Immunology News and Research

Latest Immunology News and Research

Many seasonal allergy sufferers take OTC products rather prescription medications

Anyone suffering with seasonal allergies knows the local pharmacy carries shelves full of over-the-counter medications to help manage symptoms. Unfortunately, most seasonal allergy sufferers take over-the counter (OTC) products rather than the treatments they actually prefer - prescription medications.

5 Nov 2015

New vaccine candidate shows great promise at fighting respiratory syncytial virus

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers say a new candidate vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) made with a weakened version of the virus shows great promise at fighting the disease, the leading cause of hospitalization for children under the age of one in the U.S.

5 Nov 2015

JEDI T-cells provide unique technology to study, visualize immune responses and immunotherapies

When it comes to fending off disease and helping prevent people from falling ill, the body's immune system -- armed with T-cells that help eliminate cancer cells, virus-infected cells and more -- is second to none. But exactly how the immune system works remains, in many ways, a mystery, as there are numerous cell types whose functions and interactions with our immune systems have not been well understood.

5 Nov 2015

Johnson & Johnson signs definitive agreement to purchase Novira Therapeutics

Johnson & Johnson today announced a definitive agreement to acquire Novira Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapies for curative treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

4 Nov 2015

International research project examines effectiveness of tried and tested medicines for different diseases

The Medical University of Vienna is coordinating an international research project, which investigates the effectiveness of tried and tested medicines for the treatment of some of the heaviest burdens of our modern society including diseases such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. One molecule that these disorders have in common is a receptor known as the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), which is the molecular starting point of this project.

4 Nov 2015

Approval to start trial of Videregen's replacement trachea technology

The INSPIRE consortium, led by Videregen Ltd, has received approval from the MHRA1 to start a UK clinical trial with its tissue engineered replacement trachea.

3 Nov 2015

Findings suggest potential metabolic pathway against cancer

When cancer cells compete with immune cells for glucose, the cancer wins. As a result, the immune T cells are not healthy and don't have the weapons to kill the cancer.

3 Nov 2015

Rheumatoid arthritis significantly increases risk of death due to cardiovascular causes

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been associated with increased risk of death in the past, but a new study by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital brings that risk into sharper focus. Using data from the Nurses' Health Study, which has followed more than 100,000 female registered nurses since 1976, researchers found that rheumatoid arthritis significantly increased participants' overall risk of death, especially risk of death due to respiratory or cardiovascular causes.

3 Nov 2015

Small subtype of immune cells appears to prevent obesity

We tend to think of the immune system as guarding us against bacteria, viruses and assorted foreign invaders, but this system has some other surprising roles. Weizmann Institute researchers have now identified a small subtype of immune cells that appears to prevent metabolic syndrome: obesity, high blood pressure, and high levels of blood sugar and cholesterol.

3 Nov 2015

New research may offer strategies for developing toxoplasma-inactivated vaccine

Toxoplasma gondii is a common parasite which causes the development of fatal encephalosis or pneumonia in immunodeficient patients under treatment of AIDS or cancer.

31 Oct 2015

New anti-malarial ‘biobricks' could pave way for easier, cost-effective production of artemisinin drug

Students from Trinity College Dublin have successfully created anti-malarial ‘biobricks', which could pave the way for easier and more cost-effective production of the key drug artemisinin.

31 Oct 2015

Basic research for developing toxoplasma vaccine underway

Toxoplasma gondii is a common parasite which causes the development of fatal encephalosis or pneumonia in immunodeficient patients under treatment of AIDS or cancer. Pregnant women who are infected may suffer a miscarriage or the newborn child may suffer from a congenital disease. Currently, a toxoplasma vaccine for humans is not available. Using experimental animals such as mice, basic research for developing an inactivated vaccine is underway.

30 Oct 2015

Scientists one step closer to developing new treatment for inflammatory bowel disease

For patients with inflammatory bowel disease, the possibility of taking a single pill to bring long-lasting relief might seem too good to be true. Scientists at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University are on the brink of making that happen, thanks to a recent proof-of-concept study, in which the severity of a form of inflammatory bowel disease in mice was dramatically reduced with one oral dose of a protein isolated from a bacterial biofilm.

