Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

AHF to supply $1 million in free AIDS drugs to Florida's disenrolled and wait listed HIV/AIDS patients

As the State of Florida grapples with a budget shortfall that has crippled its AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) and forced the state to potentially disenroll 350 Florida patients already on ADAP as well as place nearly 2,400 low-income Floridians on waiting lists to access lifesaving medications, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has proposed an innovative plan to help state health officials and displaced HIV/AIDS patients bridge the transition to private patient assistance programs run by the major pharmaceutical companies.

4 Jan 2011

Mothers can play a key role in convincing college-aged women to receive HPV vaccine

Even after young women reach adulthood, their mothers can play a key role in convincing them to receive the human papillomavirus vaccine, new research suggests.

3 Jan 2011

Flu worries continue

The flu season continues to affect more people. Experts have warned the Britons are still at risk as the surge in flu cases has still not yet peaked. The cases would increase they warn, over the next two to four weeks. World Health Organization released figures that show the rate of influenza-like illnesses is still low across continental Europe but has risen dramatically in Britain since the flu season began in October.

3 Jan 2011

FDA approves 200 mg formulation of INTELENCE for HIV-1

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a label update to include a 200 mg formulation of INTELENCE® (etravirine), a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) indicated for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) in treatment-experienced adults with resistance to an NNRTI and other antiretroviral (ARV) agents.

3 Jan 2011

Genocea announces close of $35 million Series B venture financing round

Genocea Biosciences Inc., a vaccine discovery and development company pioneering a new class of T cell-based vaccines, today announced that it has closed a $35 million Series B round of venture financing, with new investors Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation (JJDC), Skyline Ventures and MP Healthcare Venture Management, Inc. (MPH) joining existing investors Polaris Venture Partners, Lux Capital Management, SR One, Cycad Group, Auriga Partners and Morningside Ventures.

3 Jan 2011

Researchers study molecular mechanisms in early stages of IPN virus infection

Infectious pancreatic necrosis is a serious disease that leads to enormous losses in the salmon industry each year. The virus that causes the disease, IPN, is very prevalent in farmed salmon and trout in Norway. The virus attacks a wide diversity of hosts and has been found to occur in many different fish species, in addition to shellfish and molluscs.

30 Dec 2010

New study confirms pancreas disease infects horizontally from population to population in seawater phase

Researchers and the salmon industry have been debating whether fingerling from freshwater farms can be a source of the virus that causes pancreas disease: salmonid alfavirus. The results of a new doctoral study show that this is not the case: pancreas disease transmits horizontally in the seawater phase and infection in fresh water has little bearing on how the disease spreads.

29 Dec 2010

Molecular interaction between structural HCV protein and protein critical to viral replication identified

Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have identified a molecular interaction between a structural hepatitis C virus protein (HCV) and a protein critical to viral replication. This new finding strongly suggests a novel method of inhibiting the production of the virus and a potential new therapeutic target for hepatitis C drug development.

29 Dec 2010

Study sheds light on how bacteria developed resistance to antibiotics

Studying how bacteria incorporate foreign DNA from invading viruses into their own regulatory processes, Thomas Wood, professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University, is uncovering the secrets of one of nature's most primitive immune systems.

27 Dec 2010

Flu infection rates double in a week

Figures reveal that the rates of flu infection in the UK have more than doubled in the last week. Number of cases has risen to 87.1 per 100,000 people, from 32.8 in the previous week, according to the Royal College of GPs. Reports also reveal that school-age children from England and Wales are particularly affected. Ages five to 14 are highest affected followed by those under four, then people aged 15 to 44. Considering all age groups rates almost tripled in the South in one week, from 36 per 100,000 to 93.4. In the North, the rate was 55.5, up from 15.7, and was 94.9 in the central England region, up from 37.9.

27 Dec 2010

Scientific American examines efforts to increase influenza virus monitoring in pigs to prevent pandemics in humans

Scientific American examines how, in an attempt to improve early recognition of viruses that could give rise to pandemics in people, such as last year's H1N1 swine flu, scientists are looking to better understand "the viruses that infect the estimated 941 million domesticated pigs around the world." However, as the article notes, "[i]ntensive monitoring of pig viruses is unlikely to come any time soon … Most pork-producing countries do not test their pigs at all, and in some that do - such as the U.S. - the testing is done on behalf of the pork producers.

