Hepatitis B News and Research

Latest Hepatitis B News and Research

Breakthrough opens new avenues for hep C vaccine

Hopes for an effective vaccine and treatment against the potentially fatal hepatitis C virus (HCV) have received a major boost following the discovery of two ‘Achilles’ heels’ within the virus.

12 Sep 2011

Specialists propose changes to allocation and distribution of organs for liver transplants

Transplantation specialists have proposed changes to the allocation and distribution of organs used for liver transplants. The recommended policy modifications take into account the scarcity of available organs, ensuring rapid allocation and delivery of the organ to those most in need in order to reduce mortality for waitlisted patients.

12 Sep 2011

HPV vaccination updates

Texas Governor Rick Perry's GOP rivals sharply criticized him during Wednesday night's debate over his 2007 executive order mandating that teenage girls be vaccinated to prevent cervical cancer. The move had drawn strong opposition at the time from social conservatives and was later overturned by the state Legislature.

9 Sep 2011

Pharmasset reports SVR results from PSI-7977 phase 2b combination study on HCV genotype 1

Pharmasset, Inc., announced today sustained virologic response (SVR) results from its phase 2b PROTON study with PSI-7977 400 mg dosed once daily in combination with peginterferon alfa 2a and ribavirin (Peg-IFN/RBV) in subjects with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 who have not been treated previously. 43 out of 44 (98%) evaluable subjects achieved an SVR12, defined as HCV RNA below the limit of detection (<15 IU/mL) 12 weeks after the completion of treatment.

6 Sep 2011

Gilead to amend design of ongoing clinical trials against chronic hepatitis C

Gilead Sciences, Inc. today announced that, in consultation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the company will amend the design of ongoing clinical trials to discontinue dosing of GS 9190 in hepatitis C-infected patients who are receiving that compound in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin, and another direct-acting antiviral agent.

5 Sep 2011

Wis. patients getting tested for HIV after misuse of equipment

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that a nurse misused equipment to teach diabetic patients how to inject insulin. Meanwhile, researchers look at how hospital uniforms can carry germs.

2 Sep 2011

Engineered virus shows promise in cancer therapy via bloodstream

Scientists have engineered a virus that when injected into the blood, can selectively target cancer cells throughout the body. The virus attacked only tumours, leaving the healthy tissue alone, in a small trial on 23 patients, according to the journal Nature.

2 Sep 2011

Medivir completes enrollment of three TMC435 phase 3 trials on CHC genotype-1 infection

MedivirAB is an emerging researchbased specialty pharmaceutical company focused on infectious diseases. Medivir today announced that its investigational protease inhibitor TMC435, developed by Tibotec Pharmaceuticals, has successfully completed enrollment of three ongoing global phase 3 trials and further reports that all patients are now on TMC435 or active control treatment.

31 Aug 2011

Medivir reports net sales of SEK 444.6 m for 1 January - 30 June 2011

Medivir: Interim period (January 2011 - June 2011). Net sales were SEK 444.6 (35.7) m.

31 Aug 2011

Autism link to vaccines dispelled by a large review of studies

According to a report issued by the US Institute of Medicine (IOM), vaccines are largely safe, and do not cause autism or diabetes. This conclusion followed a review of more than 1,000 published research studies.

26 Aug 2011

IOM report: Few health problems are clearly associated with vaccines

An analysis of more than 1,000 research articles concluded that few health problems are caused by or clearly associated with vaccines.

26 Aug 2011

PLoS One publishes data from recent animal studies of NanoBio's intranasal RSV vaccine

NanoBio Corporation announced today that data from recent animal studies of its NanoStat-based intranasal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine have been published in PLoS One, an international peer-reviewed online publication.

25 Aug 2011

Patients with liver disease may now access UCSD's new Nevada clinic

Patients in Nevada seeking care for liver disease may now access the university-level expertise of UC San Diego Health System's Center for Hepatobiliary Disease and Abdominal Transplantation.

25 Aug 2011

Sarcoma Oncology Center, Aethlon Medical to study ex vivo effectiveness of Hemopurifier

Aethlon Medical, Inc., the pioneer in developing therapeutic filtration devices to address infectious disease and cancer, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with the Sarcoma Oncology Center to study the ex vivo effectiveness of the Aethlon Hemopurifier to remove immunosuppressive exosomes from the blood of advanced-stage cancer patients.

24 Aug 2011

Scientists aim to tackle Hawaii's liver cancer problem with improved detection

Two scientists from the University of Hawaii Cancer Center and The Queen's Medical Center have received a five-year $2.3 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to develop novel methods that can better detect liver cancer through the joint analysis of gene expression and imaging data of the liver.

24 Aug 2011

FDA grants fast track designation for Pharmasset's PSI-938 to treat chronic HCV infection

Pharmasset, Inc. has received fast track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for PSI-938 for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

24 Aug 2011

Fla., CMS discuss Medicaid managed care options; Calif. may shrink healthy families enrollment

A Florida proposal to shift nearly all of its 3 million Medicaid patients into managed care is emerging as a national test case for how lenient CMS will be as cash-strapped states look for savings in their most expensive health program. CMS and Florida officials met this week to address concerns about a five-county managed care pilot program that Florida is seeking to expand statewide.

23 Aug 2011

Survival for patients with HCC increases with radioembolization

Analysis revealed survival for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is achievable using 90Y-resin microsphere radioembolization. The analysis conducted at multiple centers across Europe showed that the procedure is likely to provide survival benefit across different tumor stages, including patients with advanced liver cancer and with limited treatment options.

23 Aug 2011

Vertex receives Health Canada approval for INCIVEK to treat hepatitis C

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced that Health Canada has approved INCIVEK tablets for a broad group of people with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C with compensated liver disease, including cirrhosis.

23 Aug 2011

Should we be screening blood for hepatisi G?

Hepatitis G virus was identified in 1995. Some little research was carried out on the virus and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared it a non-harmful virus in 1997. Researchers in Saudi Arabia, writing in the International Journal of Immunological Studies present evidence to suggest that this may have been the wrong decision.

22 Aug 2011