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Caffeine is effective in preventing cataract formation, says study

Caffeine may be effective in protecting the lens against damage that could lead to the formation of cataracts, according to a study presented on May 4 at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

6 May 2010

TearScience completes $44.5 million Series C funding

TearScience, a privately-held medical device company, today announced the completion of $44.5 million of Series C funding from new investors Essex Woodlands Health Ventures, Investor Growth Capital and General Catalyst. The company's existing investors, De Novo Ventures, Spray Ventures and Quaker Bio Ventures completed the round. The funding will allow TearScience to commercialize its devices designed for use by eye care professionals to diagnose and treat the most common form of chronic dry eye disease.

5 May 2010

Vical commences enrollment in Phase 1 trial of Vaxfectin DNA pandemic influenza vaccine

Vical Incorporated today announced the enrollment of the first subject in its Phase 1 trial of the company's Vaxfectin®-formulated plasmid DNA (pDNA) pandemic influenza vaccine. The trial will be conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC).

5 May 2010

Pre-treatment quality-of-life scores predict malignancy in patients with pancreatic disease

Quality-of-life measures used routinely to assess treatment outcomes for patients with pancreatic disease may be used to predict both malignancy and survival for those patients, according to a study by Henry Ford Hospital.

5 May 2010

Hepatitis B treatment appears to improve liver transplant outcomes for some patients: Study

Treatment to reduce recurrence of hepatitis B appears to improve liver transplant outcomes for some patients, according to a Mayo Clinic study presented at the American Transplant Congress under way May 1-5 in San Diego.

5 May 2010

Archivel Farma to start phase II clinical trials of RUTI vaccine for Latent Tuberculosis

Archivel Farma, S.L. has announced that its breakthrough treatment for tuberculosis (TB) will shortly start phase II clinical trials. The treatment uses the company's unique combination of its novel therapeutic vaccine called RUTI® in conjunction with an antibiotic. This cuts treatment time from nine months to one month, which reduces side effects and healthcare costs, by preventing re-infection during the eradication process. The company expects commercial availability in 2015.

5 May 2010

U.N. Development Program head begins four-country tour of Africa to promote MDGs

Over the weekend, U.N. Development Program (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark began a four-country tour of Africa "to highlight progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the run up to a Summit in September," Tanzania Daily News/allAfrica.com reports. Clark will make stops in Tanzania, Mali, Burkina Faso and South Africa, where she will "meet with heads of state and ministers, as well as touch base with women leaders and members of civil society, and visit development projects," the news service writes.

5 May 2010

Calgary doctors research how to minimize complications from Cryptococcus disease

Cryptococcus disease is a rare but serious infection resulting from inhaling a toxic fungus often found in fir trees. Approximately 250 people have been infected with the disease in British Columbia since its emergence in 1999. The disease can cause meningitis, pneumonia and in 10 per cent of cases it can lead to death.

5 May 2010

Results from STEALTH C-3 clinical trial of nitazoxanide presented at DDW 2010

Romark Laboratories announced results from its STEALTH C-3 clinical trial, a phase 2 clinical study of nitazoxanide in treatment-naive patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C. Study results were presented this afternoon as an oral communication at a late breaking forum of the American Gastroenterological Association Institute during Digestive Disease Week 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

5 May 2010

Increase in spending for AIDS drugs validates price cuts offered to ADAPs

On the heels of a report released by the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) yesterday regarding the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) noted that new data contained in the report validates recent drug company price cuts offered to the program.

5 May 2010

New findings show seaweed extract inhibits H1N1 virus

In a breakthrough that offers new hope for the containment of influenza outbreaks, an Australian biotechnology company has isolated a natural extract from seaweed which has been shown to inhibit the H1N1 virus.

5 May 2010

Iowa State University researcher works on faster method to detect salmonella from contaminated foods

Using technology available through a local company, an Iowa State University researcher is working on a faster method to detect and genetically identify salmonella from contaminated foods.