24 Dec 2010

Janssen files abiraterone acetate NDS with Health Canada for metastatic, advanced prostate cancer

Janssen Inc. has filed a New Drug Submission (NDS) to Health Canada for the investigational drug abiraterone acetate administered with prednisone for the treatment of metastatic, advanced prostate cancer in patients who have received prior chemotherapy containing a taxane. Submissions for abiraterone acetate have also been filed with health authorities in the United States and Europe.

23 Dec 2010

Discovery highlights potential to combat HIV/AIDS

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have discovered how HIV binds to and destroys a specific human antiviral protein called APOBEC3F. The results suggest that a simple chemical change can convert APOBEC3F to a more effective antiviral agent and that shielding of a common feature shared by related proteins may yield a similar outcome.

23 Dec 2010

EPA to clean up vector-breeding site to eliminate dengue epidemic

To control the severe dengue epidemic, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said the first priority is to locate diagnosed patients and eliminate virus-carrying mosquitoes, the vectors of Dengue fever, and called on all people to clean up mosquito breeding sites.

23 Dec 2010

Immunization with VLP vaccine results in functional, protective immune responses against RSV

Novavax, and scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, led by Dr. Trudy Morrison, published in the January 2011 issue of The Journal of Virology, a report indicating that a novel virus-like particle vaccine candidate against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) protects mice from a live virus challenge.

23 Dec 2010

Medicago completes first part of H5N1 vaccine Phase II trial

Medicago, a biotechnology company focused on developing highly effective and affordable vaccines based on proprietary manufacturing technologies and Virus-Like Particles, today announced that the last dose of vaccine has been administered completing the first part of the Company's Phase II human clinical trial with its H5N1 Avian Influenza vaccine.

23 Dec 2010

Merck announces FDA approval for GARDASIL against HPV-related anal cancer

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16, and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] for the prevention of anal cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 and for the prevention of anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) grades 1, 2 and 3 (anal dysplasias and precancerous lesions) caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18, in males and females 9 through 26 years of age.

23 Dec 2010

Vote For Kids Health calls for voting support to help win December Pepsi Refresh Project

Critically ill and disadvantaged children are counting on the generosity of strangers Thursday, December 23, 2010, asking for 100,000 votes to help win their grant ideas in the December Pepsi Refresh Project. Securing the thousands of votes needed to finish in winning spots is an uphill challenge for many organizations, but eight enterprising charities have joined forces to help each other into the winners circle.

22 Dec 2010

Vertex announces modification of telaprevir and VX-222 combination Phase 2 trial for treatment of HCV

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced a modification of its Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating 12-week, response-guided regimens of its lead investigational hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease inhibitor, telaprevir, in combination with its lead investigational HCV polymerase inhibitor, VX-222.

22 Dec 2010

Biogen Idec, Elan propose updated product labeling for TYSABRI to FDA and EMA

Biogen Idec and Elan Corporation, plc announced that the companies have submitted a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a Type II Variation to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to request review and approval to update the respective TYSABRI Prescribing Information and Summary of Product Characteristics.

22 Dec 2010

Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

AHF to supply $1 million in free AIDS drugs to Florida's disenrolled and wait listed HIV/AIDS patients

Mothers can play a key role in convincing college-aged women to receive HPV vaccine

Flu worries continue

FDA approves 200 mg formulation of INTELENCE for HIV-1

Genocea announces close of $35 million Series B venture financing round

Researchers study molecular mechanisms in early stages of IPN virus infection

New study confirms pancreas disease infects horizontally from population to population in seawater phase

Molecular interaction between structural HCV protein and protein critical to viral replication identified

Study sheds light on how bacteria developed resistance to antibiotics

Flu infection rates double in a week

Scientific American examines efforts to increase influenza virus monitoring in pigs to prevent pandemics in humans

Janssen files abiraterone acetate NDS with Health Canada for metastatic, advanced prostate cancer

Discovery highlights potential to combat HIV/AIDS

EPA to clean up vector-breeding site to eliminate dengue epidemic

Immunization with VLP vaccine results in functional, protective immune responses against RSV

Medicago completes first part of H5N1 vaccine Phase II trial

Merck announces FDA approval for GARDASIL against HPV-related anal cancer

Vote For Kids Health calls for voting support to help win December Pepsi Refresh Project

Vertex announces modification of telaprevir and VX-222 combination Phase 2 trial for treatment of HCV

Biogen Idec, Elan propose updated product labeling for TYSABRI to FDA and EMA

Microplate-based assays in virology research eBook eBook

Real-time Raman monitoring for pharmaceutical hot melt extrusion

Synthetic Psychedelics: A Growing Public Health Concern

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging