Vaccine News and Research

Latest Vaccine News and Research

Merck proposes to initiate Phase II proof-of-concept clinical study of posaconazole for chronic Chagas disease

Merck today announced plans to initiate a Phase II investigational proof-of-concept clinical study to evaluate its oral antifungal agent posaconazole for the treatment of chronic Chagas disease. Chagas disease results from infection with the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi that is spread by biting insects. The disease is estimated to affect approximately eight million people in Latin America, of whom approximately 30-40 percent will develop serious cardiac disease, digestive disease, or both as a result of this infection.

24 Jun 2010

Emergent BioSolutions completes sales, deliveries of BioThrax to allied international governments

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. announced today that it has completed separate international sales and deliveries of BioThrax® (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed) to governments of several allied nations. The company's international sales efforts have resulted in these sales of an undisclosed number of BioThrax doses for aggregate revenue of approximately $2.3 million in the second quarter.

24 Jun 2010

Increased drug development cost drives pharma companies to seek better opportunities in emerging markets

The increased cost of drug development has impelled pharmaceutical companies to seek better opportunities in emerging markets to successfully expand and sell their products. Most pharmaceutical companies consider emerging markets lucrative due to their economical infrastructure and manpower costs and a significant untapped market potential with a large population.

24 Jun 2010

Rapidly growing polio outbreak in Tajikistan raises serious concerns, states CMAJ

The rapidly growing polio outbreak in Tajikistan raises serious concerns that the disease could spread to other regions in the world, states an editorial http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/doi/10.1503/cmaj.100831 in CMAJ. It is imperative that health agencies attempt to limit further spread by ensuring high vaccination rates.

24 Jun 2010

MSD enters collaboration with Adcock Ingram to co-promote, distribute products in South Africa

Merck (Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada) today announced a strategic collaboration between MSD South Africa and Adcock Ingram, a publicly held South African company, to co-promote and distribute a number of established MSD products in South Africa. The products that will be jointly promoted by MSD and Adcock Ingram include over-the-counter (OTC) products and selected prescription medicines currently registered in South Africa by MSD and Schering-Plough.

24 Jun 2010

Aphios awarded US patent for process to formulate polymeric microspheres, nanospheres

Aphios Corporation today announced that it was awarded United States Patent No. 7,708,915 B2 for "Polymer Microspheres/Nanospheres and Encapsulating Therapeutic Proteins Therein," granted May 04, 2010. This invention is an improved process to formulate polymeric microspheres and nanospheres, and encapsulate therapeutic proteins or other useful substances, and a polymer microspheres/nanospheres apparatus.

24 Jun 2010

BioSante closes $15 million registered direct offering

BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced closing of a previously announced sale of an aggregate of $15 million of securities in a registered direct offering. The investors are Deerfield Management Company and other institutional investors. BioSante received net proceeds of approximately $14.2 million after deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses.

24 Jun 2010

Company took measures to protect employees from H1N1 flu: National poll

In response to the H1N1 flu, most employees at U.S. businesses say their company took measures to protect them from illness, such as encouraging sick employees to stay home, according to a national poll of employees by researchers from the Harvard Opinion Research Program at Harvard School of Public Health.

23 Jun 2010

US physicians concerned about health risk to patients from heat-damaged medicinal products

In a recent Harris Interactive survey of US physicians about the proper storage and handling of temperature-sensitive medicines prescribed and administered to patients, physicians reported being concerned about this issue, and the overwhelming majority are concerned that heat-damaged products resulting from cumulative exposure to temperatures outside the specified temperature range pose a health risk to patients. The announcement of the study findings was made today by Temptime Corporation.

23 Jun 2010

European drugmakers lead in making medicines available to developing world, Index says

European drug companies came out ahead of their U.S. counterparts in making medicines available to people in developing countries, but their lead is beginning to shrink, according to the Access to Medicines Index, released on Monday, Reuters reports (Kelland, 6/21).

23 Jun 2010

IMUC signs exclusive licensing agreement with Targepeutics for acquisition of IL-13Ra2 receptor

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing new immune-based products to treat cancer, today announced it has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Targepeutics, Inc. for ImmunoCellular's acquisition of Targepeutics' worldwide intellectual property rights surrounding the IL-13 receptor, alpha 2.

23 Jun 2010

Biovest targets mantle cell lymphoma as next indication for BiovaxID

Biovest International, Inc. (Other OTC:BVTI) today announced at the Active Immunotherapeutics Forum in Barcelona, Spain, that the Company is targeting mantle cell lymphoma, in addition to follicular lymphoma, as a next indication for its personalized cancer vaccine, BiovaxID. At the conference, the Company reviewed positive data from an open label Phase II mantle cell lymphoma clinical trial and reported plans to meet with the FDA later this year to discuss a pathway to seek regulatory approval for this hematological indication for which there is no current consensus standard-of-care.

22 Jun 2010

SynCon DNA vaccine shows advantages in magnitude and breadth of immune responses in non-human primates

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leader in the development of therapeutic and preventive vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases, announced today that the peer-reviewed journal Molecular Therapy has published a paper entitled "Comparative Analysis of Immune Responses Induced by Vaccination With SIV Antigens by Recombinant Ad5 Vector or Plasmid DNA in Rhesus Macaques." The paper, co-authored by researchers from Merck, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and Inovio Pharmaceuticals, notes that significant advances in the design, formulation, and delivery of DNA plasmid-based vaccines have dramatically increased their ability to induce antigen-specific immune responses.

22 Jun 2010

FDA Advisory Committee recommendation against flibanserin will not affect LibiGel program: BioSante

BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc. commented today that the recommendation on June 18, 2010 by the FDA Advisory Committee regarding the safety and efficacy of flibanserin (Boehringer-Ingelheim) will have no impact on its own ongoing development program or approval pathway for LibiGel (testosterone gel), for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).

22 Jun 2010

Health leaders formally launch new strategy for polio eradication

Health leaders from around the world gathered on Friday to formally launch a new strategy for eradicating polio, Newsweek's "The Human Condition" blog reports in a post examining the challenges and successes health advocates face in attempting to wipe the virus out completely (Carmichael, 6/18).

22 Jun 2010

Asthmatics to suffer more this winter warn experts

Asthma sufferers in Australia have been warned about a bad cold and flu season ahead. 58 percent of the susceptible population is already experiencing asthma attacks since the start of the season according to The National Asthma Council Australia (NACA) on Monday. They went on to say that nearly half of this population is still not vaccinated against seasonal flu.

21 Jun 2010

Also in Global Health News: WHO scraps drug development group; Access to medication in Philippines; Yellow fever vaccine shortage; HIV-positive employee protection

Lancet World Report examines how "[d]isappointment over a long-awaited report on improving drug research and development for neglected diseases" led the WHO to form a new Consultative Expert Working Group (CEWG) to strategize around drug research and development. The formation of the new group comes after the report from the previous working group (EWG) was questioned due to "what some perceived to be a missed opportunity, unclear methods, a lack of transparency and signs of industry interference" and after "suspicions of impropriety" surfaced.

21 Jun 2010

Independent DMC recommends continuation of BioSante's ongoing LibiGel CV and Breast Cancer Safety Study

BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced that the independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) of the ongoing LibiGel® Cardiovascular (CV) and Breast Cancer Safety Study unanimously recommended study continuation without modifications, after its third review of the study's unblinded safety data. The review was based on data from almost 1,500 women-years of exposure.

21 Jun 2010

BioSante announces $15 million registered direct offering

BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has received commitments from several institutional investors to purchase $15 million of securities in a registered direct offering. The investors are Deerfield Management Company and other institutional investors. BioSante expects to receive net proceeds of approximately $14.2 million after deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses.

21 Jun 2010

NanoViricides' anti-Dengue drug candidates demonstrate potential against severe virus infection

NanoViricides, Inc. reports that its anti-Dengue drug candidates demonstrated significant protection in the initial animal survival studies of Dengue virus infection. The studies were performed in the laboratory of Dr. Eva Harris, Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of California, Berkeley.

21 Jun 2010

Vaccine News and Research

Latest Vaccine News and Research

Merck proposes to initiate Phase II proof-of-concept clinical study of posaconazole for chronic Chagas disease

Emergent BioSolutions completes sales, deliveries of BioThrax to allied international governments

Increased drug development cost drives pharma companies to seek better opportunities in emerging markets

Rapidly growing polio outbreak in Tajikistan raises serious concerns, states CMAJ

MSD enters collaboration with Adcock Ingram to co-promote, distribute products in South Africa

Aphios awarded US patent for process to formulate polymeric microspheres, nanospheres

BioSante closes $15 million registered direct offering

Company took measures to protect employees from H1N1 flu: National poll

US physicians concerned about health risk to patients from heat-damaged medicinal products

European drugmakers lead in making medicines available to developing world, Index says

IMUC signs exclusive licensing agreement with Targepeutics for acquisition of IL-13Ra2 receptor

Biovest targets mantle cell lymphoma as next indication for BiovaxID

SynCon DNA vaccine shows advantages in magnitude and breadth of immune responses in non-human primates

FDA Advisory Committee recommendation against flibanserin will not affect LibiGel program: BioSante

Health leaders formally launch new strategy for polio eradication

Asthmatics to suffer more this winter warn experts

Also in Global Health News: WHO scraps drug development group; Access to medication in Philippines; Yellow fever vaccine shortage; HIV-positive employee protection

Independent DMC recommends continuation of BioSante's ongoing LibiGel CV and Breast Cancer Safety Study

BioSante announces $15 million registered direct offering

NanoViricides' anti-Dengue drug candidates demonstrate potential against severe virus infection

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Vaccine News and Research

Latest Vaccine News and Research

Event guide: 3rd mRNA Process Development & Manufacturing Europe eBook

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Synthetic Biology and the Pursuit of Living Diagnostics

Modular, Scalable, Intelligent: How n6 Is Rethinking NGS Library Prep

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