Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

SFDA approves production license for Sinovac's H1N1 vaccine

Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (NYSE: SVA), a leading provider of biopharmaceutical products in China, announced today that the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) has approved the registration application for PANFLU.1, Sinovac's H1N1 vaccine, and has issued Sinovac a production license for this vaccine.

4 Sep 2009

New center to study mathematical modeling of drug resistance and internention to be established at HSPH

A new center that will focus on mathematical modeling of drug resistance, seasonal infectious diseases, and intervention allocation will be established at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH).

4 Sep 2009

Brown University neuroscience professor awarded EUREKA grant

Brown University neuroscience professor Gilad Barnea will receive a nearly $1.3 million, four-year federal grant toward development of a method to selectively monitor the activation of each of the five receptors for the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain.

4 Sep 2009

H1N1 vaccine to cost countries $2.50 - $20 per dose

The H1N1 (swine) flu vaccine will cost countries between $2.50 and $20 per dose, based on their ability to pay, according to the director of the Initiative for Vaccine Research at the WHO, Marie-Paule Kieny, Agence France-Presse/Khaleej Times reports. During an interview published in the September issue of the WHO Bulletin, Kieny "also warned that there would not be enough vaccines for the world's population and that people should not rely entirely on the vaccine," the news service writes (9/2).

3 Sep 2009

CDC recommends routine health examintion for all school-age children

Although school has just begun, it is already exam time for students throughout Wisconsin. That's because in addition to notebook paper and pens, back-to-school preparations should also include routine health exams to make sure students are healthy and ready to learn. These include: a doctor's exam to confirm that all immunizations are up-to-date, a dental exam and a vision exam.

3 Sep 2009

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to purchase flu products from BD

BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX) announced today that it has received a significant order from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the purchase of syringes and needles, sharps collectors and alcohol swabs to be used in national flu pandemic preparedness efforts.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 3 Sep 2009

China Aoxing submits an NDA to the China SFDA for its Codeine Phosphate

China Aoxing Pharmaceutical Company, Inc. (OTCBB: CAXG) ("China Aoxing"), a pharmaceutical company specializing in research, development, manufacturing and marketing of narcotic and pain-management products, today announced that it has submitted a new drug application (NDA) to the China State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) for its Codeine Phosphate, a compound oral solution for the treatment of acute moderate to severe cough.

3 Sep 2009

National Pasteurized Eggs opens new state-of-the-art egg pasteurizing plant

In tandem with the Food and Drug Administration's quest to dramatically reduce Salmonella-related food poisoning, National Pasteurized Eggs (NPE) www.SafeEggs.com, the country's largest shell egg pasteurizer, opened a new state-of-the-art plant that more than doubles its production and expands Americans' access to eggs free from dangerous egg-related Salmonella-enteritidis.

3 Sep 2009

Medtronic's COPE-HCV clinical study commences

Medtronic, Inc., today reported the initiation and first enrollments of patients in COPE-HCV (COntinuous Interferon Delivery via the Medtronic Paradigm Pump Infusion System Clinical Evaluation for Chronic HCV), the company’s first-ever clinical study using an external pump infusion system to treat patients with the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

3 Sep 2009

Sheller, P.C helps to settle the largest whistleblower complaint

Pfizer Inc. ignored a 2005 FDA Warning Letter to stop promoting its antibiotic Zyvox(R) as clinically superior to the significantly less expensive, generic vancomycin when its own FDA-approved label indicated otherwise. The drug giant also defrauded federal and state taxpayers by marketing Zyvox off-label, according to a qui tam whistleblower complaint filed by Philadelphia law firm Sheller, P.C. and other documents unsealed with today's $2.3 billion Pfizer settlement.

3 Sep 2009

Study assesses protective capabilities of DNA vaccines against SIV

Inovio Biomedical Corporation, a leader in DNA vaccine design, development and delivery, announced today that data generated from a pre-clinical collaborative study by National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Inovio scientists were published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in a paper entitled: “DNA vaccination in rhesus macaques induces potent immune responses and decreases acute and chronic viremia after SIVmac251 challenge.”

3 Sep 2009

Seasonal flu vaccinations increases by 237% this season compared to the same four weeks during last season

According to SDI, a leading healthcare market insight and analytics firm that consolidates electronic healthcare claims data, there have been over 477,000 seasonal flu vaccinations already administered through Aug. 29 — the fourth week of this year’s flu season. That is an increase of 237% compared to the same four weeks during last season.

3 Sep 2009

Outbreaks Near Me iPhone application tracks and reports outbreaks of infectious diseases in real-time

A new iPhone application, created by researchers at Children's Hospital Boston in collaboration with the MIT Media Lab, enables users to track and report outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as H1N1 (swine flu), on the ground in real time.

3 Sep 2009

SDA survey participants questioned about their level of concern on H1N1 virus

The good news: Americans recognize that good hygiene is an effective line of defense against the H1N1 virus (previously known as Swine Flu).

3 Sep 2009

First swine-flu vaccine trials reveal strong immune response

Results from the first swine-flu vaccine trials taking place in Leicester reveal a strong immune response after just one dose.

3 Sep 2009

Resident duty-hour reform increases medical complications in teaching hospitals

A new study finds a 2003 reform of the length of resident on-duty hours has led to an increase in the rate of perioperative (the span of all three phases of surgery: before, during and after) complications for patients treated for hip fractures.

3 Sep 2009

Sinovac Biotech signs marketing agreement with Boryung Pharmaceutical Company

Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a leading provider of biopharmaceutical products in China, announced today that it has signed an agreement with Boryung Pharmaceutical Company Limited, a Korean manufacturer of pharmaceuticals, to collaborate on marketing efforts and possible vaccine supply efforts to the government of South Korea for Sinovac's H1N1 vaccine.

3 Sep 2009

New clinical trials to address the effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs

Scientists are addressing the threat of antimicrobial drug resistance by launching two new clinical trials aimed at prolonging the effectiveness of currently available antibacterial drugs. The concept underlying both studies: Less is more.

3 Sep 2009

Swine flu prevention kits launched

MisterSterile.com have launched a unique range of swine flu prevention kits for the home, office, school, hospital, travel & personal use.

3 Sep 2009

Millennium's sNDA to be reviewed by the FDA

The Takeda Oncology Company today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review the Company’s supplemental new drug application (sNDA) based on long- term overall survival (OS) data from the landmark VISTA1 trial examining the use of VELCADE based therapy in patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma (MM).

3 Sep 2009