Allergies News and Research

Latest Allergies News and Research

New advances in diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases

Researchers are presenting more than 450 abstracts on investigational findings in the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases at the ACAAI Annual Meeting in Seattle, Nov. 6-11. Following are highlights of some key studies in allergy-immunology.

11 Nov 2008

Food allergies are on the rise but effective treatment in the pipeline

Experts in the U.S. say food allergies are on the rise and although strict avoidance is currently the only treatment, new effective therapies are currently being developed.

10 Nov 2008

Xolair (Omalizumab) shows promise in treating allergic asthma inadequately controlled by inhaled corticosteroid

Data presented today at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) show that Xolair (Omalizumab) for Subcutaneous Use significantly reduced asthma attacks in children aged six through 11 with moderate or severe persistent allergic asthma inadequately controlled with inhaled corticosteroids.

10 Nov 2008

Transition from CFC to HFA asthma inhalers

In less than 3 months, life-saving albuterol inhalers used by nearly 40 million patients with respiratory disorders will no longer be sold.

10 Nov 2008

New research on chronic corticosteroid use

An analysis of large population databases has recently yielded important findings about chronic corticosteroid use.

10 Nov 2008

Barriers to managing asthma

Barriers to managing asthma include access to appropriate care, patient adherence, distrust of the medical profession, delayed asthma diagnosis, culture, lifestyle choices and genetic discrepancies according to experts at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) in Seattle.

10 Nov 2008

Visualizing asthma-causing immune cells at work

Immune cells known as eosinophils have a central role in causing asthma.

7 Nov 2008

Dermatitis management

Although the variety of substances that can cause contact dermatitis is almost limitless, it often can be effectively managed with the proper diagnosis and treatment according to investigators presenting the latest research at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) in Seattle.

7 Nov 2008

Efficacy, dosage concerns unresolved on sublingual immunotherapy

Although sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is used in Europe and other countries, experts at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) in Seattle say questions remain unanswered regarding its effectiveness, appropriate use, dosage, and safety of administration.

7 Nov 2008

BioCis Pharma starts phase IIa clinical testing of ProtoCure in atopic dermatitis

BioCis Pharma Ltd a privately-held drug development company with its headquarters in Turku, Finland, announced that it has begun Phase IIa clinical testing of ProtoCure(TM) emulsion cream, the company's novel topical drug for dermatology.

7 Nov 2008

A probiotic bacterium reduces hospital infections

A probiotic bacterium, Lactobacillus plantarum 299, has been used to out-compete the dangerous bacteria that cause respiratory illness in ventilated patients.

6 Nov 2008

Contaminants in human milk

An overview of studies on environmental pollutants in human milk has found that not breastfeeding an infant typically poses more of a threat than does exposure to any of the chemical agents measured in human milk, as reported in the 11th Annual Children’s Health Issue of Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP).

6 Nov 2008

Flu shot still best protection against flu

The failure of the flu vaccine to protect many Americans against the virus last year shouldn't prevent you from getting your annual flu shot this year.

6 Nov 2008

Smokers lose ability to smell common odors, increased risk for laryngitis

As Americans prepare for a day without cigarettes and tobacco products as part of the American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout (November 20), new research gives them more reasons to extend that break to a lifetime, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF).

4 Nov 2008

YM Biosciences reports on early trials of nimotuzumab in brain metastases and high-grade glioma

YM BioSciences Inc. has announced data from two clinical trials of nimotuzumab, its humanized monoclonal antibody that targets the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Preliminary results from the two trials which are evaluating nimotuzumab in combination with radiation therapy for the treatment of brain metastases and high-grade gliomas, conducted by YM's licensor, were presented at the 2008 EORTC-NCI-AACR annual meeting recently held in Geneva, Switzerland.

3 Nov 2008

MedImmune starts phase 1/2a clinical trial for respiratory syncytial virus vaccine

MedImmune today announced that it has initiated a Phase 1/2a clinical trial of a live, attenuated intranasal vaccine in healthy children one month to 12 months of age to help prevent severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections. RSV is the most common respiratory infection in infants and can cause disease in otherwise healthy infants and children.

3 Nov 2008

Persistent bacterial infection exploits killing machinery of immune cells

A new study reveals an important and newly discovered pathway used by disease-causing bacteria to evade the host immune system and survive and grow within the very cells meant to destroy them. This discovery may lead to new treatments and vaccines for tuberculosis (TB) and certain other chronic bacterial and parasitic infections.

3 Nov 2008

Discovery of new pathway used by disease-causing bacteria to evade host immune system and survive

2 Nov 2008

Bacteria can directly cause human blood and plasma to clot

Bacteria can directly cause human blood and plasma to clot - a process that was previously thought to have been lost during the course of vertebrate evolution, according to new research at the University of Chicago, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Institut Pasteur in Paris. Their findings will be published online Nov. 2 in Nature Chemical Biology.

2 Nov 2008

Drinking milk to ease milk allergy?

Giving children with milk allergies increasingly higher doses of milk over time may ease, and even help them completely overcome, their allergic reactions, according to the results of a study led by the Johns Hopkins Children's Center and conducted jointly with Duke University.

29 Oct 2008