5 May 2010

Second fidaxomicin Phase 3 clinical study data in patients with CDI to be presented at DDW 2010

Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the presentation of new data from its second fidaxomicin Phase 3 clinical study in patients with Clostridium difficile infection. The data, presented by Stuart Johnson, M.D. during an oral session at the annual meeting of Digestive Disease Week in New Orleans, indicated that treatment with fidaxomicin significantly improved the recurrence rate and global cure rate in CDI patients requiring concomitant antibiotics, compared to vancomycin.

5 May 2010

Synageva BioPharma seeks FDA orphan drug designation for SBC-102 enzyme replacement therapy

Synageva BioPharma Corp., a privately held biopharmaceutical company, today announced its filing with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting orphan drug designation for its program, SBC-102. This program is an enzyme replacement therapy in preclinical development to treat lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) deficiency, also known as Wolman disease or cholesteryl ester storage disease (CESD), a condition for which there is currently no effective treatment.

4 May 2010

Positive results from Phase 2 clinical trial of TAKSTA in patients with ABSSSI

Cempra Pharmaceuticals today announced positive results from its Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and tolerability of the novel front loading dosing regimen of TAKSTA (CEM-102, sodium fusidate), the company's oral, anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus antibiotic.

4 May 2010

Karolinska Institutet researchers discover new control mechanism in immune system

Researchers at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet have discovered a new control mechanism in our immune system. The discovery is of potential significance to the treatment of serious diseases such as MS (multiple sclerosis), rheumatoid arthritis, and SLE (Systemic lupus erythematosus).

4 May 2010

Pilot pneumonia-prevention program reduces postoperative pneumonia in hospital surgical ward: Research

The results of new research results published in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons show that a pilot pneumonia-prevention program significantly reduced postoperative pneumonia in a hospital surgical ward.

4 May 2010

UCLM researcher explores employment status of HIV-positive individuals in Spain

Juan Oliva, a researcher at the University of Castilla-La Mancha explores the relationship between the employment status of Human Immunodeficiency Virus -positive individuals and socioeconomic characteristics in Spain between 2001 and 2004. The study finds that gender is a "statistically significant" variable when predicting employment status.

4 May 2010

AIDS 2010 to explore latest developments in HIV science

Organizers of the XVIII International AIDS Conference announced today that President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and 42nd President of the United States, and South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi will be among 19 high-level speakers who will address an estimated 25,000 conference attendees in Vienna this summer.

4 May 2010

Rice students' Sally Centrifuge could help diagnose anemia globally

A simple salad spinner will save lives this summer, if everything goes as planned by two Rice University undergraduates.

4 May 2010

Disease/Infection News

Caffeine is effective in preventing cataract formation, says study

TearScience completes $44.5 million Series C funding

Vical commences enrollment in Phase 1 trial of Vaxfectin DNA pandemic influenza vaccine

Pre-treatment quality-of-life scores predict malignancy in patients with pancreatic disease

Hepatitis B treatment appears to improve liver transplant outcomes for some patients: Study

Archivel Farma to start phase II clinical trials of RUTI vaccine for Latent Tuberculosis

U.N. Development Program head begins four-country tour of Africa to promote MDGs

Calgary doctors research how to minimize complications from Cryptococcus disease

Results from STEALTH C-3 clinical trial of nitazoxanide presented at DDW 2010

Increase in spending for AIDS drugs validates price cuts offered to ADAPs

New findings show seaweed extract inhibits H1N1 virus

Iowa State University researcher works on faster method to detect salmonella from contaminated foods

Second fidaxomicin Phase 3 clinical study data in patients with CDI to be presented at DDW 2010

Synageva BioPharma seeks FDA orphan drug designation for SBC-102 enzyme replacement therapy

Positive results from Phase 2 clinical trial of TAKSTA in patients with ABSSSI

Karolinska Institutet researchers discover new control mechanism in immune system

Pilot pneumonia-prevention program reduces postoperative pneumonia in hospital surgical ward: Research

UCLM researcher explores employment status of HIV-positive individuals in Spain

AIDS 2010 to explore latest developments in HIV science

Rice students' Sally Centrifuge could help diagnose anemia globally

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

Global and Local Efforts to Take Action Against Hepatitis

Addressing Important Cardiac Biology Questions with Shotgun Top-Down Proteomics

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