Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Maven Semantic updates Antiviral research database

Maven Semantic announces updates to their Antiviral research database. The new database is now available to marketing, business development, competitor intelligence, KOL, medical affairs and related departments in the life sciences sector.

25 Oct 2010

Pharmaxis announces combined results of Bronchitol Phase III trial for cystic fibrosis

Pharmaceutical company Pharmaxis today announced significant results of pooled data from its two large scale six month Phase III trials of Bronchitol (inhaled mannitol) in people with cystic fibrosis.

25 Oct 2010

72% of patients misdiagnosed with pneumonia upon readmission : Study

Patients were misdiagnosed with pneumonia at an alarming rate when they were readmitted to the hospital shortly after a previous hospitalization for the same illness, according to two Henry Ford Hospital companion studies.

25 Oct 2010

Study on H1N1 virus to be presented at IDSA annual meeting

The 2009/2010 Influenza A (H1N1) is one of several viruses responsible for respiratory-related infections. A new study from Rhode Island Hospital examined patients with viruses and found distinguishing characteristics of the H1N1 virus in how it affects respiratory illness. Their findings will be presented at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America to be held in Vancouver, Canada on Friday, Oct. 22.

25 Oct 2010

New research shows flu virus with D222G mutation can cause pneumonia

A variant of last year's pandemic influenza linked to fatal cases carried a mutation that enabled it to infect a different subset of cells lining the airway, according to new research. The study, due to be published next week in the Journal of Virology, suggests that the mutant virus could have impaired the lungs' ability to clear out germs.

25 Oct 2010

New multi-centre trial to treat cold and flu in children

Three Canadian research teams are trying to determine if a novel Canadian medicine approved by Health Canada for adults can help parents deal with the hacking coughs and runny noses their children suffer.

22 Oct 2010

Medivir reports consolidated net sales of SEK 54.7M

Medivir AB , a research-based specialty pharmaceutical company focused on infectious diseases, is publishing its interim report today for the period covering 1 January - 30 September and a business update for the third quarter 2010.

22 Oct 2010

Researchers analyze drugs' efficiency on influenza A virus

Beating the flu has always been tough, but it has gotten even more difficult in recent years. Two of the four antiviral drugs used to treat a nasty case of the influenza A virus no longer work.

22 Oct 2010

Gilead announces results from Phase III clinical trial of Cayston, TIS in cystic fibrosis patients

Gilead Sciences, Inc. today announced that its head-to-head Phase III clinical trial of Cayston (aztreonam for inhalation solution) versus tobramycin inhalation solution (TIS) in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) achieved its co-primary endpoint of superiority of Cayston for mean actual change in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1, a measure of lung function) percent predicted across three treatment cycles (six months).

22 Oct 2010

Union Springs, BIOSAFE enter agreement to commercialize HM4100 products

Kentucky-based Union Springs Pharmaceuticals announced today an agreement with BIOSAFE® of Pittsburgh to market products containing the patented and novel antimicrobial polymer, HM4100. Similar to its flagship product, MyClyns (antimicrobial germ spray), Union Springs Pharmaceuticals will identify the products as MyClyns Antimicrobial Surface Treatments and will be the first company to bring these unique products to the market.

22 Oct 2010

AiCuris’ AIC246 inhibitor treats patient with multi-organ HCMV disease

AiCuris announced today that its novel HCMV inhibitor AIC246 has been used successfully to treat a patient with multi-organ HCMV disease caused by multi-resistant virus. Details will be presented at the 48th IDSA meeting on October 23, presentation number LB-38.

22 Oct 2010

NIH awards three new SBIR grants to Taiga

Taiga Biotechnologies, Inc. today announced that the company has received three new Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants from the National Institutes of Health, totaling $1.7 million. This adds to the two previous grants awarded to Taiga for various applications of its proprietary technology platforms, for a total in NIH funding to date of over $2.1 million.

22 Oct 2010

Daiichi Sankyo launches Inavir inhalation powder in Japan

Hovione has been advised by Daiichi Sankyo Company Ltd that Inavir(R) has been launched in Japan. Inavir(R) is an inhalation powder which is delivered by the TwinCaps(R) inhaler to treat influenza. TwinCaps(R) was specifically designed by Hovione for this indication and is licensed to Daiichi Sankyo and to Biota Holdings Ltd.

22 Oct 2010

Zyvox achieves higher clinical success rate than vancomycin in MRSA nosocomial pneumonia study

Results of a new international phase 4 study of patients with nosocomial pneumonia due to proven methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) demonstrated that the antibiotic Zyvox® (linezolid) achieved a statistically significantly higher clinical success rate compared with vancomycin for the primary endpoint. The ZEPHyR (Linezolid in the treatment of subjects with nosocomial pneumonia proven to be due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) study was the largest ever conducted in this population.

21 Oct 2010

Baxter third quarter net income increases 12% to $595 million

Baxter International Inc. today announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2010, and provided its fourth quarter and updated full-year 2010 financial outlook.

From Baxter International Inc. 21 Oct 2010

BioCryst to present intravenous peramivir data for influenza treatment at IDSA meeting

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the presentation of data related to intravenous (i.v.) peramivir for the treatment of influenza at the 48th Annual Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) meeting being held in Vancouver, Canada.

21 Oct 2010

Highlights of Frontiers in Optics 2010/Laser Science XXVI Meeting

Scientists and engineers from around the world will gather on the shores of Lake Ontario in Rochester, N.Y. next week to discuss some of the latest breakthroughs in lasers and optics and their applications to cutting-edge science, the development of new materials, and medicine.

21 Oct 2010

SO2 emission raise health concerns

Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii's big island has been erupting on its east rift since 1983. But, in March 2008, an additional eruption vent opened at the volcano's summit, resulting in about triple the amount of sulfur dioxide gas (SO2) emissions drifting to the local community of Ka'u, raising health concerns over the risks associated with exposure to "vog," as the islanders refer to this volcanic air pollution.

21 Oct 2010

Intercell and Romark announce IC41-nitazoxanide combination clinical trials for HCV

Intercell AG and Romark Laboratories L.C. today announced plans to commence clinical trials of Intercell's investigational therapeutic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) vaccine, IC41, in combination with Romark's antiviral drug, nitazoxanide, during the first half of 2011.

21 Oct 2010

Researchers to study effect of reovirus on cancer cells

A common virus that can cause coughing and mild diarrhea appears to have a major redemptive quality: the ability to kill cancer. Harnessing that power, researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of Georgetown University Medical Center, are conducting a clinical trial to see if the virus can target and kill certain tumor types.

21 Oct 2010