordable in Third World countries where more than 1.5 million people die of the disease every year.

24 Apr 2010

Immunization campaigns to be launched simultaneously in 112 countries and territories

For the first time, immunization campaigns are being launched simultaneously tomorrow in 112 countries and territories in the World Health Organization Regions of the Americas, Eastern Mediterranean and Europe, with the goals of expanding immunization coverage and raising awareness of the importance of vaccines.

24 Apr 2010

U.N. agencies issue warning, appeal for funds to tackle measles outbreak in West, Central Africa

"Sixteen countries in West and Central Africa are in the throes of a measles outbreak, at a time when there is a shortfall in funding for vaccination campaigns against the disease, two U.N. agencies said in a joint statement on Thursday," Reuters AlertNet reports (Fominyen, 4/22).

24 Apr 2010

Canadians join hands in virtual community to raise awareness of meningitis and septicaemia

Canadians can join hands in a virtual community with the Meningitis Research Foundation of Canada and others around the globe to raise awareness of meningitis and septicaemia by visiting the Confederation of Meningitis Organizations web site - http://www.comoonline.org/JoiningHands.aspx.

24 Apr 2010

Senate Budget Committee approves FY 2011 budget resolution with cuts to foreign aid

The Senate Budget Committee has approved a budget resolution that adheres to President Barack Obama's "proposal to freeze non-defense spending, then goes a bit further" with cuts to "the State Department and other international programs," the Washington Post reports (Montgomery, 4/23).

24 Apr 2010

Presidio Pharmaceuticals, Numerate conclude collaboration to discover new compounds targeting HCV

Presidio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Numerate, Inc., today announced that they have concluded their two-year collaboration to discover new compounds that target hepatitis C virus (HCV).

24 Apr 2010

New Actellic- 300CS demonstrates effective control of pyrethroid resistant mosquitoes

The Innovative Vector Control Consortium and Syngenta announced today that the latest field trials of the new Actellic- 300CS micro-encapsulated formulation demonstrate effective control of pyrethroid resistant mosquitoes on treated construction materials for more than eight months.

24 Apr 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

"What is still needed [to fight malaria] is the only tool that has ever truly conquered any infectious disease: an effective and affordable vaccine. And here, the global malaria community has been too complacent," a Lancet editorial asserts in an article highlighting achievements and drawbacks in attempting to provide universal access to malaria prevention and treatment.

24 Apr 2010

PMI releases 6-year malaria strategy

The U.S. government Thursday released a six-year strategy to address malaria globally, Reuters reports (Fox, 4/22). The plan was issued through the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) in conjunction with World Malaria Day, April 25, and is a "core component of President [Barack] Obama's Global Health Initiative," according to a USAID press release (4/22).

24 Apr 2010

Rapid diagnostic tests for malaria

A new evaluation of malaria rapid diagnostic tests will help health workers quickly identify which patients have the disease and need immediate treatment, putting into action recent World Health Organization recommendations to confirm diagnosis of malaria before treatment.

24 Apr 2010

News outlets examine H1N1's impact on U.S. vaccine development plans, Mexico's handling of outbreak

"A year after the emergence of swine flu [H1N1], U.S. health authorities and laboratories say the pandemic illustrated the need for new vaccine production techniques that are faster and more reliable," Agence France-Presse writes in an article that examines the challenges associated with current vaccine development practices and plans for future development.

24 Apr 2010

ICTP to participate in QWeCl project to help fight malaria and other vector-borne illnesses

The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics is taking part in a newly-launched, major international, European Union-funded project to help fight malaria and other vector-borne illnesses by developing and deploying an early warning system for disease outbreaks in Africa.

24 Apr 2010

Team liberates cellular hostages by silencing Toxoplasma gondii's back-seat driving

Scientists studying a cunning parasite that has commandeered the cells of almost half the world's human population have begun to zero in on the molecular signals that must be severed to free the organism's cellular hostages.

23 Apr 2010

Disease/Infection News

Anacor Pharmaceuticals, MMV partner to discover and develop promising new malaria therapeutics

Driving evolution of antibiotic resistance backwards

Promising research on cryptosporidiosis could lead to effective treatment: Brandeis University biochemist

Canadian Red Cross expands Malaria Bites campaign

GBS serotype III more commonly associated with urinary tract infections

1976 "swine flu" vaccine protects against 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus

Mechanisms pathogenic viruses exploit to evade immune systems of hosts

New research project to make anti-malarial drugs more affordable in Third World countries

Immunization campaigns to be launched simultaneously in 112 countries and territories

U.N. agencies issue warning, appeal for funds to tackle measles outbreak in West, Central Africa

Canadians join hands in virtual community to raise awareness of meningitis and septicaemia

Senate Budget Committee approves FY 2011 budget resolution with cuts to foreign aid

Presidio Pharmaceuticals, Numerate conclude collaboration to discover new compounds targeting HCV

New Actellic- 300CS demonstrates effective control of pyrethroid resistant mosquitoes

Recent releases in Global Health

PMI releases 6-year malaria strategy

Rapid diagnostic tests for malaria

News outlets examine H1N1's impact on U.S. vaccine development plans, Mexico's handling of outbreak

ICTP to participate in QWeCl project to help fight malaria and other vector-borne illnesses

Team liberates cellular hostages by silencing Toxoplasma gondii's back-seat driving

The Proteoform Puzzle: Unlocking the Next Frontier

Synthetic Biology and the Pursuit of Living Diagnostics

Modular, Scalable, Intelligent: How n6 Is Rethinking NGS Library Prep

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