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Dead Sea resorts introduce world-renowned treatment for people with dermatological diseases

The Dead Sea is the only place in the world that combines year-round hot weather, an oxygen-enriched atmosphere, therapeutic UVB solar radiation, a mineral-rich salt sea, world famous mineral-rich mud, thermo-mineral hot springs and luxurious spas.

3 Mar 2010

EMA validates Lux Biosciences' voclosporin MAA

Isotechnika Pharma Inc. today announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has validated the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) filed by its partner, Lux Biosciences, Inc., for voclosporin. Following validation of the MAA, the dossier is distributed to members of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) for formal review, which is expected to take one year.

2 Mar 2010

Abbott and Enanta advance treatment for Hepatitis C

Abbott and Enanta Pharmaceuticals announced today the advancement of their Hepatitis C (HCV) collaboration into Phase 2 clinical trials.

2 Mar 2010

Corneal transplant surgery: DSAEK leads to greater cell loss overall than PKP

One year post-surgery, patients who underwent Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) experienced greater cell loss overall compared to those who underwent penetrating keratoplasty (PKP), according to a new analysis of data collected from the Cornea Donor Study (CDS) Investigator Group's 2008 Specular Microscopy Ancillary Study (SMAS). However, the study, published in the March issue of Ophthalmology, showed that cell loss in DSAEK patients plateaued more quickly than in those who underwent PKP.

2 Mar 2010

Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, Netherlands Vaccine Institute launch AmpVacs project to develop influenza A vaccine

Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, the Netherlands Cancer Institute, and the Netherlands Vaccine Institute announce today the launch of their joint AmpVacs project aiming at the development of a broadly protective synthetic influenza A vaccine component that in combination with classical antibody-stimulating vaccines will induce protection against future influenza A threats.

2 Mar 2010

Discovery of two new compounds opens new approach to drug design against HIV protease

A team of researchers at the renowned Scripps Research Institute has discovered two new compounds that prove the existence of new binding sites on HIV protease. Associate Professor C. David Stout, senior author of the study, explained "These results open the door to a whole new approach to drug design against HIV protease," which is an enzyme used by HIV to create new, infectious viral particles.

2 Mar 2010

Problems controlling common diseases could be hindering efforts to meet key child health goals

Problems controlling common diseases like HIV, heart disease and diabetes in poor countries could be hindering efforts to meet the world's key child health and tuberculosis goals, a new study published in PLoS Medicine has warned.

2 Mar 2010

California's dirty air costs more than $193M in hospital-based medical care, finds RAND study

California's dirty air caused more than $193 million in hospital-based medical care from 2005 to 2007 as people sought help for problems such as asthma and pneumonia that are triggered by elevated pollution levels, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

2 Mar 2010

Stress increases resistance to influenza infection

A new study using mice suggests that a repeated stressful situation that triggers the animals' natural "fight-or-flight" response may actually enhance their ability to fight disease when re-exposed to the same pathogen.

2 Mar 2010

Inovio Biomedical's SynCon preventive DNA vaccine receives approval in Korea for Phase I clinical trial

Inovio Biomedical Corporation, a leader in DNA vaccine design, development and delivery, announced today that its affiliate VGX International Inc. has received approval in Korea to begin a Phase I clinical trial in healthy volunteers for Inovio’s SynCon™ preventive DNA vaccine (VGX-3400) targeting H5N1 avian influenza.

2 Mar 2010

Most strains of pandemic H1N1 flu virus resist Tamiflu, say scientists

If the behavior of the seasonal form of the H1N1 influenza virus is any indication, scientists say that chances are good that most strains of the pandemic H1N1 flu virus will become resistant to Tamiflu, the main drug stockpiled for use against it.

2 Mar 2010

Simvastatin impairs ability of macrophages to kill pathogens, and enhances cytokine production

Simvastatin might help us control our cholesterol, but when it comes to infection, it's an entirely different story says a new research study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology. In the research report, scientists from Italy show that simvastatin delivers a one-two punch to the immune system. First it impairs the ability of specialized immune cells, called macrophages, to kill pathogens. Then, it enhances production of molecules, called cytokines, which trigger and sustain inflammation.

