Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

UNICEF, WHO release new publication on medicines formulated for children

A new publication that lists medicines formulated for children is being made available online by UNICEF and the World Health Organization, to help doctors and organizations obtain some of the 240 essential medicines that can save the lives of children.

30 Apr 2010

CDC presents clinical trial results of Biojector 2000 at 13th Annual Conference on Vaccine Research

Bioject Medical Technologies Inc., a leading developer of needle-free injection therapy systems (NFITS), today announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its collaborating institutions presented the latest results of its clinical trial of the Biojector® 2000 at the 13th Annual Conference on Vaccine Research, sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and held in Bethesda, Maryland April 26 - 28, 2010.

30 Apr 2010

Gen-Probe reports total revenues of $135.4M for first-quarter 2010

Gen-Probe Incorporated today reported financial results for the first quarter of 2010, highlighted by $135.4 million of total revenues and earnings per share of $0.48 on both a non-GAAP and GAAP basis.

30 Apr 2010

Practicing NPIs may help limit transmission of pandemic flu: Study

Practicing non-pharmaceutical interventions such as hand-washing and mouth covering may help limit the transmission of the pandemic flu, but more research on these measures is critical according to a new study appearing in the May issue of AJIC: American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.

30 Apr 2010

Novavax reports positive results from Phase II study of trivalent VLP influenza vaccine in older adults

Novavax, Inc. reported today that its trivalent seasonal influenza virus-like-particle (VLP)-based vaccine candidate was safe and immunogenic against the 2009-2010 seasonal influenza virus strains in older adults 60 years or higher in age.

30 Apr 2010

Summer born babies more at risk of multiple sclerosis, says research

A recent study in Australia has found a link between low exposure to sunlight during the first three months of pregnancy and development of multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life of the baby.

30 Apr 2010

Tel Aviv scientist uncovers a new way of detecting multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an equal opportunity destroyer. It attacks the central nervous system and eventually renders most patients disabled. Among its high-profile victims are celebrated cellist Jacqueline du Pre, whose career was ended by MS, and Joan Didion, one of America's greatest writers - but they are far from alone.

30 Apr 2010

West Pharmaceutical Services reports 13.3% increase in first-quarter consolidated sales

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. today announced its results for the first quarter of 2010.

30 Apr 2010

EMSC generates net revenue of $679.4 million for first-quarter 2010

Emergency Medical Services Corporation today announces results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

29 Apr 2010

BD second-quarter revenues up 7.0% to $1.845 billion

BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) today reported quarterly revenues of $1.845 billion for the second fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2010, representing an increase of 7.0 percent from the prior-year period, or 6.6 percent on a foreign currency-neutral basis.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 29 Apr 2010

Obese children metabolize caffeine and dextromethorphan at different rates than healthy weight children

Researchers from the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy have provided the first evidence-based data on changes in drug metabolism in obese children as compared to healthy weight children.

29 Apr 2010

OMT beneficial as adjunctive treatment in elderly people with pneumonia

A clinical trial of 406 subjects 50 years of age and older who were hospitalized with pneumonia showed a one-day reduction in the length of hospital stay in those patients who received osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) in addition to conventional medical care when compared to patients who received only conventional medical care. A per protocol analysis also showed a significant reduction in the duration of intravenous antibiotics and in respiratory failure or death in the group that received OMT when compare to the conventional care only group.

29 Apr 2010

Ago2 protein helps generate microRNAs: CSHL researchers

MicroRNAs are small bits of RNA within cells that wield enormous power. They influence virtually every biological process by controlling the "expression" of genes. Helping them in exerting this control is a unique class of proteins called Argonautes.

29 Apr 2010

CD8+T cells may aid in developing AIDS vaccine: New Journal of Physics

Limited success in modelling the behaviour of the complex, unusual and unpredictable HIV virus has slowed efforts to develop an effective vaccine to prevent AIDS.

29 Apr 2010

OSI Pharmaceuticals announces European Commission's approval of Tarceva for NSCLC

OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that its international partner for Tarceva® (erlotinib), Roche, received approval from the European Commission for Tarceva as a monotherapy maintenance treatment in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease remains largely unchanged (stable disease) after platinum-based initial chemotherapy.

29 Apr 2010

WellPoint profits rise 51 percent amid scrutiny on several fronts

WellPoint, the U.S. health insurer with the biggest membership, announced Wednesday that its first-quarter earnings rose 51 percent compared to last year and were boosted by a mild flu season, The Wall Street Journal reports. Medical membership fell 2.1% to 33.8 million as of March 31 from a year earlier but rose by 165,000 during the quarter. The company trimmed its year-end medical membership projection to 33.1 million from 33.3 million."

29 Apr 2010

Adamas Pharmaceuticals presents study results of TCAD therapy in immunocompromised influenza A patients

Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held company, announced today the results from the first clinical study evaluating triple combination antiviral drug (TCAD) therapy for the treatment of influenza A in immunocompromised patients. Data from this Phase 1b study were presented by clinical investigator Dr. Janet Englund in a clinical symposium at the 23rd International Conference on Antiviral Research (ICAR) in San Francisco.

29 Apr 2010

New study reinforces urgent need for life-saving vaccines in Africa

A new study released this week in The Lancet Infectious Diseases finds that African children who contract pneumococcus - a bacterial infection that causes pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis - are 36 times as likely to have sickle-cell disease, a blood disorder prevalent in African children that increases the risk for infectious diseases and early death.

29 Apr 2010

Ceregene continues enrollment in new Phase 1/2 clinical study of CERE-120 for Parkinson's disease

Ceregene, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, announced today that enrollment is proceeding in a new Phase 1/2 clinical study evaluating CERE-120, a gene therapy product which delivers the neurotrophic factor neurturin, to dying neurons in Parkinson's disease patients. This new clinical study follows a completed Phase 2 trial and builds on experience gained in that trial, by enhancing the dosing regimen and optimizing the duration of patient follow up.

29 Apr 2010

More taxes and drab packages for cigarettes to deter the young from smoking

From 1st July 2012 companies making cigarettes will be allowed only to have a brand name and a graphic health warning on their cigarette packs. There has been a huge debate over this issue. Trade experts believe that this move could mean that the Federal Government may have to cough up more than $3 billion a year to cigarette companies. Tim Wilson from the Institute of Public Affairs also believes that this would cost taxpayers $3.4 billion a year in compensation to tobacco companies. However Australia will be the first country to introduce such a measure.

28 Apr 2010