Pneumonia News and Research

Latest Pneumonia News and Research

Scientists use electron microscopes to study mechanism of perforin protein to punch holes in rogue cells

Scientists from the UK and Australia have seen the human immune system's assassin a protein called perforin in action for the first time. The UK team, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Wellcome Trust, is based at Birkbeck College where they used powerful electron microscopes to study the mechanism that perforin uses to punch holes in rogue cells.

1 Nov 2010

FDA new approvals, antibiotic and neurological drugs

Two new drugs have gained approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – one is an antibiotic from Forest Labs and the other a first-time treatment for a neurological disorder developed by Avanir Pharmaceuticals. Another waiting for approval is Biodel's fast-acting insulin Linjeta. On the other hand seven new drugs got rejected including a diabetes drug from Amylin Pharmaceuticals and weight-loss drugs from Arena Pharmaceuticals and Vivus, respectively.

31 Oct 2010

Rite Aid to host flu shot clinics at nationwide pharmacies

With the holidays getting closer, Rite Aid is reminding people to get a flu shot so that the only thing they are spreading this season is good cheer. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it can take up to two weeks for flu shots to be effective and protect against the flu; those who get their flu shot now can help protect themselves by the time they sit down for Thanksgiving dinner.

30 Oct 2010

FDA approves Teflaro for treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia

Forest Laboratories, Inc. announced today that Teflaro(ceftaroline fosamil), a broad-spectrum bactericidal cephalosporin with activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP), including cases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia, and acute bacterial skin and skin structure infection (ABSSSI), including cases caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

30 Oct 2010

Teflaro receives FDA approval for treatment of bacterial infections

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Teflaro (ceftaroline fosamil), an injectable antibiotic to treat adults with community acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP) and acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI), including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

30 Oct 2010

Pneumonia vaccination increases among older Americans, but still falls short of Healthy People 2010 goal

Between 2000 and 2007, the proportion of Americans age 65 and older who were vaccinated against pneumonia increased from 53 percent to 58 percent, but the rate fell far short of the Healthy People 2010 goal of 90 percent for pneumonia vaccinations in that age group, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

29 Oct 2010

SPRYCEL receives FDA approval for treating adult patients with Ph+ CML in chronic phase

After receiving a priority review, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved SPRYCEL (dasatinib) 100 mg once daily for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase.

29 Oct 2010

Older patients suffer with real life-changing burdens after beating sepsis: Study

A study of nearly 1,200 older patients hospitalized for severe sepsis indicate that those who survive are at higher risk for long-term cognitive impairment and physical limitations than those hospitalized for other reasons.

28 Oct 2010

New findings suggest way to treat lung diseases

A new study of an exotic, infectious virus that has caused three recent outbreaks in the United States reveals clues to how the virus might damage lungs during infection. The findings also suggest possible new ways to treat lung diseases in humans.

28 Oct 2010

Sandoz initiates voluntary recall of Methotrexate Injection

Sandoz Inc. announced today it has initiated a voluntary recall in the US of all 50mg/2mL and 250mg/10mL vials of Sandoz and Parenta brand Methotrexate Injection, USP product ("methotrexate") to the consumer/user level. Consistent with its commitment to quality and patient safety, Sandoz is initiating this voluntary recall of all 24 lots of the affected product following the finding of small glass flakes by Sandoz quality control in a limited number of vials in four lots.

28 Oct 2010

Older adults with severe sepsis at higher risk for cognitive impairment

Older adults who survive severe sepsis are at higher risk for long-term cognitive impairment and physical limitations than those hospitalized for other reasons, according to researchers from the University of Michigan Health System.

27 Oct 2010

H1N1 linked to increased rate of empyema in children

The H1N1 influenza pandemic has led to a sharp increase in the number of children with a serious "secondary" bacterial infection called empyema in children, suggests a study in the October issue of The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.

25 Oct 2010

Intercell's IC43 Phase II trial against Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections meets primary endpoint

Intercell AG today announced results from a Phase II clinical trial involving the company's investigational nosocomial vaccine candidate (IC43) against infections with the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections with increasing antibiotic resistance and hence a very high unmet medical need.

25 Oct 2010

Incidence of KPC-producing bacteria is rising in Chicago

In a survey of Chicago-area healthcare facilities, researchers at Rush University Medical Center and the Cook County Department of Public Health have found that the incidence of KPC-producing bacteria is rising. These bugs cause infections with high mortality rates and are resistant to the most commonly used antibiotics.

25 Oct 2010

72% of patients misdiagnosed with pneumonia upon readmission : Study

Patients were misdiagnosed with pneumonia at an alarming rate when they were readmitted to the hospital shortly after a previous hospitalization for the same illness, according to two Henry Ford Hospital companion studies.

25 Oct 2010

New research shows flu virus with D222G mutation can cause pneumonia

A variant of last year's pandemic influenza linked to fatal cases carried a mutation that enabled it to infect a different subset of cells lining the airway, according to new research. The study, due to be published next week in the Journal of Virology, suggests that the mutant virus could have impaired the lungs' ability to clear out germs.

25 Oct 2010

AiCuris’ AIC246 inhibitor treats patient with multi-organ HCMV disease

AiCuris announced today that its novel HCMV inhibitor AIC246 has been used successfully to treat a patient with multi-organ HCMV disease caused by multi-resistant virus. Details will be presented at the 48th IDSA meeting on October 23, presentation number LB-38.

22 Oct 2010

Zyvox achieves higher clinical success rate than vancomycin in MRSA nosocomial pneumonia study

Results of a new international phase 4 study of patients with nosocomial pneumonia due to proven methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) demonstrated that the antibiotic Zyvox® (linezolid) achieved a statistically significantly higher clinical success rate compared with vancomycin for the primary endpoint. The ZEPHyR (Linezolid in the treatment of subjects with nosocomial pneumonia proven to be due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) study was the largest ever conducted in this population.

21 Oct 2010

ACS NSQIP recognizes Christiana Care Health System as participating hospital

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) has recognized Christiana Care Health System as one of 26 ACS NSQIP participating hospitals in the United States that have achieved exemplary outcomes for surgical patient care.

20 Oct 2010

Smokers have more complications and higher death rate after surgery than non-smokers

Results from a clinical study presented at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2010 found that smokers have significantly more complications post-surgery than non-smokers, including a higher death rate.

20 Oct 2010