Pandemic News and Research

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A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. During a pandemic, transmission can be anticipated in the workplace, not only from patient to workers in health care settings, but also among co-workers in general work settings. A pandemic would cause high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts could range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.

Visterra secures exclusive patent license for promising dengue virus antibodies from MIT

Visterra, Inc., a developer of novel antibody therapeutics to prevent and treat major infectious diseases, today announced that it has secured an exclusive patent license from Massachusetts Institute of Technology to a family of early-stage monoclonal antibodies that target dengue virus. These antibodies were developed by MIT in the laboratory of Dr. Ram Sasisekharan, a founder of Visterra, using novel protein engineering approaches. Visterra will apply its proprietary network analysis technology to develop a human monoclonal antibody product candidate capable of broadly neutralizing all four dengue virus serotypes.

2 Dec 2013

Visterra gets $8.1M in proceeds from upsized and final closing of Series A financing round

Visterra, Inc., a developer of novel therapeutics to prevent and treat major infectious diseases, today announced that it has received $8.1 million in proceeds from an upsized and final closing of its Series A financing round. The company also announced that it has deepened its executive management team by appointing two industry veterans to newly created roles, which follows the recent appointment of Brian Pereira, M.D. as President and Chief Executive Officer of Visterra this past summer.

2 Dec 2013

Study brings effective hepatitis C cure closer to reality

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have determined the most detailed picture yet of a crucial part of the hepatitis C virus, which the virus uses to infect liver cells. The new data reveal unexpected structural features of this protein and should greatly speed efforts to make an effective hepatitis C vaccine.

29 Nov 2013

H1N1 virus killed more people globally than originally believed, confirms study

A research team consisting of more than 60 collaborators in 26 countries has estimated the global death toll from the 2009 outbreak of the H1N1 virus to be 10 times higher than the World Health Organization's count, which was based on laboratory-confirmed cases of this flu. The study, which appears online in PLOS Medicine, suggests that the pandemic virus caused up to 203,000 respiratory deaths around the world.

27 Nov 2013

HIV patients face higher risk of virologic failure than previously thought

People with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) run a higher risk of virologic failure than previously thought, even when their number of RNA copies of the retrovirus per millilitre of blood is slightly above the detection threshold, according to a study by Claudie Laprise at the University of Montreal's Department of Social and Preventative Medicine.

26 Nov 2013

Pediatrician analyzes management of the 2009 influenza A crisis

With autumn just around the corner and a new flu strain lying in wait for us, the presentation of a study analysing the management of the 2009 influenza A crisis could not, if anything, be better timed.

26 Nov 2013

DNA vaccine demonstrates potential to prevent and treat deadly MERS coronavirus

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that preclinical testing of a DNA synthetic vaccine for the virulent Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS) induced robust and durable immune responses, demonstrating the potential for a SynCon DNA vaccine to prevent and treat this deadly virus.

20 Nov 2013

U-M researchers collaborate with MDCH to evaluate statewide influenza vaccination reminder campaign

A new University of Michigan study found that the state immunization registry - the public health database that tracks vaccinations- can be an effective tool to encourage influenza vaccinations during a pandemic.

19 Nov 2013

MGH investigators identify molecule that plays key role in the breakdown of kidney filter

One of the most devastating side effects of diabetes is kidney failure, and one of the earliest signs of kidney damage is a disruption of the organ's filtering capacity. Diabetes patients who develop kidney failure must go on dialysis, seriously limiting their quality of life and placing them at significantly increased risk of death. The incidence of kidney disease is increasing with rising rates of obesity-associated type 2 diabetes, but very little progress has been made towards protecting the kidney's filter barrier during the past 50 years.

16 Nov 2013

HIVMA's updated HIV care guidelines show doctors should focus on common health conditions

The HIV Medicine Association of the Infectious Diseases Society of America has updated its HIV care guidelines to reflect the fact that people with HIV are now living normal life spans, and their physicians need to focus on preventive care, including screening for high cholesterol, diabetes and osteoporosis.

15 Nov 2013

Taiwan scientists confirm world’s first case of wild avian influenza A H6N1 virus in human

Scientists from Taiwan report on the world’s first confirmed case of human infection with a wild avian influenza A H6N1 virus in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.

14 Nov 2013

Researchers create intravaginal ring using MPT to protect women from HIV and unintended pregnancy

A new intravaginal ring (IVR) has been developed for the sustained 90-day co-delivery of tenofovir and levonorgestrel, an anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) drug and a contraceptive.

13 Nov 2013

HIV/AIDS experts awarded over $5M to foster health and medical research skills in India, Africa

Experts in HIV/AIDS at the Johns Hopkins University's School of Medicine and the university's Bloomberg School of Public Health have been awarded more than $5 million by the Fogarty International Center's HIV Research Training Program to foster health and medical research skills in India, Uganda, Ethiopia and Malawi.

13 Nov 2013

Researchers, clinicians discuss recent findings that could bring hope for people with HIV

Since the onset of the AIDS pandemic more than three decades ago, researchers from the lab and physicians in the clinic have been working toward one shared goal: an AIDS-free world. This week, a conference hosted by the journals Cell and The Lancet brought leading researchers and clinicians together to discuss recent findings that could bring hope to the estimated 35 million people world-wide who live with HIV.

7 Nov 2013

Gentiva Health Services third quarter 2013 net revenues decrease 3.3% to $410.5 million

Gentiva Health Services, Inc., the largest provider of home health and hospice services in the United States based on revenue, today reported third quarter 2013 results.

5 Nov 2013

EcoHealth Alliance discovers new SARS-like coronavirus in Chinese horseshoe bats

EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit organization that focuses on local conservation and global health issues, announced the discovery of a new SARS-like coronavirus (CoV) in Chinese horseshoe bats.

31 Oct 2013

Scientists highlight novel way to develop universal influenza vaccine that can protect against multiple flu strains

A study led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists highlights a new approach for developing a universal influenza vaccine that could protect against multiple flu strains, including deadly pandemic strains. The research appears today in the advance online edition of the scientific journal Nature Immunology.

22 Oct 2013

NanoViricides’ FluCide drug candidate found to be well tolerated in non-GLP safety/toxicology study

NanoViricides, Inc. (the "Company") reports that its optimized injectable FluCide® drug candidate was found to be well tolerated in a non-GLP small animal safety/toxicology study. This study is an important step in the drug development pathway for FluCide.

21 Oct 2013

Gentiva Health Services completes acquisition of Harden Healthcare Holdings

Gentiva Health Services, Inc., the largest provider of home health and hospice services in the United States based on revenue, announced the closing of its acquisition of Harden Healthcare Holdings, Inc..

18 Oct 2013

Viewpoints: 'Surrender' by Republicans; 'myth' of income verification; 'this fight didn't end'

The health care reform law will not be defunded or delayed. No taxes will be cut, and the deal calls for no new cuts to federal spending or limits to social welfare programs. The only things Republicans achieved were billions of dollars in damage to the economy, harm to the nation's reputation and a rock-bottom public approval rating (10/16).