Vaccine News and Research

Latest Vaccine News and Research

Alexion's Soliris Phase 2 clinical study for aHUS meets primary, secondary endpoints

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that a Phase 2 clinical study investigating Soliris (eculizumab) as a treatment for patients with atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS) who are resistant to plasma therapy met primary and key secondary endpoints with high levels of statistical and clinical significance, according to results presented today at the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) annual meeting in Denver.

21 Nov 2010

Celldex presents ACT III Phase 2 clinical trial data for glioblastoma multiforme at SNO Meeting

Celldex Therapeutics, Inc., today announced the presentation of complete data for the primary endpoint of ACT III, a multi-center, single arm, Phase 2 clinical trial of rindopepimut (CDX-110) in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

21 Nov 2010

Vical to present results of Vaxfectin adjuvant at Conference in Hungary

Vical Incorporated today announced that the company is presenting an overview of results for its patented Vaxfectin adjuvant at the Modern Veterinary Vaccines & Adjuvants conference.

20 Nov 2010

Study refocuses on rare group of neutralizing antibodies against HIV

Although people infected with HIV produce many antibodies against the protein encapsulating the virus, most of these antibodies are strangely ineffective at fighting the disease. A new study suggests why some of the most common of these antibodies don't work: they target the protein in a form it takes after the virus has already invaded the cell, when it's too late, report researchers at Children's Hospital Boston and their colleagues.

20 Nov 2010

Discovery could provide new approaches to treat metabolic disorders

Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have identified a novel synthetic activator of a pair of proteins that belong to a protein family playing key roles in human metabolism and immune function. The discovery could provide new and potentially more effective therapeutic approaches to diseases ranging from diabetes to osteoporosis.

20 Nov 2010

Glenn Foundation awards $60,000 grant to Scripps' scientist for biomedical research

While scientists depend on grants for their research, applying for them is a long and frequently frustrating process. For one Scripps Research Institute scientist, however, the process was shorter.

19 Nov 2010

Improving immune system to defend against HIV infection

Researchers have been stymied for years over the fact that people infected with the AIDS virus do indeed produce antibodies in response to the pathogen - antibodies that turn out to be ineffective in blocking infection.

19 Nov 2010

Medicare committee recommends expensive drug for some prostate-cancer patients

A new treatment for prostate cancer called Provenge won a vote of confidence from a Medicare coverage advisory committee Wednesday, suggesting the federal program is likely to pay for the $93,000-per-patient medicine.

19 Nov 2010

Cholera confirmed in Florida woman who traveled to Haiti

"The first known case of cholera in the United States linked to the outbreak in Haiti was confirmed Wednesday by health officials who said a southwest Florida woman contracted the disease while visiting family in a region at the heart of Haiti's epidemic," the New York Times reports.

19 Nov 2010

Expert panel to endorse newly approved therapeutic vaccine for advanced prostate cancer

Provenge is one step closer to being covered by Medicare. An expert panel voted Wednesday to endorse the newly approved therapeutic vaccine for men with advanced prostate cancer.

19 Nov 2010

Circassia announces positive result from phase II T-cell vaccine study for house dust mite allergy

Circassia Ltd, a specialty biopharmaceutical company focused on allergy, today announced successful clinical results from a phase II study of its T-cell vaccine targeting house dust mite allergy.

18 Nov 2010

CDC data: Adults remain unvaccinated against preventable infectious illnesses

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that adults remain largely unvaccinated against preventable infectious illnesses.

18 Nov 2010

FIP's PSWC and AAPS Annual Meeting to highlight targeted inhalable dry powder HPV vaccine

New research being presented at the 2010 FIP Pharmaceutical Sciences World Congress in association with the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Annual Meeting and Exposition will highlight a targeted inhalable dry powder vaccine that may prove preferable in terms of needle avoidance and expected lower cost than the current commercial human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine used throughout the world.

18 Nov 2010

Scientists solve structure of key protein from Lassa virus

Scientists at Emory University and the University of St. Andrews have solved the structure of a key protein from Lassa virus, which is endemic to West Africa and can cause a deadly hemorrhagic fever.

18 Nov 2010

Accentia and Biovest exit Chapter 11 as fully restructured organizations

Accentia Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that, effective today, the Company and its majority-owned subsidiary, Biovest International, Inc., have both successfully completed their reorganizations. Pursuant to their respective Plans of Reorganization approved by the bankruptcy court, Accentia and Biovest have now formally exited Chapter 11 as fully restructured organizations.

18 Nov 2010

Merck announces FDA Advisory Committee approval of GARDASIL for anal cancer and AIN treatment

Merck announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee has advised that the data presented support an indication for GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16, and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] for the prevention of anal cancer and anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) in both males and females 9 through 26 years of age.

18 Nov 2010

Inovio achieves positive results in Phase I PENNVAX-B study for HIV

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , a leader in the development of therapeutic and preventive vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases, announced today that it has achieved high vaccine-induced response rates and strong magnitude of immune responses in its Phase I clinical study of PENNVAX-B, a DNA vaccine for the prevention of HIV infection.

18 Nov 2010

Researchers reveal mechanism of early-stage anthrax infection

Researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, have determined a key mechanism by which Bacillus anthracis bacteria initiate anthrax infection despite being greatly outnumbered by immune system scavenger cells. The finding, made by studying genetically modified mice, adds new detail to the picture of early-stage anthrax infection and supports efforts to develop vaccines and drugs that would block this part of the cycle.

18 Nov 2010

Idera presents data on TLR7, TLR9 antagonist candidate for hyperlipidemia at American Heart Association

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it is presenting preclinical data from a study evaluating the mechanism of action of one of its Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and TLR9 antagonist candidates in a model of hyperlipidemia.

18 Nov 2010

BioSante announces sale of oncolytic virus technology to Cold Genesys

BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced it sold to Cold Genesys, Inc. exclusive, worldwide rights to develop and commercialize its oncolytic virus technology. The technology includes CG0070, a replication-competent adenovirus that has completed a Phase I clinical trial for treatment of superficial bladder cancer. In exchange for the technology, BioSante received a 19.9 percent ownership position in Cold Genesys and a $95,000 upfront cash payment and is eligible to receive future milestone and royalty payments.

18 Nov 2010