Antibody News and Research

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An antibody is a blood protein that is produced in response to and counteracts an antigen. Antibodies are produced in response to disease and help the body fight against the particular disease. In this way, antibodies help the body develop an immunity to disease.

Researchers take first step in development of vaccine against pregnancy-associated malaria

By managing to express the protein that enables red blood cells infected with the malaria agent Plasmodium falciparum to bind to the placenta and by deciphering its molecular mechanisms, a team of researchers from CNRS and the Institut Pasteur has taken an important first step in the development of a vaccine against pregnancy-associated malaria.

10 Mar 2010

Celltrion develops novel human monoclonal antibodies against influenza virus infection

Celltrion, Inc., a South Korean biopharmaceutical company, has developed novel human monoclonal antibodies against influenza virus infection, which neutralize a broad spectrum of influenza viruses, including pandemic H1N1 and the deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus. Preliminary tests in laboratory animals indicate that the novel human monoclonal antibodies can be used to prevent disease when given either before or after infection.

10 Mar 2010

False positives in screening tests

In many jurisdictions, tests for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are required screening for pregnant women. Some even suggest screening the entire population for HIV. The rationale is to administer powerful antiretroviral drugs to healthy individuals to "prevent transmission."

10 Mar 2010

Micromet offers underwritten public offering of common stock

Micromet, Inc. announced today that it is offering to sell, subject to market and other conditions, 10 million shares of common stock in an underwritten public offering.

10 Mar 2010

Abbott announces definitive agreement to acquire Facet Biotech

Abbott and Facet Biotech Corporation announced today a definitive agreement for Abbott to acquire Facet, enhancing Abbott's early- and mid-stage pharmaceutical pipeline.

9 Mar 2010

Omeros obtains exclusive license to compounds from Asubio Pharma for use in its PDE7 program

Omeros Corporation today announced that it has obtained an exclusive license to compounds from Asubio Pharma Co., Ltd. for use in its PDE7 program, which is focused on the treatment of movement disorders.

9 Mar 2010

Growing human therapeutic proteins in algae can help reduce cancer treatment cost

Pharmaceutical companies could substantially reduce the expense of costly treatments for cancer and other diseases produced from mammalian or bacterial cells by growing these human therapeutic proteins in algae-rapidly growing aquatic plant cells that have recently gained attention for their ability to produce biofuels.

9 Mar 2010

YM Biosciences announces increase of registered direct offering to $17.5M

YM BioSciences Inc., today announced that the previously announced offering of approximately US$15 million has been increased to approximately US$17.5 million.

9 Mar 2010

Nanoparticles: Targeted cancer therapy

Another weapon in the arsenal against cancer: Nanoparticles that identify, target and kill specific cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone.

9 Mar 2010

Novel interventions for New World hemorrhagic fevers needed

New World hemorrhagic fevers are emerging infectious diseases found in South America that can cause terrible, Ebola-like symptoms. Current treatments are expensive and only partially effective.

9 Mar 2010

ImmunoGen receives FDA orphan drug designation for IMGN901 compound in treatment of MCC

ImmunoGen, Inc., a biotechnology company that develops targeted anticancer products using its antibody expertise and Targeted Antibody Payload (TAP) technology, today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation to its IMGN901 compound when used for the treatment of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). Through a separate process, the European Union (EU) Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) concurrently also granted IMGN901 orphan medicinal product designation for the treatment of MCC.

8 Mar 2010

MabCure closes private placement, converts bridge loan into equity securities

MabCure, Inc., a biotechnology company using its proprietary technology to create highly specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) for the early detection of cancer, today announced that it has recently completed a private placement in the aggregate amount of $1 million. The amount is comprised of a $500,000 cash investment and the conversion of a $500,000 bridge loan that was made in September 2009, into equity securities.

8 Mar 2010

New anti-tumour vaccine for mesothelioma shows promising results

A vaccine against mesothelioma, a cancer associated with exposure to asbestos, has shown early promise in its first clinical trial.

5 Mar 2010

YM Biosciences to raise $15M in registered direct offering of common stock

YM BioSciences Inc., today announced that it is raising approximately US$15 million in a "registered direct" offering of units at a price of US$1.20 per unit.

5 Mar 2010

Saladax Biomedical announces closing of $8.4M Series C Preferred offering

Saladax Biomedical, Inc. announced today the close of an $8.4 million Series C Preferred offering led by Excel Venture Management of Boston. Participants included Golden Seeds LLC, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, and the Life Sciences Greenhouse of Central Pennsylvania, as well as a number of angel investors. The funding will be used to accelerate product development and expand clinical support of Saladax’s MYCARE™ line of diagnostic tests, which measure blood levels of cancer and Central Nervous System (CNS) disorder drugs, providing physicians with guidance to personalize patient dosing for optimal efficacy.

5 Mar 2010

'Anti-gluten pill' needed

In the early 1980s, about one per cent of adults in Finland had gluten intolerance, but the figure has since gone up to two per cent by the 2000s.

5 Mar 2010

Chikungunya: Experimental vaccine successfully tested in monkeys

Imagine a mosquito-borne virus that has already infected millions of people in recent outbreaks in South and Southeast Asia, the islands of the Indian Ocean, Africa and northern Italy. Although seldom fatal, it causes highly painful arthritis-like symptoms that can linger for months or even years. It's capable of adapting to spread through a mosquito species common in much of North America. And no vaccine or treatment exists to protect humans from its effects.

5 Mar 2010

Kyto Biopharma signs licensing agreement with RFSUNY, gains patent rights to Transcobalamin Receptor

Kyto Biopharma Inc., is pleased to announce that it has signed a licensing agreement with the Research Foundation of the State University of New York. The licensing agreement grants Kyto patent rights to the Transcobalamin (Vitamin B12) Receptor and to an additional broad group of other patents which are critical to Kyto’s research and development strategy for the treatment of cancer.

5 Mar 2010

FDA approves CSL Behring's Hizentra for PI

CSL Behring announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing approval for HizentraTM, Immune Globulin Subcutaneous (Human), 20% Liquid, for treating patients diagnosed with primary immunodeficiency (PI). A once weekly immunoglobulin (Ig) replacement therapy, Hizentra provides effective protection against infection by maintaining a steady and normal level of immunoglobulin in the body.

4 Mar 2010

Micromet reports total revenues of $4.6M for three months ended December 31, 2009

Micromet, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of next-generation antibodies for the treatment of cancer, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2009. The Company also highlighted recent pipeline progress and outlined expected 2010 milestones.

4 Mar 2010