Immunology News and Research

Latest Immunology News and Research

SIMPONI treatment results in greater inhibition of structural damage in arthritis patients

Phase 3 data reported for the first time show that once every four week subcutaneous injections of SIMPONI(TM) (golimumab) resulted in significantly greater inhibition of structural damage compared with placebo plus methotrexate in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and active psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

20 Oct 2009

AstraZeneca and POZEN announce the pivotal data from two POZEN clinical trials

AstraZeneca and POZEN Inc. today announced pivotal data from two POZEN clinical trials that were presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2009 Annual Scientific Meeting in Philadelphia, PA.

20 Oct 2009

Celgene Corporation updates on Phase II study evaluating apremilast in psoriatic arthritis patients

Celgene Corporation announced that updated results of a phase II, multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, three-arm study of apremilast in adult patients with psoriatic arthritis (CC-10004-PSA-001) were presented today at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2009 annual meeting in Philadelphia, PA.

20 Oct 2009

UCB reports on the outcome of Cimzia and MTX treatment for rheumatoid arthritis

UCB today announced data that showed rapid and sustained improvements in ACR20, physical function, pain and fatigue of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as early as the first week, and inhibition of progression of structural joint damage (seen at week 24) following treatment with Cimzia (certolizumab pegol), together with methotrexate (MTX), was sustained up to 100 weeks.

19 Oct 2009

Scientists find cause for lupuslike disease in mice

Macrophages, the scavenger cells of the body's immune system, are responsible for disposing of dying cells. Stanford University School of Medicine researchers have identified one pathway in this important process in mice that, if disrupted, causes a lupuslike autoimmune disease.

19 Oct 2009

Encorium Group raises $1.6 million through private placement

Encorium Group, Inc., a full-service multinational contract research organization (CRO) that provides design, development, and management capabilities for clinical trials and patient registries to many of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, today announced that it has completed a private placement of 3,937,500 shares of its common stock with a private investor for an aggregate purchase price of $1,575,000, or $.40 per share.

19 Oct 2009

New data on Phase 3 SIMPONI clinical trials for rheumatoid arthritis

New long-term data from two pivotal, Phase 3 clinical trials showed that patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving SIMPONI(TM) (golimumab) every four weeks achieved sustained improvements in signs and symptoms and physical function response through one year. These new data were presented today at the 2009 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Annual Scientific Meeting.

19 Oct 2009

SequelMed Patient Portal launched by Sequel Systems

Sequel Systems, Inc., a dynamic, service-oriented healthcare technology company, today announced the launch and general availability of SequelMed Patient Portal™, a new, Web-based tool that improves and speeds up communication between physicians and patients, giving patients instant access to their personal health information, and allowing physicians and other healthcare providers more time to focus on delivering the best possible care. SequelMed Patient Portal is the latest addition to Sequel Systems’ suite of healthcare solutions, which includes an electronic health record (EHR), practice and document management software, and e-prescribing technology. More than 12,000 physicians in all 50 states and representing all major specialties currently use the company’s solutions.

19 Oct 2009

Ardea Biosciences reports results of RDEA594 Phase 2a study for hyperuricemia and gout

Ardea Biosciences, Inc. announced additional positive results from the completed first cohort of an ongoing Phase 2a, proof-of-concept study of RDEA594, its lead product candidate for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout.

19 Oct 2009

Talecris Biotherapeutics' PROLASTIN-C receives FDA approval

Talecris Biotherapeutics (Nasdaq: TLCR) today received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for PROLASTIN®-C (Alpha1-Proteinase Inhibitor [Human]), a more concentrated version of PROLASTIN® produced using advances in manufacturing technology.

19 Oct 2009

UNC scientists receive GO grant to study the human genome blueprint

Ever since the first genome sequence was published in 2001, scientists have been working to figure out what the sequence means. An analogy is walking across a desert and finding a large book in a language you don't know, then trying to figure out what the book is saying.

19 Oct 2009

Discovery may yield better understanding of protective gut-dwelling bacteria

Medical researchers have long suspected that obscure bacteria living within the intestinal tract may help keep the human immune system in balance. An international collaboration co-led by scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center has now identified a bizarre-looking microbial species that can single-handedly spur the production of specialized immune cells in mice.

19 Oct 2009

Rituxan's sBLA receives a Complete Response from the FDA

Genentech, Inc. a wholly-owned member of the Roche Group, and Biogen Idec announced today that the companies received a Complete Response from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Rituxan (rituximab) plus methotrexate (MTX) in patients with moderately-to-severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who no longer respond to treatment with a disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD), including MTX.

19 Oct 2009

Novel HIV drug to be studied in cell cultures and patients

A $6 million, five-year federal grant to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute will enable researchers to investigate a novel approach in treating HIV infection---a unique class of drugs focused on developing therapies for psychological and neurological effects in AIDS.

19 Oct 2009

Mothers receiving HAART less likely to transmit HIV virus to their newborns through breastfeeding

Mothers receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to treat HIV-1 infection are less likely than untreated mothers to transmit the virus to their newborns through breastfeeding, according to a new study.

19 Oct 2009

Specific immune system cells linked to susceptibility of younger people to variant CJD

Specific cells within the immune system could help explain why younger people are more susceptible to variant CJD, scientists believe.

15 Oct 2009

Serametrix and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research form a partnership

Serametrix Corporation, a personalized medicine company, today announced their partnership with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd. (LICR). The agreement will combine LICR’s historic discoveries in tumor immunology with the technologies and commercial capabilities of Serametrix. This new alliance will enable rapid development and commercialization of tests that predict and monitor drug response in cancer patients. The serum-based tests, which determine immune reaction to tumor antigens, are of value to clinicians and drug developers alike.

15 Oct 2009

Commonwealth Biotechnologies to acquire GL Biochem

Commonwealth Biotechnologies, Inc. has recently announced a definitive share purchase agreement to acquire Shanghai-based GL Biochem and associated businesses (the “GL Group”), the largest global supplier of research-grade peptide products and peptide reagents.

15 Oct 2009

Jazz Pharmaceuticals to present Phase III sodium oxybate trial data at ACR 2009 meetings

Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that data from the company's first Phase III clinical trial of sodium oxybate (JZP-6) for the treatment of fibromyalgia will be presented during the American College of Rheumatology 2009 Annual Meeting (ACR) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and also in November during the US Psychiatric and Mental Health Congress (US Psych Congress) in Las Vegas, Nevada.

15 Oct 2009

Abbott announces financial results for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2009

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced financial results for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2009.

14 Oct 2009

Immunology News and Research

Latest Immunology News and Research

SIMPONI treatment results in greater inhibition of structural damage in arthritis patients

AstraZeneca and POZEN announce the pivotal data from two POZEN clinical trials

Celgene Corporation updates on Phase II study evaluating apremilast in psoriatic arthritis patients

UCB reports on the outcome of Cimzia and MTX treatment for rheumatoid arthritis

Scientists find cause for lupuslike disease in mice

Encorium Group raises $1.6 million through private placement

New data on Phase 3 SIMPONI clinical trials for rheumatoid arthritis

SequelMed Patient Portal launched by Sequel Systems

Ardea Biosciences reports results of RDEA594 Phase 2a study for hyperuricemia and gout

Talecris Biotherapeutics' PROLASTIN-C receives FDA approval

UNC scientists receive GO grant to study the human genome blueprint

Discovery may yield better understanding of protective gut-dwelling bacteria

Rituxan's sBLA receives a Complete Response from the FDA

Novel HIV drug to be studied in cell cultures and patients

Mothers receiving HAART less likely to transmit HIV virus to their newborns through breastfeeding

Specific immune system cells linked to susceptibility of younger people to variant CJD

Serametrix and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research form a partnership

Commonwealth Biotechnologies to acquire GL Biochem

Jazz Pharmaceuticals to present Phase III sodium oxybate trial data at ACR 2009 meetings

Abbott announces financial results for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2009

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