Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

AMP particpates at FDA's public meeting on oversight of laboratory developed tests

The Association for Molecular Pathology participated in the Food and Drug Administration Center for Devices and Radiological Health public meeting on the oversight of laboratory developed tests. Dr. Karen Mann, President of AMP, served on the second panel of the meeting titled, Clinical Laboratory Challenges. Additionally, Dr. Elaine Lyon, Chair of the AMP Professional Relations Committee, presented public comments. "AMP believes that LDTs are an essential and central component of medical practice," said Dr. Lyon, "Without LDTs, the practice of medicine that we know today would be severely reduced in scope."

21 Jul 2010

AiCuris presents preclinical data on AIC246 anti-HCMV drug at International Herpesvirus Workshop

AiCuris announced today publication of preclinical data on AIC246, at the International Herpesvirus Workshop in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA from 24 – 29 July 2010. AIC246 is a novel anti-HCMV drug currently in clinical phase 2 testing.

21 Jul 2010

Iced tea increases risk of kidney stone formation and surgery

Unfortunately, for health reasons, Mulac has been forced to go cold turkey. All the iced tea he was downing helped to bring on an excruciating bout of kidney stones that eventually led to surgery at Loyola University Hospital in Maywood, Ill.

21 Jul 2010

Preventative measures to avoid Lyme disease

Research on the population of black-legged ticks, which can transmit Lyme disease from host animals to humans, reinforces that it is important to take preventative measures when spending time outdoors.

21 Jul 2010

Gilead Sciences second-quarter total revenues increase 17% to $1.93 billion

Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced today its results of operations for the quarter ended June 30, 2010. Total revenues for the second quarter of 2010 were $1.93 billion, up 17 percent compared to total revenues of $1.65 billion for the second quarter of 2009. Net income for the second quarter of 2010 was $712.1 million, or $0.79 per diluted share, compared to net income for the second quarter of 2009 of $571.4 million, or $0.61 per diluted share.

21 Jul 2010

New development in flu prevention & treatment

In a groundbreaking development, scientists at the Australian National University in Canberra have found the key to the mutation of the flu virus. This may allow the manufacturing of a life-long vaccine stopping the need for repeated vaccinations. The scientists reveal that they have found a protein in the virus that changes or mutates in order to develop resistance in the virus.

20 Jul 2010

Meridian Bioscience third-quarter net sales decrease 11% to $33.9 million

Net sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2010 were $33,857,000 as compared to $38,240,000 for the same period of the prior fiscal year, a decrease of 11%. Net earnings for the third quarter of fiscal 2010 were $6,424,000 or $0.16 per diluted share, both decreases of 24%, compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2009. (Net earnings include $673,000 in Bioline acquisition costs or $0.01 per diluted share.) Diluted common shares outstanding for fiscal 2010 and 2009 were 41,151,000 and 41,191,000, respectively.

20 Jul 2010

NanoViricides presents study results of nanoviricides anti-Ebola agents

NanoViricides, Inc. reports that the results of the evaluation of several of its nanoviricides anti-Ebola agents were presented July 17th at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Virology, July 17-21, at Montana State University, Bozeman, MT. Dr. Corinne Scully delivered the presentation, which was entitled "Polymeric Micelle Nanomaterials as Antiviral Compounds For Ebola Virus Infection."

20 Jul 2010

Scientists develop new way to increase effectiveness of antiviral drugs

Scientists have developed a new way to target viruses which could increase the effectiveness of antiviral drugs.Instead of attacking the virus itself, the method developed at the University of Edinburgh alters the conditions which viruses need to survive and multiply.

20 Jul 2010

Ratio secures equity financing

Ratio, Inc. has secured equity financing from regional angel investors and angel networks. The groups participating in the round include Wisconsin Investment Partners, The Golden Angels Network, Stateline Angels, and Central Illinois Angels. The company is keeping the round of financing open for 120 days and actively pursuing further investment.

