Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Pharmasset announces data from PSI-352938 single ascending dose study

Pharmasset, Inc. announced today that safety and pharmacokinetic data from the PSI-352938 single ascending dose study support progression to a multiple ascending dose trial with PSI-938, which has initiated dosing. PSI-938 is a guanine nucleotide analog polymerase inhibitor for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

28 Jul 2010

Positive results from study with Genome Sequencer FLX System for HIV drug-resistant mutation detection

454 Life Sciences, a Roche Company, has announced promising new results from a multi-site collaborative research study which used the company's Genome Sequencer FLX System to perform HIV drug-resistant mutation detection.

28 Jul 2010

Roche to present diagnostics testing solutions at 2010 Clinical Lab Expo

Roche is featuring a diverse portfolio of diagnostics testing solutions for healthcare professionals in booth #2808 at the AACC/CSCC 2010 Clinical Lab Expo here, July 27-29 – and it's giving them a unique way to see firsthand where their own "dream lab" might take them.

From Roche Sequencing and Life Science 28 Jul 2010

BiondVax receives 2010 European Influenza Vaccines Technology Innovation Award

Frost & Sullivan is pleased to announce the award of its prestigious 2010 European Influenza Vaccines Technology Innovation Award to BiondVax Pharmaceuticals for their breakthrough work on a universal influenza vaccine. This vaccine, the Multimeric-001, is designed to provide multi-season and multi-strain protection against most influenza virus strains, including both seasonal and pandemic strains, and has the potential to eliminate the need for annual flu vaccination. BiondVax is entering Phase II clinical trials for the development of the Multimeric-001 universal influenza vaccine.

28 Jul 2010

Response Biomedical announces shareholder approval for $8 million private placement

Response Biomedical Corporation announced that at the Company's Special General Shareholders' Meeting held today in Vancouver, shareholders approved the private placement of an aggregate of 13,333,333 common shares, at a price of Cdn. $0.60 per Offered Share, to Caduceus Private Investments III, LP, OrbiMed Associates III, LP and Caduceus Asia Partners, LP for gross proceeds of approximately Cdn. $8 million.

28 Jul 2010

Merck signs non-exclusive license agreement with LabCorp for commercialization of genetic test

Merck announced a non-exclusive license agreement with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings for the commercialization of a genetic test that may help predict the response of patients with Hepatitis C virus infection to peginterferon alpha-based therapy.

28 Jul 2010

DIATHERIX Laboratories opens rapid response diagnostic panels for STD, HSV

DIATHERIX Laboratories ,adds a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) panel and Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) panel to its line up of highly sensitive, rapid response diagnostic panels. The HSV panel identifies herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 and the STD panel identifies 10 sexually transmitted diseases simultaneously, many of which cannot be accurately identified by current testing methods. These STD organisms, if not appropriately treated, can cause diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhoeae, chlamydia, bacterial vaginosis, etc. and may lead to blindness, infertility or complications during pregnancy.

28 Jul 2010

35 cases of hepatitis C among Melbourne abortion clinic patients

Over the last few months there has been a rise in hepatitis C cases at an abortion clinic in Melbourne. In a new development 13 new cases have been diagnosed. This brings the total count to 35. The Victorian police are investigating the source of the infections. The link between the Croydon Day Surgery and the cluster was first revealed in April, when there were only 12 cases.

28 Jul 2010

Antigenics announces positive results of AG-707 genital herpes vaccine

Antigenics announced positive results with AG-707, an investigational therapeutic vaccine being developed to treat herpes simplex virus-2,the virus that causes genital herpes, in infected patients. Developed by Antigenics, the vaccine triggers a cellular immune response, stimulating both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.

28 Jul 2010

InterMune second-quarter total revenue decreases to $5.9 million

InterMune, Inc. today announced results from operations for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2010. InterMune also highlighted its recent clinical development and business activities, and provided forward-looking financial guidance for 2010.