2 Mar 2010

Merck's Isentress HIV/AIDS drug pricing: CalSTRS and CalPERS express concern

Today AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) announced that the two largest public pension funds in the nation, the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) and the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), have sent letters to Merck and Co. Pharmaceuticals expressing concern over the company’s pricing for its key HIV/AIDS drug, Isentress—now the most expensive first-line AIDS treatment in the U.S.

2 Mar 2010

News outlets examine development of low-cost diagnostic tool, infectious disease surveillance

CNN examines the work of a Harvard University chemistry professor to "shrink a medical laboratory onto a piece of paper that's the size of a fingerprint and costs about a penny." According to George Whitesides, who created a prototype of the inexpensive paper "chip," the technology could be used to diagnose such diseases as HIV, malaria and tuberculosis in developing countries.

2 Mar 2010

Study finds most HIV prevention, treatment, care efforts overlook IDUs

A systematic review of HIV prevention, treatment and care for injecting drug users (IDUs) throughout the world, published Monday in the journal Lancet, found that international efforts to fight the disease are largely overlooking this population, the Australian Associated Press/Sydney Morning Herald reports (Rose, 3/1).

2 Mar 2010

IgPro20 protects PI patients against infection

Data presented today suggest that 20 percent liquid formulation, Immune Globulin Subcutaneous (Human) (SCIg), or IgPro20 effectively protects patients with primary immunodeficiencies (PI) against infection. The 20 percent formulation, the highest Ig concentration currently available, was also shown to sustain serum IgG levels without causing unexpected rates of adverse events. The data were presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting in New Orleans, US.

2 Mar 2010

New report: Federal spending for public health flat for nearly five years

Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation today released a new report, Shortchanging America's Health: A State-By-State Look at How Public Health Dollars Are Spent, which finds federal spending for public health has been flat for nearly five years, while states around the country cut nearly $392 million for public health programs in the past year, which leaves communities around the country struggling to deliver basic disease prevention and emergency health preparedness services.

2 Mar 2010

Joint Chiefs Chair visits Haiti to examine aid response

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Mike Mullen, who is President Barack Obama's top military adviser, visited Haiti over the weekend to examine relief and rebuilding efforts and meet with local leaders, Agence France-Presse reports. It was his first visit to the country after the earthquake, according to AFP.

2 Mar 2010

FDA works closely with different states to investigate the outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo infections

The Food and Drug Administration, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, continues to work closely with the Rhode Island Department of Health and other states in the investigation of an outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo infections associated with certain Italian-style sausage products including salami/salame.

1 Mar 2010

Gender roles and sexual behavior among Latino teens: Characterization complicated

A University of Illinois researcher advises caution when trying to characterize gender roles and sexual behavior among this country's Latino adolescents and young adults.

27 Feb 2010

Disease/Infection News

Dead Sea resorts introduce world-renowned treatment for people with dermatological diseases

EMA validates Lux Biosciences' voclosporin MAA

Abbott and Enanta advance treatment for Hepatitis C

Corneal transplant surgery: DSAEK leads to greater cell loss overall than PKP

Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, Netherlands Vaccine Institute launch AmpVacs project to develop influenza A vaccine

Discovery of two new compounds opens new approach to drug design against HIV protease

Problems controlling common diseases could be hindering efforts to meet key child health goals

California's dirty air costs more than $193M in hospital-based medical care, finds RAND study

Stress increases resistance to influenza infection

Inovio Biomedical's SynCon preventive DNA vaccine receives approval in Korea for Phase I clinical trial

Most strains of pandemic H1N1 flu virus resist Tamiflu, say scientists

Simvastatin impairs ability of macrophages to kill pathogens, and enhances cytokine production

Merck's Isentress HIV/AIDS drug pricing: CalSTRS and CalPERS express concern

News outlets examine development of low-cost diagnostic tool, infectious disease surveillance

Study finds most HIV prevention, treatment, care efforts overlook IDUs

IgPro20 protects PI patients against infection

New report: Federal spending for public health flat for nearly five years

Joint Chiefs Chair visits Haiti to examine aid response

FDA works closely with different states to investigate the outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo infections

Gender roles and sexual behavior among Latino teens: Characterization complicated

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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