20 Jul 2010

Plea for Federal legislation to ban mercury in vaccines, prevent autism

Two papers in this week's neuroscience journal Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis point to vaccines and heavy metals including mercury as causes of the alarming rise in autism. The Centers for Disease Control now estimate autism to affect one in 110 children, up 40% from just a few years ago.

20 Jul 2010

Patients often receive inappropriate care when doctors fail to understand patient's situation: Study

Patients often receive inappropriate care when their doctors fail to take into account their individual circumstances, according to a new study by the University of Illinois at Chicago and the VA Center for Management of Complex Chronic Care.

20 Jul 2010

Phase 2 CUBICIN study for prosthetic joint infections meets primary endpoint

Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading acute care therapeutics company, today announced that its Phase 2 safety study of CUBICIN (daptomycin for injection) in the treatment of prosthetic joint infections caused by certain Gram positive pathogens met its study objectives. This study was a first-of-its-kind randomized controlled Phase 2 trial studying anti-infective therapy in the setting of 2-stage surgery for the replacement of infected prosthetic hip or knee joints.

19 Jul 2010

Study evaluates immunization benefits of dissolving microneedles

A new vaccine-delivery patch based on hundreds of microscopic needles that dissolve into the skin could allow persons without medical training to painlessly administer vaccines - while providing improved immunization against diseases such as influenza.

19 Jul 2010

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine appears to reduce pneumonia, serious complications in infants: Research

A pneumococcal conjugate vaccine introduced in the U.S. 10 years ago appears to reduce pneumonia and serious associated complications, such as blood infections, in the vaccine's target range, children less than a year old, according to new research.

19 Jul 2010

People needing non-emergent care can now turn to walk-in centers

For many, summer time means cook-outs, family hikes, and trips to the beach. However, while the good weather brings an increase in outdoor activities, for some it can also mean a trip to the local emergency room.

17 Jul 2010

BioRadar develops TransFMDV for Foot and Mouth Disease

BioRadar UK Ltd. predicted one year ago the current severe Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreaks after recording an increase of the Replikin Count (ref. 1) of the FMD Virus (FMDV) to its highest level in 52 years. Based on these findings, a new synthetic Replikins Trans-Strain FMD Vaccine, called TransFMDV(TM), has been developed and is now available. The announcement was made at the recent Biorbis Conference on Vaccine Production and Manufacturing in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The conference was attended by major pharmaceutical company executives to examine how vaccine production could be accelerated in view of the problem last year of responding "too little, too late" to the H1N1 influenza pandemic.

17 Jul 2010

FDA can promote personalized medicine by identying gaps in laboratory operations: ACLA

The Food and Drug Administration can promote progress toward personalized medicine by approaching the oversight of laboratory developed tests (LDTs) in a focused, flexible, and balanced way according to the American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA). ACLA, which represents the nation's leading clinical laboratories, says that the factors supporting this approach include the growing role that such tests play in clinical decision making, especially in the area of new advanced diagnostics that derive from the mapping of the human genome and help fulfill the promise of personalized medicine.

17 Jul 2010

Also in Global Health News: WHO reacts to Amnesty's N. Korea report; Universal flu vaccine; Malaria-resistant mosquitoes

The WHO is questioning the validity of the findings of a recent Amnesty International report which highlighted the dire needs of North Korea's health system, "contradict[ing] the rosier picture given by WHO chief Margaret Chan after her April trip there," the Associated Press reports. Although WHO spokesman Paul Garwood "insisted he wasn't criticizing Amnesty's work … he said Thursday's report was anecdotal, with stories dating back to 2001," which "[h]e contrasted … with WHO's science-based approach" (7/16).

17 Jul 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

As part of a series in advance of AIDS 2010, the "Science Speaks" blog features an interview with U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Eric Goosby "about his expectations for the conference, what was behind the Uganda problem with shortages of AIDS medicine, and whether The New York Times was right when it reported in May that the Ugandan drug shortfall was 'the first example … of how the war on AIDS is falling apart.'"

16 Jul 2010