Influenza News and Research

Latest Influenza News and Research

Quidel second-quarter total revenues increase 1.6% to $25.0 million

Quidel Corporation, a leading provider of rapid diagnostic testing solutions, announced today financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

30 Jul 2010

FAO launches initiative to curb animal diseases

In an effort to prevent and control outbreaks of animal diseases and the associated costs, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization on Monday announced a new five-year initiative "to improve global response to disease outbreaks, implement effective prevention and containment strategies and manage risks," PANA/Afrique en ligne reports (7/28).

29 Jul 2010

Etubics enters Phase I trials for next generation vector vaccines

Etubics Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company developing next generation vector vaccines, has entered into Phase I trials at Duke University with its ETBX-011, a therapeutic vaccine candidate that is intended to treat Carcinoembryonic Antigen expressing cancers such as colorectal cancer. Etubics dosed its first patient yesterday. Etubics was recently granted clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its Investigational New Drug application to begin studying ETBX-011 in humans.

29 Jul 2010

Response Biomedical closes $8 million common share private placement

Response Biomedical Corporation announced today that it has closed its previously announced private placement of common shares for gross proceeds of approximately $8 million. The Company issued 13,333,333 common shares at a price of C$0.60 per share.

29 Jul 2010

BiondVax receives 2010 European Influenza Vaccines Technology Innovation Award

Frost & Sullivan is pleased to announce the award of its prestigious 2010 European Influenza Vaccines Technology Innovation Award to BiondVax Pharmaceuticals for their breakthrough work on a universal influenza vaccine. This vaccine, the Multimeric-001, is designed to provide multi-season and multi-strain protection against most influenza virus strains, including both seasonal and pandemic strains, and has the potential to eliminate the need for annual flu vaccination. BiondVax is entering Phase II clinical trials for the development of the Multimeric-001 universal influenza vaccine.

28 Jul 2010

Response Biomedical announces shareholder approval for $8 million private placement

Response Biomedical Corporation announced that at the Company's Special General Shareholders' Meeting held today in Vancouver, shareholders approved the private placement of an aggregate of 13,333,333 common shares, at a price of Cdn. $0.60 per Offered Share, to Caduceus Private Investments III, LP, OrbiMed Associates III, LP and Caduceus Asia Partners, LP for gross proceeds of approximately Cdn. $8 million.

28 Jul 2010

GenVec creates novel vectors for vaccine development

GenVec, Inc. announced that research regarding GenVec's efforts to create novel vectors for vaccines is appearing in Vol. 28, issue 35, pages 5691-5702 of Vaccine. The article, "Potent immune responses and in vitro pro-inflammatory cytokine suppression by a novel adenovirus vector based on rare human serotype 28," describes GenVec's efforts to identify and utilize novel adenovirus serotypes as vectors in vaccine development.

27 Jul 2010

Quidel recommences shipments of QuickVue+ lateral flow diagnostic test for infectious mononucleosis

Quidel Corporation, a leading provider of rapid diagnostic testing solutions, announced today that it has begun taking orders for its QuickVue®+ lateral flow diagnostic test for infectious mononucleosis. Due to strong customer demand, the Company has restarted manufacturing its previous mononucleosis product with shipments to customers expected during the first week of August.

27 Jul 2010

School program to help children continue normal educational activities during treatment

Treatment for cancer and other catastrophic disease can last months or years and often makes it impossible for young patients to keep up with their local school curriculum. Teachers in the St. Jude School Program Presented by Target help patients continue their normal educational activities while away from their local schools. They are also part of the health care team that provides opportunities to continue normal educational activities through homebound or hospital-bound educational services. In addition, the team provides school re-entry services to ease the transition back to the community school.

26 Jul 2010

Neu5Gc in drugs provokes strong immune response

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that a kind of sugar molecule common to chimpanzees, gorillas and other mammals but not found in humans provokes a strong immune response in some people, likely worsening conditions in which chronic inflammation is a major issue.