30 Oct 2015

SLU VTEU awarded $5.8 million NIH contract to support 'omics' research initiative

Saint Louis University's Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit has received a five-year, $5.8 million contract from the National Institutes of Health to support an "omics" research initiative to study the safety and effectiveness of vaccines and other ways to fight infectious diseases.

30 Oct 2015

New studies raise important questions about impact of statin therapy on effectiveness of flu vaccines

A new pair of studies suggests that statins, drugs widely used to reduce cholesterol, may have a detrimental effect on the immune response to influenza vaccine and the vaccine's effectiveness at preventing serious illness in older adults. Published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, the findings, if confirmed by additional research, may have implications for flu vaccine recommendations, guidelines for statin use around the time of vaccination, and future vaccine clinical trials in seniors.

29 Oct 2015

IMBRUVICA (ibrutinib) wins Prix Galien USA 2015 Award in Best Pharmaceutical Agent category

Today, IMBRUVICA (ibrutinib) was awarded the prestigious Prix Galien USA 2015 Award in the category of Best Pharmaceutical Agent. The Prix Galien Award is considered to be the industry's highest accolade and recognizes the vital technical, scientific and clinical research skills necessary to develop medicines.

28 Oct 2015

Researchers identify role of cGAS enzyme in autoimmune diseases

Activating an enzyme that sounds an alarm for the body's innate immune system causes two lethal autoimmune diseases in mice, while inhibiting the same enzyme rescues them, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report.

28 Oct 2015

New study identifies molecular mechanism that prevents immunotherapy drugs from killing off cancer

Immunotherapy treatments have proven wildly successful in treating some patients with cancer. But despite this success, the majority of patients do not respond to the treatments.

27 Oct 2015

Endocannabinoids can affect development of baby's pancreas

According to the latest research results from the Medical University of Vienna, endocannabinoids, cannabis-like substances produced by the body itself, can affect the development of a baby's pancreas. The study also highlights the importance of diet during pregnancy for the foetal pancreas to form.

23 Oct 2015

Patrolling monocytes may play anti-cancer role in the lung

One goal of immunotherapy is to rally a patient's often over-burdened immune cells to effectively attack a tumor. Among foot soldiers on the immune front line is a subpopulation of white blood cells called "patrolling monocytes," whose job is to cruise the bloodstream, cart off cellular debris, and block invasion of a less benign population of inflammatory cells.

23 Oct 2015

Immunology News and Research

Latest Immunology News and Research

Many seasonal allergy sufferers take OTC products rather prescription medications

New vaccine candidate shows great promise at fighting respiratory syncytial virus

JEDI T-cells provide unique technology to study, visualize immune responses and immunotherapies

Johnson & Johnson signs definitive agreement to purchase Novira Therapeutics

International research project examines effectiveness of tried and tested medicines for different diseases

Approval to start trial of Videregen's replacement trachea technology

Findings suggest potential metabolic pathway against cancer

Rheumatoid arthritis significantly increases risk of death due to cardiovascular causes

Small subtype of immune cells appears to prevent obesity

New research may offer strategies for developing toxoplasma-inactivated vaccine

New anti-malarial ‘biobricks' could pave way for easier, cost-effective production of artemisinin drug

Basic research for developing toxoplasma vaccine underway

Scientists one step closer to developing new treatment for inflammatory bowel disease

SLU VTEU awarded $5.8 million NIH contract to support 'omics' research initiative

New studies raise important questions about impact of statin therapy on effectiveness of flu vaccines

IMBRUVICA (ibrutinib) wins Prix Galien USA 2015 Award in Best Pharmaceutical Agent category

Researchers identify role of cGAS enzyme in autoimmune diseases

New study identifies molecular mechanism that prevents immunotherapy drugs from killing off cancer

Endocannabinoids can affect development of baby's pancreas

Patrolling monocytes may play anti-cancer role in the lung

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