Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

Findings strengthen promise of SCYNEXIS' SCY-635 for HCV treatment

Drug discovery company SCYNEXIS, Inc. today presented data supporting an impressive resistance profile for SCY-635—a novel, oral cyclophilin inhibitor being studied for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In the study, SCYNEXIS demonstrated that the hepatitis C virus required multiple mutations across two separate proteins in order to establish resistance to SCY-635. The majority of HCV drugs on the market and in development require only one targeted viral mutation to establish resistance.

16 Apr 2010

Novel instrument may help limit spread of diarrhoea-causing bacteria

New strains of Clostridium difficile are making the diarrhoea-causing bacteria a global health problem. In hospitals especially, the bacteria can be extremely harmful. But a new instrument devised by Professor Chris Probert at The University of Bristol and Norman Ratcliffe from the University of the West of England (UWE) may help limit its spread.

16 Apr 2010

Promising pharmacokinetic data from Idenix Pharmaceuticals' Phase I study of IDX320 for HCV

Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral diseases, today reported promising in vitro data for IDX320, an HCV protease inhibitor, demonstrating potent and selective antiviral activity in multiple genotypes, or strains, of the virus.

16 Apr 2010

Positive interim data from Idera Pharmaceuticals' Phase 1 trial of IMO-2125 TLR9 agonist presented at 45th EASL

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that positive interim data from a Phase 1 clinical trial of IMO-2125, a Toll-like Receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist, in null responder patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were presented at the 45th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL).

16 Apr 2010

Results from Romark Laboratories' STEALTH C-3 clinical trial presented at EASL Annual Meeting

Romark Laboratories announced results from its STEALTH C-3 clinical trial, a phase 2 clinical study of nitazoxanide in treatment-naive patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C. Study results were presented as a late breaking communication at the International Liver Congress™ 2010, the 45th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver in Vienna, Austria.

16 Apr 2010

First meeting of WHO H1N1 response probe concludes

The first meeting of external experts tasked with reviewing the WHO's handling of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus came to a close Wednesday, with health leaders maintaining it was still too early to declare the pandemic over, Agence France-Presse reports.

16 Apr 2010

Vertex Pharmaceuticals announces results from Phase 1b clinical trial of VX-222

In conjunction with an oral presentation at the 45th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver in Vienna, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced results from a Phase 1b clinical trial of the investigational oral hepatitis C virus polymerase inhibitor, VX-222. In the trial, treatment with VX-222 for three days was well-tolerated, with all adverse events being mild to moderate in severity.

16 Apr 2010

SJHS-HC tracks potential influenza cases using SafetySurveillor solution

St. Joseph Health System - Humboldt County, a member of St. Joseph Health System based in Orange, Calif., was able to track potential influenza cases minutes after California health officials released new requirements regarding influenza reporting. The SJHS-HC hospitals achieved this using SafetySurveillor, a safety surveillance solution offered by the Premier healthcare alliance.

15 Apr 2010

Study finds variation in H1N1 infection risks and antibody levels: JAMA

An analysis of blood samples taken before, during and after an epidemic wave of influenza A(H1N1) in Singapore in 2009 finds variation in infection risks and antibody levels, with younger age groups and military personnel having higher infection rates than other groups, according to a study in the April 14 issue of JAMA.

15 Apr 2010

Phase 1 clinical trial results of Achillion Pharmaceuticals' ACH-1625 to be presented at EASL meeting

Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today presented data from the Company's ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial of ACH-1625 to treat hepatitis C at the European Association for the Study of the Liver's International Liver Congress taking place at the Reed Messe Wien Congress Center in Vienna, Austria from April 14-18, 2010.

15 Apr 2010

New York Times examines how developments in India, Nigeria could aid global polio eradication campaign

"A decade after the world's original deadline for eradicating polio, the most tenacious bastions of the crippling virus - Nigeria and India - have recently shown remarkable progress in halting its spread, giving even some of the antipolio campaign's severest doubters hope that it may yet largely achieve its goal,"

15 Apr 2010

WHO official says agency struggled to find 'right tempo' for release of H1N1 information

The rapid spread of information via the Internet "had a disruptive impact on the handling of the flu pandemic by fanning speculation and rumours," WHO officials said Tuesday on day two of a three-day meeting of external experts tasked with evaluating the WHO's handling of H1N1 (swine flu), Agence France-Presse reports.

