Vaccine News and Research

Latest Vaccine News and Research

BioRadar develops TransFMDV for Foot and Mouth Disease

BioRadar UK Ltd. predicted one year ago the current severe Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreaks after recording an increase of the Replikin Count (ref. 1) of the FMD Virus (FMDV) to its highest level in 52 years. Based on these findings, a new synthetic Replikins Trans-Strain FMD Vaccine, called TransFMDV(TM), has been developed and is now available. The announcement was made at the recent Biorbis Conference on Vaccine Production and Manufacturing in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The conference was attended by major pharmaceutical company executives to examine how vaccine production could be accelerated in view of the problem last year of responding "too little, too late" to the H1N1 influenza pandemic.

17 Jul 2010

IAS announces winners of four scientific awards to be presented at AIDS 2010

The International AIDS Society (IAS) announced today the ten winners of four prestigious scientific awards, to be presented at plenary sessions during the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010). Presented by the IAS and partners, these awards recognize scientists involved in innovative HIV and AIDS research throughout the world. "The quality of work represented by the 2010 awardees is remarkable," said IAS President Julio Montaner. "The IAS hopes to draw the world's attention to these individuals and to their significant scientific accomplishments, as well as to the continued need for innovation in all of the major areas of HIV and AIDS research, represented by the six conference programme tracks."

17 Jul 2010

Study examines HIV-positive patients' death risk at CD4 counts above 350

"Having HIV appears to be associated with a greater risk of death, even when the immune system is relatively robust and patients have not started treatment," according to a study published Friday in the Lancet, MedPage Today reports (Smith, 7/15).

17 Jul 2010

Also in Global Health News: WHO reacts to Amnesty's N. Korea report; Universal flu vaccine; Malaria-resistant mosquitoes

The WHO is questioning the validity of the findings of a recent Amnesty International report which highlighted the dire needs of North Korea's health system, "contradict[ing] the rosier picture given by WHO chief Margaret Chan after her April trip there," the Associated Press reports. Although WHO spokesman Paul Garwood "insisted he wasn't criticizing Amnesty's work … he said Thursday's report was anecdotal, with stories dating back to 2001," which "[h]e contrasted … with WHO's science-based approach" (7/16).

17 Jul 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

As part of a series in advance of AIDS 2010, the "Science Speaks" blog features an interview with U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Eric Goosby "about his expectations for the conference, what was behind the Uganda problem with shortages of AIDS medicine, and whether The New York Times was right when it reported in May that the Ugandan drug shortfall was 'the first example … of how the war on AIDS is falling apart.'"

16 Jul 2010

Lyophilized rPA anthrax vaccine more immunogenic than liquid formulation: Study

PharmAthene, Inc., a biodefense company developing medical countermeasures against biological and chemical threats, today announced results from a New Zealand White Rabbit study showing that its lyophilized recombinant Protective Antigen (rPA) anthrax vaccine was more immunogenic than a liquid formulation of rPA vaccine and produced a robust response with only 2 doses.

16 Jul 2010

Aeras, CHC collaborate in Cambodian tuberculosis prevalence study

The Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation and the Cambodian Health Committee today announce the initiation of a study of tuberculosis prevalence in Svay Rieng Province, Cambodia, beginning this month. This is the first study conducted in partnership by the two non-profit research organizations and the first Aeras-sponsored study to be conducted in Cambodia.

16 Jul 2010

Hemispherx publishes report of Japanese government funded program to develop nasally delivered H5N1 vaccine

Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. announced that it was publicizing the full technical (unedited) report in Japanese, prepared by Hideki Hasegawa, M.D. Ph.D., Director, Laboratory of Infectious Disease Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Disease (NIID, formerly Japan's National Institute of Health) and the certified English translation.

16 Jul 2010

Bill Gates emphasizes need for increased efficiency in HIV prevention, treatment programs

Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, "urged governments and health advocates Tuesday to 'get more out of every dollar' in the fight against AIDS, saying the global economic downturn has hit funding for the disease," Agence France-Presse reports.

16 Jul 2010

Insurers will pick up preventive care costs under new rules

The recommendations of a federal task force on preventive care - once just suggestions for doctors - will soon become coverage requirements for private insurers under regulations unveiled Wednesday by the Obama administration, according to Kaiser Health News and The Washington Post. "Under the new health care overhaul law, insurers will be required to pay fully for services that get an "A" or "B" recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a volunteer group made up of primary care and public health experts."

16 Jul 2010

$235 million announced for expansion of biotech sector at CSL

A $235 million expansion of Australia's largest biotech facility in Melbourne is planned and this is expected to create hundreds of jobs. CSL biopharmaceutical research complex in Broadmeadows, in the north of Melbourne will be receiving this financial aid from both the State as well as Federal government over a five year investment plan. This will create an estimated 320 temporary construction jobs and later 333 new highly-skilled medical research openings by 2018.

15 Jul 2010

ALLOZYNE signs worldwide licensing agreement with The Scripps Research Institute

ALLOZYNE Inc. announced today the signing of a worldwide licensing agreement with The Scripps Research Institute. The agreement gives ALLOZYNE rights to a unique and powerful chemical reaction, developed by Nobel Laureate K. Barry Sharpless of Scripps Research, known as "Click chemistry." The novelty of this reaction comes from its ability to introduce two different molecular components and have them "click" together stably and irreversibly.

15 Jul 2010

Activities of TAT fully consolidated into Geron

Geron Corporation today announced that the activities of TA Therapeutics, its joint venture with Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, are being fully consolidated into Geron.

15 Jul 2010

Research addresses challenges for future HIV vaccine

On the eve of the world's biggest AIDS conference this month in Austria, a new research review shows many people wouldn't get inoculated against HIV even if a vaccine was developed.

15 Jul 2010

First 1M doses of smallpox vaccine for immune-compromised populations delivered

Delivery to the Strategic National Stockpile of the first 1 million doses of the nation's first smallpox vaccine for certain immune-compromised populations is now complete, the result of a Project BioShield contract.

15 Jul 2010

Scientists awarded $2.3M grant to develop new treatments for drug addiction

A pair of scientists on the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute has been awarded a $2.3 million grant by the National Institutes of Health to conduct research relevant to developing new treatments for drug addiction.

15 Jul 2010

Aduro BioTech announces issuance of two important patents

Aduro BioTech, a clinical-stage immunotherapy company, announced today the issuance of two important patents, the formation of a distinguished scientific advisory board, the addition of key members to its Board of Directors, and the reporting of preliminary top line long-term survival data from a Phase 1 clinical trial with 2 year follow-up.

15 Jul 2010

Cervical cancer vaccine could reduce number of cases from 3,000 to less than 700 every year

The cervical cancer vaccine could prevent even more cases of the disease in England than previously thought, UK scientists have found.

15 Jul 2010

Children's National and George Washington University receive NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award

Children's National Medical Center, in partnership with The George Washington University Medical Center, has received a prestigious Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) from the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes of Health.

15 Jul 2010

AVAC Report surveys state of biomedical HIV prevention research

A new report from AVAC surveys the state of biomedical HIV prevention research, including the first evidence of vaccine-induced protection in humans and the emergence of ARV-based prevention -- and provides strategic recommendations for moving forward in a time of constrained resources and faltering commitment to ending AIDS.

15 Jul 2010