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Antiretroviral therapy reduces mortality rates in patients co-infected with HIV and TB

Initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) during tuberculosis therapy significantly reduced mortality rates by 56 percent in a randomized clinical trial of 642 patients co-infected with HIV and tuberculosis. The study, which provides further impetus for the integration of TB and HIV services, lays to rest the controversy on whether co-infected patients should initiate ART during or after TB treatment.

26 Feb 2010

Regulus Therapeutics, GSK announce new collaboration on microRNA therapeutics targeting microRNA-122

Regulus Therapeutics Inc. today announced the establishment of a new collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to develop and commercialize microRNA therapeutics targeting microRNA-122 in all fields with Hepatitis C Viral infection (HCV) as the lead indication. Under the terms of the new collaboration, Regulus will receive additional upfront and early-stage milestone payments with the potential to earn more than $150 million in miR-122-related combined payments, and tiered royalties up to double digits on worldwide sales of products.

25 Feb 2010

"Hope – It's In Our Genes" rare disease campaign slogan translated into multiple international languages and Braille

The Global Genes Project (www.globalgenesproject.org), today announced that its rare disease campaign slogan, "Hope – It's In Our Genes™," has been translated into multiple international languages and Braille by rare disease patient advocates and supporters from around the world. The translation of this slogan unifies the rare disease community and global network under one banner.

25 Feb 2010

Texas Plant-Expressed Vaccine Consortium announces biotherapeutic manufacturing initiative for infectious diseases

Leaders of the Texas Plant-Expressed Vaccine Consortium today announced a biotherapeutic manufacturing initiative designed to show proof of concept for a landmark new technology that could dramatically increase the nation's capability to produce vaccines for infectious diseases, including influenza.

25 Feb 2010

Texas-based consortium announces biotherapeutic manufacturing initiative for vaccine production

25 Feb 2010

GAA urges Obama to continue support for global health programs

The Global AIDS Alliance (GAA) calls on the Obama Administration to fully fund its development priorities and to continue U.S. Leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS as an integral part of President Obama's Global Health Initiative.

25 Feb 2010

CDC ACIP's vote for universal influenza vaccination recommendation: FFF endorses

Families Fighting Flu (FFF) fully supports today's vote by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to expand the current influenza vaccination recommendations to include all adults aged 19 to 49 years of age. Previous recommendations included all other age groups with the exception of this new adult population. This new recommendation will be implemented beginning with the 2010-2011 influenza season.

25 Feb 2010

α-defensins1-3 may be potential prophylactic agents in treatment of HIV / AIDS

HIV/AIDS remains one of the world's most significant public health challenges, particularly in developing countries. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1), the variant responsible for the pandemic, has the ability to infect different cell types such as T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells (DC). These latter cells are crucial in the defense against infectious agents and play a major role in viral pathogenesis.

25 Feb 2010

Internet-based surveillance helps confront infectious disease threats at mass gatherings

Integrating real-time Internet-based infectious disease surveillance with knowledge of worldwide air traffic patterns could help in confronting infectious disease threats at mass gatherings, such as the Olympics and other large scale events, suggests an article in CMAJ.

25 Feb 2010

American Lung Association supports ACIP's recommendations for universal influenza immunization

The American Lung Association supports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' (ACIP) vote today that recommends universal influenza immunization with seasonal influenza vaccine.

25 Feb 2010

New data shows Valortim antibody enhances human T cell response to B. anthracis

PharmAthene, Inc., a biodefense company developing medical countermeasures against biological and chemical threats, announced today that new data from the Company's Valortim® anthrax anti-toxin program were presented at the 8th Annual ASM Biodefense and Emerging Diseases Research Meeting, held in Baltimore, Maryland, February 21-24, 2010.

25 Feb 2010

Chilean hospital's early use of antiviral treatment and aggressive measures helped reduce H1N1 cases

A Chilean hospital's early use of antiviral treatment in influenza patients and other aggressive measures helped reduce the number of severe H1N1 cases and related deaths. Those are the findings of a new study, now available online (http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/650750), published in the March 15, 2010 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

25 Feb 2010

FDA approves Pfizer's Prevnar 13 pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

Pfizer Inc. announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for Prevnar 13™ (Pneumococcal 13-valent Conjugate Vaccine [Diphtheria CRM197 Protein]), the Company’s 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

25 Feb 2010

Anadys Pharmaceuticals' ANA598 combination demonstrates 73% cEVR in ongoing Phase II study for HCV

Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced preliminary results from an ongoing Phase II study demonstrating that 73% of hepatitis C patients treated with 200 mg ANA598 twice daily in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin (SOC) achieved undetectable levels of virus (<15 IU/mL) at week 12, known as complete Early Virological Response or cEVR.