28 Jul 2010

Singapore hepatitis C therapeutics market revenue to increase to $4.5 billion by 2017

The Singaporean government's emphasis on raising awareness on the benefit of frequent health check-ups have significantly raised the number of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) diagnosed cases in the country, expanding the patient pool. Therapeutics companies have a challenging task ahead for improving treatment for this market as current treatment requires high dosage frequency, but potentially has serious side effects.

27 Jul 2010

Global Fund director calls on emerging countries to invest more in programs to reduce HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria at AIDS 2010

On the final day of the International AIDS Conference-AIDS 2010 Friday, Michel Kazatchkine, executive director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria called upon "China, India and other fast-growing economies" to chip in to help close the funding gap in efforts to battle HIV/AIDS, Agence France-Presse reports. "Until now, these countries have been recipients of AIDS funds, not donors," the news service writes.

27 Jul 2010

Albert Einstein College of Medicine receives research grant to help people with MDR-TB

For the third time in four months, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health has awarded Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University a research grant aimed at helping people infected with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Taken together, all three NIH grants total $8.57 million.

27 Jul 2010

Abbot's innovative solutions to be highlighted at AACC

A first-of-its-kind test that detects HIV infection earlier than ever before in the United States; a molecular assay for identification of two common sexually transmitted diseases; and an enhanced integrated analyzer offering significant workflow improvements; are among the many new advances Abbott will highlight at this year's American Association for Clinical Chemistry Lab Expo which starts today in Anaheim.

27 Jul 2010

GenVec creates novel vectors for vaccine development

GenVec, Inc. announced that research regarding GenVec's efforts to create novel vectors for vaccines is appearing in Vol. 28, issue 35, pages 5691-5702 of Vaccine. The article, "Potent immune responses and in vitro pro-inflammatory cytokine suppression by a novel adenovirus vector based on rare human serotype 28," describes GenVec's efforts to identify and utilize novel adenovirus serotypes as vectors in vaccine development.

27 Jul 2010

Idenix second-quarter total revenues decrease to $1.3 million

Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral diseases, today reported unaudited financial results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2010. At June 30, 2010, Idenix's cash and cash equivalents totaled $51.0 million.

27 Jul 2010

Quidel recommences shipments of QuickVue+ lateral flow diagnostic test for infectious mononucleosis

Quidel Corporation, a leading provider of rapid diagnostic testing solutions, announced today that it has begun taking orders for its QuickVue®+ lateral flow diagnostic test for infectious mononucleosis. Due to strong customer demand, the Company has restarted manufacturing its previous mononucleosis product with shipments to customers expected during the first week of August.

27 Jul 2010

Scientists discover mechanism of herpes virus cell entry machinery

The mechanism by which a herpes virus invades cells has remained a mystery to scientists, but now research from Tufts University and the University of Pennsylvania reveals the unusual structure of a key member of the protein complex that allows a herpes virus to invade cells.The new map details an essential piece of the herpes virus "cell-entry machinery," providing scientists with a new target for antiviral drugs.

27 Jul 2010

Can-Fite's CF102 decreases HCV viral load in liver cancer patients

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd, a biotechnology company traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange reported today that a significant decrease in HCV viral load was detected in 3 patients with liver cancer who are treated daily orally with CF102. The company is studying CF102 as a treatment for liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC). The results announced today relate to data which came out of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of CF102 in the treatment of patients with advanced HCC.

26 Jul 2010

Vical's prophylactic Vaxfectin-formulated pDNA vaccine effective against HSV-2 in animal model

Vical Incorporated today announced that its prophylactic Vaxfectin®-formulated plasmid DNA (pDNA) vaccine against herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) protected mice against lethal challenge, provided sterilizing immunity and inhibited viral counts at both the primary and latent infection sites. The Vaxfectin® adjuvant substantially improved vaccine effectiveness. A related vaccine significantly reduced the recurrence of HSV-2 lesions in a therapeutic model using guinea pigs with latent infection.

26 Jul 2010