15 Apr 2010

Interim results from Pharmasset's phase 2a combination study of PSI-7977 with Pegasys and Copegus for HCV

Pharmasset, Inc. announced today interim efficacy and safety results from its ongoing 28-day phase 2a study with PSI-7977 dosed once daily in combination with Pegasys® (peginterferon alfa 2a) and Copegus® (ribavirin) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 who have not been treated previously.

15 Apr 2010

Opinions: Health and living conditions; H1N1, one year later; global water shortages

Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and Habitat for Humanity CEO Jonathan Reckford write in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution opinion piece about the need to "address the constant crisis families face daily in deplorable living conditions."

15 Apr 2010

NIH awards Corgenix Medical $600,000 grant to develop diagnostic tests for Ebola and Marburg virus

Corgenix Medical Corporation, a worldwide developer and marketer of diagnostic test kits, including innovative products for emerging pathogens and lethal viruses, today announced a major extension of the collaborative effort to combat important viral diseases.

15 Apr 2010

WHO discusses shortcomings of its H1N1 response

Keiji Fukuda, the WHO's top influenza expert, on Monday said the organization did not effectively communicate the uncertainties of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus, which led to confusion worldwide, Reuters reports.

15 Apr 2010

Swine flu shots important before peak season, say experts

According to reports only 13% of the adult population in Singapore has a natural immunity to H1N1 influenza or influenza A. Communicable Disease Centre (CDC) clinical director Leo Yee Sin led this research and emphasized on the importance of vaccinations with the new three in one vaccines in case of a return of the disease.

15 Apr 2010

Florida to enact health care legislation to improve access to ARV therapy

Florida is poised to enact health care legislation that would add clarity to existing state statutes by requiring that all state-regulated health plans include lifesaving antiretroviral (ARV) HIV/AIDS drugs on their drug formularies or preferred drug lists.

15 Apr 2010

The EMBO Meeting 2010: Over 120 researchers to present

More than 120 leading researchers from across the molecular life sciences will speak at The EMBO Meeting 2010 - the second annual life sciences conference to be organized by the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and held in Barcelona from 4 - 7 September 2010.

13 Apr 2010

New Supramap web-based application to track and stop disease outbreaks

Pathogens can now be easily tracked in time and space as they evolve, an advance that could revolutionize both public health and inform national security in the fight against infectious diseases. Developed by researchers that include scientists at the American Museum of Natural History, Supramap is a new, powerful, web-based application that maps genetic mutations like those among the different strains of avian influenza onto the globe.

13 Apr 2010

Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

Findings strengthen promise of SCYNEXIS' SCY-635 for HCV treatment

Novel instrument may help limit spread of diarrhoea-causing bacteria

Promising pharmacokinetic data from Idenix Pharmaceuticals' Phase I study of IDX320 for HCV

Positive interim data from Idera Pharmaceuticals' Phase 1 trial of IMO-2125 TLR9 agonist presented at 45th EASL

Results from Romark Laboratories' STEALTH C-3 clinical trial presented at EASL Annual Meeting

First meeting of WHO H1N1 response probe concludes

Vertex Pharmaceuticals announces results from Phase 1b clinical trial of VX-222

SJHS-HC tracks potential influenza cases using SafetySurveillor solution

Study finds variation in H1N1 infection risks and antibody levels: JAMA

Phase 1 clinical trial results of Achillion Pharmaceuticals' ACH-1625 to be presented at EASL meeting

New York Times examines how developments in India, Nigeria could aid global polio eradication campaign

WHO official says agency struggled to find 'right tempo' for release of H1N1 information

Interim results from Pharmasset's phase 2a combination study of PSI-7977 with Pegasys and Copegus for HCV

Opinions: Health and living conditions; H1N1, one year later; global water shortages

NIH awards Corgenix Medical $600,000 grant to develop diagnostic tests for Ebola and Marburg virus

WHO discusses shortcomings of its H1N1 response

Swine flu shots important before peak season, say experts

Florida to enact health care legislation to improve access to ARV therapy

The EMBO Meeting 2010: Over 120 researchers to present

New Supramap web-based application to track and stop disease outbreaks

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