Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

VBI researcher receives grant from NIGMS for developing network-based models of infectious diseases

A researcher from the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech has received a grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to support ongoing work to develop high-performance computer models for the study of very large networks.

1 Sep 2009

H1N1 cases on decline in Southern Hemisphere, WHO says

The number of H1N1 (swine) flu cases are steadily declining in the Southern Hemisphere as the region's flu season comes to an end, the WHO said Friday, the Associated Press reports (Engeler, 8/29).

1 Sep 2009

Also in Global Health news: Flu, cholera in PNG; improving life awards; HIV/AIDS in Rwanda; men and maternal/child health; MDR-TB in India

"Twin outbreaks of a flu-like illness and dysentery in a remote region of Papua New Guinea have killed 47 people and infected another 2,000 villagers, a senior medical official said Monday," Agence France-Presse reports. According to provincial health adviser Doctor Theo Likei, the WHO has collected and is testing samples of the virus from the "stricken villages" (8/31). Additionally, the country is experiencing a cholera outbreak - "the first time the disease has officially been confirmed in the country," the BBC reports (Mercer, 8/31).

1 Sep 2009

ViraCor-IBT Laboratories launches new influenza and respiratory virus testing service

ViraCor-IBT Laboratories today launched a new, comprehensive influenza and respiratory virus testing service that will assist physicians in detecting a range of respiratory viruses including 2009 Influenza A H1N1, or “swine flu,” as well as other influenza subtypes and common respiratory viruses such as rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV).

31 Aug 2009

D3 Ultra DFA Respiratory Virus Identification Kit can be used for detecting H1N1 virus

Diagnostic HYBRIDS announced that the US Food and Drug Administration has cleared an additional claim for the company's D3 Ultra DFA Respiratory Virus Identification Kit, which confirms that the assay can detect the 2009 influenza A (H1N1)v virus.

31 Aug 2009

Stanford University starts recruiting participants for swine flu vaccine clinical trial

The Stanford University School of Medicine is recruiting participants for a clinical trial to determine the safety of an experimental vaccine against the new H1N1 strain of influenza when the vaccine is combined with an immune-stimulating substance called an adjuvant. The trial will also examine whether use of the adjuvant improves the immune response to the vaccine.

31 Aug 2009

Rite Aid pharmacies to offer regular seasonal flu shots throughout the flu season

Many Rite Aid pharmacists have already been giving regular seasonal flu shots following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advice that anyone who wishes to reduce the risk of getting the regular seasonal flu get a flu shot as soon as they are available.

31 Aug 2009

Walgreens to provide flue shots faster and easier this season

Walgreens (NYSE:WAG)(NASDAQ:WAG) is making it faster and easier to get a flu shot this season. The nation’s largest drugstore chain today announced it will begin offering seasonal flu shots on Sept. 1 at more than 7,000 points of care nationwide, including nearly all of its stores in 50 states and almost 350 in-store Take Care Clinics.

31 Aug 2009

Cancer researcher to serve as Peregrine Pharmaceuticals' clinical advisor for bavituximab cancer program

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced that noted cancer researcher Bruce Chabner, M.D., will serve as a clinical advisor to the company on the design of clinical trials for the bavituximab cancer program.

31 Aug 2009

Seasonal flu shots to be available daily without an appointment at more than 500 MinuteClinic locations

CVS/pharmacy, the nation's leading retail pharmacy, and MinuteClinic, the largest retail health care clinic provider in the U.S., today announced the availability of seasonal flu vaccinations and urged Americans to protect themselves early against the flu. CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic are divisions of CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS), the largest provider of prescriptions in the country.

31 Aug 2009

FDA approves the usage of Valcyte for preventing CMV disease in pediatric patients

Roche announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Valcyte(R) (valganciclovir hydrochloride) for the prevention of cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in pediatric kidney and heart transplant patients (4 months to 16 years of age) at high risk of developing CMV disease.

31 Aug 2009

Leading experts in health and health care reform to take part in symposium

With the nation facing a $9 trillion deficit over the next 10 years, according to government estimates, the future of health care reform depends upon a neglected but critical leg of the equation: cost. Some of the nation’s leading experts in health and health care reform will provide insights into this issue when they converge in Nashville Saturday for a nonpartisan public discussion.

29 Aug 2009

Members of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona to receive coverage for H1N1 vaccine

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) announced today that it will cover the H1N1 vaccine for all BCBSAZ members in addition to its regular coverage of a seasonal flu shot.

29 Aug 2009

Antibiotic functioning as an off switch being developed for gene therapy of Parkinson's disease

A common antibiotic can function as an "off switch" for a gene therapy being developed for Parkinson's disease, according to University of Florida researchers writing online in advance of September's Molecular Therapy.