26 Jul 2010

Onconase, Amphinase 2 show positive results for SARS virus: Tamir Biotechnology

Tamir Biotechnology, Inc. announced today that scientists supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases confirmed that testing of two (2) of the company's compounds Onconase (Ranpirnase), and recombinant Amphinase 2 showed positive in vitro results for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, also known as (SARS) virus.

22 Jul 2010

AMP particpates at FDA's public meeting on oversight of laboratory developed tests

The Association for Molecular Pathology participated in the Food and Drug Administration Center for Devices and Radiological Health public meeting on the oversight of laboratory developed tests. Dr. Karen Mann, President of AMP, served on the second panel of the meeting titled, Clinical Laboratory Challenges. Additionally, Dr. Elaine Lyon, Chair of the AMP Professional Relations Committee, presented public comments. "AMP believes that LDTs are an essential and central component of medical practice," said Dr. Lyon, "Without LDTs, the practice of medicine that we know today would be severely reduced in scope."

21 Jul 2010

Gilead Sciences second-quarter total revenues increase 17% to $1.93 billion

Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced today its results of operations for the quarter ended June 30, 2010. Total revenues for the second quarter of 2010 were $1.93 billion, up 17 percent compared to total revenues of $1.65 billion for the second quarter of 2009. Net income for the second quarter of 2010 was $712.1 million, or $0.79 per diluted share, compared to net income for the second quarter of 2009 of $571.4 million, or $0.61 per diluted share.

21 Jul 2010

New development in flu prevention & treatment

In a groundbreaking development, scientists at the Australian National University in Canberra have found the key to the mutation of the flu virus. This may allow the manufacturing of a life-long vaccine stopping the need for repeated vaccinations. The scientists reveal that they have found a protein in the virus that changes or mutates in order to develop resistance in the virus.

20 Jul 2010

Meridian Bioscience third-quarter net sales decrease 11% to $33.9 million

Net sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2010 were $33,857,000 as compared to $38,240,000 for the same period of the prior fiscal year, a decrease of 11%. Net earnings for the third quarter of fiscal 2010 were $6,424,000 or $0.16 per diluted share, both decreases of 24%, compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2009. (Net earnings include $673,000 in Bioline acquisition costs or $0.01 per diluted share.) Diluted common shares outstanding for fiscal 2010 and 2009 were 41,151,000 and 41,191,000, respectively.

20 Jul 2010

NanoViricides presents study results of nanoviricides anti-Ebola agents

NanoViricides, Inc. reports that the results of the evaluation of several of its nanoviricides anti-Ebola agents were presented July 17th at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Virology, July 17-21, at Montana State University, Bozeman, MT. Dr. Corinne Scully delivered the presentation, which was entitled "Polymeric Micelle Nanomaterials as Antiviral Compounds For Ebola Virus Infection."

20 Jul 2010

Scientists develop new way to increase effectiveness of antiviral drugs

Scientists have developed a new way to target viruses which could increase the effectiveness of antiviral drugs.Instead of attacking the virus itself, the method developed at the University of Edinburgh alters the conditions which viruses need to survive and multiply.

20 Jul 2010

Ratio secures equity financing

Ratio, Inc. has secured equity financing from regional angel investors and angel networks. The groups participating in the round include Wisconsin Investment Partners, The Golden Angels Network, Stateline Angels, and Central Illinois Angels. The company is keeping the round of financing open for 120 days and actively pursuing further investment.

20 Jul 2010

Plea for Federal legislation to ban mercury in vaccines, prevent autism

Two papers in this week's neuroscience journal Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis point to vaccines and heavy metals including mercury as causes of the alarming rise in autism. The Centers for Disease Control now estimate autism to affect one in 110 children, up 40% from just a few years ago.

20 Jul 2010

Study evaluates immunization benefits of dissolving microneedles

A new vaccine-delivery patch based on hundreds of microscopic needles that dissolve into the skin could allow persons without medical training to painlessly administer vaccines - while providing improved immunization against diseases such as influenza.

19 Jul 2010