25 Feb 2010

Welichem commences enrollment in WBI-1001 Phase IIa clinical trial for psoriasis

Welichem announced that the Company has begun to enroll patients in a Phase IIa clinical trial with its lead candidate, WBI-1001. The Phase IIa clinical trial is a 12-Week, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. The objectives of the trial are to evaluate the efficacy of the WBI-1001 cream in comparison to the vehicle and also to evaluate the safety and tolerability of the cream in patients with psoriasis.

24 Feb 2010

Researchers team up to monitor and assess potential infectious disease threats to Vancouver

As the world watches the Vancouver Olympics, researchers at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto and Children's Hospital Boston have teamed up to monitor and assess potential infectious disease threats to Vancouver during the Winter Games by integrating two independently developed intelligence systems that focus on global infectious diseases; bio.DIASPORA and HealthMap.

24 Feb 2010

Lack of knowledge and awareness impeding efforts to control HBV and HCV

A recent report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) confirmed that 3.5 to 5.3 million people (1-2 % of the U.S. population) have chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Despite efforts by federal, state and local government agencies to control and prevent these diseases, they remain a serious public health concern. The major factor impeding efforts to control HBV and HCV is lack of knowledge and awareness among health care providers, social service professionals, members of the public, and policy-makers.

24 Feb 2010

Prochymal achieves response rate of 63% when used as rescue therapy in children suffering from GvHD

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. today reported that a new study shows Prochymal achieved an overall response rate of 63% when used as a rescue therapy in children suffering from severe treatment resistant graft vs. host disease (GvHD).

24 Feb 2010

Phase III trial results of Osiris Therapeutics' Prochymal for GvHD to be presented at BMT Tandem Meeting

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that results from the Phase III trial evaluating Prochymal for the treatment of steroid-refractory acute graft vs. host disease (GvHD) will be presented by Paul Martin, M.D., of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Paul Szabolcs, M.D., of Duke University Medical Center at the 2010 BMT Tandem Meeting. The meeting is being held February 24-28 in Orlando, Florida.

24 Feb 2010

IBM Maximo software helps GNL ensure optimal performance of equipment in fight against emerging infectious diseases

In the fight against emerging infectious diseases, The Galveston National Laboratory (GNL), one of two National Institutes of Health funded bio-containment laboratories in the United States, is benefiting from IBM software to ensure the optimal performance of all equipment functioning within its facility. The GNL, which is dedicated to the study and prevention of emerging infectious diseases, will use IBM Maximo Asset Management Software to help automate, manage and ensure the performance of its 3,000 operating assets in one of the world's most complex medical research environments.

24 Feb 2010

Disease/Infection News

Antiretroviral therapy reduces mortality rates in patients co-infected with HIV and TB

Regulus Therapeutics, GSK announce new collaboration on microRNA therapeutics targeting microRNA-122

"Hope – It's In Our Genes" rare disease campaign slogan translated into multiple international languages and Braille

Texas Plant-Expressed Vaccine Consortium announces biotherapeutic manufacturing initiative for infectious diseases

Texas-based consortium announces biotherapeutic manufacturing initiative for vaccine production

GAA urges Obama to continue support for global health programs

CDC ACIP's vote for universal influenza vaccination recommendation: FFF endorses

α-defensins1-3 may be potential prophylactic agents in treatment of HIV / AIDS

Internet-based surveillance helps confront infectious disease threats at mass gatherings

American Lung Association supports ACIP's recommendations for universal influenza immunization

New data shows Valortim antibody enhances human T cell response to B. anthracis

Chilean hospital's early use of antiviral treatment and aggressive measures helped reduce H1N1 cases

FDA approves Pfizer's Prevnar 13 pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

Anadys Pharmaceuticals' ANA598 combination demonstrates 73% cEVR in ongoing Phase II study for HCV

Welichem commences enrollment in WBI-1001 Phase IIa clinical trial for psoriasis

Researchers team up to monitor and assess potential infectious disease threats to Vancouver

Lack of knowledge and awareness impeding efforts to control HBV and HCV

Prochymal achieves response rate of 63% when used as rescue therapy in children suffering from GvHD

Phase III trial results of Osiris Therapeutics' Prochymal for GvHD to be presented at BMT Tandem Meeting

IBM Maximo software helps GNL ensure optimal performance of equipment in fight against emerging infectious diseases

Unlocking live single-cell functional insights

Fluidics in Modern Healthcare & Medical Device Innovation

How microRNA is transforming science: From discovery to diagnostics

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