29 Aug 2009

HIV subtype D infected patients more likely to develop dementia

Patients infected with a particular subtype of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, are more likely to develop dementia than patients with other subtypes, a study led by Johns Hopkins researchers shows. The finding, reported in the September Clinical Infectious Diseases, is the first to demonstrate that the specific type of HIV has any effect on cognitive impairment, one of the most common complications of uncontrolled HIV infection.

28 Aug 2009

Sinovac to supply its Anflu seasonal flu vaccine to the Beijing Public Health Bureau

Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (NYSE: SVA), a leading provider of biopharmaceutical products in China, announced today that the Beijing Public Health Bureau has selected Sinovac as one of the four manufacturers to supply Anflu(R), Sinovac's seasonal influenza vaccine, for the benefit of the citizens of Beijing. The Beijing Public Health Bureau completed the bidding process for the purchase of flu vaccines and corresponding services for 2009 on August 26, 2009. The agreement will be executed after the public notice period.

28 Aug 2009

Genvec to sell 8,000,000 shares to develop its TNFerade clinical program

GenVec, Inc. (Nasdaq: GNVC) announced today that it has entered into a purchase agreement with a single institutional investor for the sale of 8,000,000 shares of its common stock and warrants to purchase 4,000,000 shares of its common stock. The shares of common stock and warrants are being offered in units consisting of one share of common stock and 0.50 warrants to purchase one share of common stock at a price of $0.75 per unit. This represents a discount of approximately 8.3% to the closing price of GenVec common stock on August 26, 2009. The warrants have a term of five years and an exercise price of $0.828 per share.

28 Aug 2009

Caucasians have a higher rate of HBV recurrence compared to Asian Americans and African Americans

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 1.5 to 2 million Americans are infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Prior studies have shown there to be significant racial differences in access to and outcomes of liver transplantation. Recently, doctors from across the U.S. conducted a multicenter retrospective-prospective study of the waitlist status and outcomes of liver transplant patients with HBV infection.

28 Aug 2009

AVI BioPharma's peptide-conjugated PMO chemistry to be discussed at two upcoming scientific meetings

AVI BioPharma, Inc., a developer of RNA-based drugs, today announced that Hong Moulton, Ph.D., Director of Discovery Research, will give oral presentations highlighting improved analogues of AVI's phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PMO) chemistry at two upcoming scientific meetings.

28 Aug 2009

Maxim Health Systems' website provides detailed information about flu vaccination

Maxim's dedicated flu Web site provides detailed information about the flu vaccination and allows consumers to locate seasonal flu clinics in their area by searching by zip code. In addition, Maxim is preparing to launch several new online resources for consumers to protect themselves and their families this flu season.

28 Aug 2009

Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

VBI researcher receives grant from NIGMS for developing network-based models of infectious diseases

H1N1 cases on decline in Southern Hemisphere, WHO says

Also in Global Health news: Flu, cholera in PNG; improving life awards; HIV/AIDS in Rwanda; men and maternal/child health; MDR-TB in India

ViraCor-IBT Laboratories launches new influenza and respiratory virus testing service

D3 Ultra DFA Respiratory Virus Identification Kit can be used for detecting H1N1 virus

Stanford University starts recruiting participants for swine flu vaccine clinical trial

Rite Aid pharmacies to offer regular seasonal flu shots throughout the flu season

Walgreens to provide flue shots faster and easier this season

Cancer researcher to serve as Peregrine Pharmaceuticals' clinical advisor for bavituximab cancer program

Seasonal flu shots to be available daily without an appointment at more than 500 MinuteClinic locations

FDA approves the usage of Valcyte for preventing CMV disease in pediatric patients

Leading experts in health and health care reform to take part in symposium

Members of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona to receive coverage for H1N1 vaccine

Antibiotic functioning as an off switch being developed for gene therapy of Parkinson's disease

HIV subtype D infected patients more likely to develop dementia

Sinovac to supply its Anflu seasonal flu vaccine to the Beijing Public Health Bureau

Genvec to sell 8,000,000 shares to develop its TNFerade clinical program

Caucasians have a higher rate of HBV recurrence compared to Asian Americans and African Americans

AVI BioPharma's peptide-conjugated PMO chemistry to be discussed at two upcoming scientific meetings

Maxim Health Systems' website provides detailed information about flu vaccination

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Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

A new way of characterising biomolecules eBook

How microRNA is transforming science: From discovery to diagnostics

Advancing benzodiazepine detection

The Surgeon-Scientist Pioneering Regenerative Engineering

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