Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

IAS conference concludes with positive news on HIV prevention

"Scientists on Wednesday wrapped up their biggest forum in the 30-year history of AIDS, unveiling stunning weapons to prevent the spread of HIV," Agence France-Presse reports about the 6th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention in Rome.

22 Jul 2011

Hepatitis B immunization for health care students may fall short of current recommendations

A study in the August issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), suggests that documentation of hepatitis B vaccination for health care students may fall short of current recommendations.

22 Jul 2011

HIV-infected MSM more likely to contract HCV through sex

Sexual transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is considered rare. But a new study by researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provides substantial evidence that men with HIV who have sex with other men (MSM) are at increased risk for contracting HCV through sex.

22 Jul 2011

GIDAC recommends FDA approval of Janssen's REMICADE for treatment of pediatric UC

Janssen Biotech, Inc., formerly Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc., announced today that the Gastrointestinal Drugs Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended the approval of REMICADE for the treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis in pediatric patients who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapy.

22 Jul 2011

NIAID awards $36M grant to BIDMC for AIDS vaccine research in nonhuman primates

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) has been awarded a grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, to lead a Consortium for AIDS Vaccine Research in Nonhuman Primates.

21 Jul 2011

Cell biologists identify infection mechanism of adenoviruses

Mucosal epithelia do not have any receptors on the outer membrane for the absorption of viruses like hepatitis C, herpes, the adenovirus or polio, and are thus well-protected against pathogenic germs. However, certain viruses, such as the human immunodeficiency virus HIV, still manage to enter the body via the mucous membrane.

21 Jul 2011

Boosted REYATAZ shows durable viral suppression in women with HIV

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced results from a long-term, retrospective, European cohort study, which included 1,294 antiretroviral (ARV)-experienced patients from Germany, France and Sweden, that were presented today at the Sixth International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention.

21 Jul 2011

Roche, Merck sign new non-exclusive agreement for HCV triple combination therapy

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that it has signed a new non-exclusive agreement with Roche, through the companies' respective subsidiaries, for the global promotion, upon appropriate marketing approvals, of VICTRELIS (boceprevir) as part of a triple combination therapy regimen with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin.

21 Jul 2011

Final SVR results from Pharmasset's PSI-7977 phase 2b study in HCV

Pharmasset, Inc. announced today the final sustained virologic response (SVR) results from its phase 2b PROTON study with PSI-7977 dosed once daily in combination with peginterferon alfa 2a and ribavirin in subjects with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 or 3 who have not been treated previously.

20 Jul 2011

IAS conference opens with push for treatment as prevention

The 6th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention taking place in Rome this week "started optimistically as the hype surrounding the use of antiretroviral treatment to prevent HIV infection gained momentum. But the focus of much discussion … will undoubtedly be on how to transform the recent promising research findings into workable policy," PlusNews reports.

20 Jul 2011

Speed and efficiency of response to outbreaks are key to tackling epidemics

In an age where the next pandemic could leap continents in the hours it takes for an international flight to take off and land, University of Utah Professor Paul Hu fears the death toll may depend on how fast and efficiently world health officials can respond to an outbreak.

20 Jul 2011

Janssen presents EDURANT 96-week Phase 3 trial data at International AIDS Society Conference

Janssen Therapeutics, Division of Janssen Products, LP, presented today 96-week findings from two pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials, known as ECHO and THRIVE, comparing the efficacy, safety and virology profile of its non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor EDURANT tablets versus efavirenz (EFV) in antiretroviral treatment-naive, HIV-1-infected adults.

20 Jul 2011

CEL-SCI expands licensing agreement with Teva for Multikine cancer drug

CEL-SCI Corporation announced today that it has expanded the licensing agreement with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. for its cancer drug Multikine.

20 Jul 2011

DNA vaccine developer Coridon in U.S. collaboration

DNA vaccine development company Coridon Pty Ltd. today announced that it has entered into a research collaboration agreement with The Ohio State University to progress its Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) project.

19 Jul 2011

Johnson & Johnson second quarter sales increase 8.3% to $16.6 billion

Johnson & Johnson today announced sales of $16.6 billion for the second quarter of 2011, an increase of 8.3% as compared to the second quarter of 2010.

19 Jul 2011

UNC receives $3M federal grant for AIDS research

Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill schools of medicine and pharmacy have been awarded a $3 million federal grant to develop and test a new generation of treatments aimed at preventing sexual transmission of HIV to uninfected individuals.

19 Jul 2011

DNDi's new drug development programme for children with HIV/AIDS

Today at the 6th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) announced the launch of a new drug development programme to address critical unmet treatment needs of children with HIV/AIDS.

19 Jul 2011

Roche signs agreement to acquire mtm laboratories

Ventana Medical Systems, Inc., a member of the Roche Group, announced today that Roche has signed an agreement under which it will acquire 100 percent of mtm laboratories AG (mtm), a privately-held company based in Heidelberg, Germany.

From Roche Sequencing and Life Science 19 Jul 2011

Novel approach for preventing HIV infection

Scientists at Osel Inc. and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have developed a new way to prevent HIV infection by genetically enhancing the ability of naturally occurring vaginal bacteria to block viral transmission.

19 Jul 2011

U.S. FDA approves 2011-2012 influenza vaccine formulation

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that it has approved the influenza vaccine formulation for the 2011-2012 vaccine that will be used by the six manufacturers licensed to produce and distribute influenza vaccine for the United States.

19 Jul 2011