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Challenges in global health: rising to meet them could save millions of lives, say experts

Responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and tackling so-called neglected tropical diseases are the focus of the November/December 2009 edition of Health Affairs. The articles, by leading global health experts from around the world, show that although these challenges differ dramatically, rising to meet them could save millions of lives.

3 Nov 2009

Schering-Plough's Phase III study of Grass Allergy Immunotherapy meets primary endpoint

Schering-Plough Corporation today announced that its investigational sublingual Grass (Phleum Pratense) Allergy Immunotherapy Tablet (AIT) has met the primary endpoint in a Phase III study of adult subjects in the U.S. with a history of grass pollen induced rhinoconjunctivitis with or without asthma. The investigational Grass AIT treatment is designed to work by inducing a protective immune response against grass pollen allergy and providing sustained prevention of allergy symptoms, treating both the symptoms and the underlying cause of the disease.

3 Nov 2009

Macomb County Health Department announces H1N1 influenza clinic

Another large community H1N1 influenza clinic has been scheduled by the Macomb County Health Department, the department announced today. It will be held at Freedom Hill County Park in Sterling Heights this Saturday, Nov. 7, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Freedom Hill is located at 14900 Metropolitan Parkway.

3 Nov 2009

Tamiflu in short supply, pharmacists compound doses for children suffering from the H1N1 flu virus

Community pharmacists have stepped up to meet the shortage of Tamiflu by compounding doses for children suffering from the H1N1 flu virus, but they are struggling with supply problems and insurance plans, according to the National Community Pharmacists Association.

3 Nov 2009

Crohn's disease drug market driven by TNF-alpha inhibitors Humira and Remicade

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that, in the Crohn's disease drug market, the dominance of TNF-alpha inhibitors such as Abbott/Eisai's Humira and Centocor Ortho Biotech/Schering-Plough/Mitsubishi Tanabe's Remicade will continue over the next decade. Sales of Humira and Remicade, which accounted for more than three-quarters of the market in 2008, will continue to grow through 2018 in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Japan.

3 Nov 2009

Efficacy trial of the world's most clinically advanced malaria vaccine candidate underway

A pivotal efficacy trial of RTS,S, the world's most clinically advanced malaria vaccine candidate, is now underway in seven African countries: Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. The trial, which is expected to involve up to 16,000 children, is on schedule, with more than 5,000 children already enrolled, researchers announced Tuesday at the 5th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria Pan-African Malaria Conference.

3 Nov 2009

Interim data from Schering-Plough's narlaprevir Phase IIa study

Schering-Plough Corporation reported that interim results from an ongoing Phase IIa study of narlaprevir (SCH 900518), its investigational, once-daily protease inhibitor, demonstrated potent antiviral activity in treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1.

3 Nov 2009

FDA: Guidance document on diagnostic tests for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today published a guidance document that should help manufacturers develop diagnostic tests for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. Although there are not any FDA-approved or cleared tests that diagnose this specific infection, during this pandemic, manufacturers can submit a request to the FDA for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

3 Nov 2009

WHO, UNICEF launch 6-year $39B plan to prevent, treat pneumonia; World Pneumonia Day coverage

To mark the first World Pneumonia Day on Monday, the WHO and UNICEF launched a $39 billion Global Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Pneumonia (GAPP) aimed at preventing 5.3 million child deaths from the disease by 2015, the Associated Press reports (Cheng, 11/1).

3 Nov 2009

Opinions: Obstetric fistula; malaria and climate change

In a New York Times opinion piece, columnist Nicholas Kristof examines a new plan to tackle obstetric fistula, "a childbirth injury, often suffered by a teenager in Africa or Asia whose pelvis is not fully grown." According to Kristof, "Just about the happiest thing that can happen to such a woman is an encounter with Dr. Lewis Wall, an ob-gyn at Washington University in St. Louis.

3 Nov 2009

Swine flu vaccine supply expected to increase 'in short order'

A senior adviser to President Barack Obama says the government "overpromised" with the swine flu vaccine but that the vaccine supply would catch up with the demand within a week. Meanwhile, a health group established to monitor the vaccine's safety will begin work this week.

3 Nov 2009

Malaria conference begins in Nairobi, will highlight outlook for RTS,S experimental malaria vaccine

The 5th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Pan-African Conference "kicked off in Nairobi late Sunday with a call for substantial and sustained support for research to guide evidence-based policies and the development of new malaria tools, which together could save countless lives," Xinhua reports (11/2).

2 Nov 2009

U.S. officially ends HIV travel ban

The White House on Friday announced an end to a 22-year-old travel ban on HIV-positive foreigners visiting the U.S. or seeking residency, the New York Times reports. The newspaper writes that President Barack "Obama announced that a rule canceling the ban would be published on Monday and would take effect after a routine 60-day waiting period" (Preston, 10/30).

2 Nov 2009

Deaths from H1N1 rise by 700 in one week, WHO reports

The number of deaths from H1N1 (swine flu) rose by 700 in a week, to top 5,700 since the virus was first identified in April, the WHO reported Friday, Agence France-Presse reports (10/30).

2 Nov 2009

Washington Post examines role of USAID's Richard Greene

As part of its ongoing "Federal Player of the Week" series with the Partnership for Public Service, the Washington Post examines the role of Richard Greene, the head of USAID's Office of Health, Infectious Diseases, and Nutrition in the Bureau of Global Health.

2 Nov 2009

Zuma calls for renewed effort in fight against HIV/AIDS

South African President Jacob Zuma on Thursday called for a renewed effort in the country's fight against HIV/AIDS, the Star/Independent Online reports. During a speech to South Africa's National Council of Provinces, which also addressed the country's economy, Zuma pointed to what he called "chilling statistics" reflective of the "devastating impact HIV and AIDS" is having on the country (du Plessis, 10/30).

2 Nov 2009

Also in Global Health News: Undernutrition in Afghanistan; Namibia's HIV clinics, outreach programs

A Lancet World Report examines the deadly toll undernutrition is having on the people of Afghanistan, where the "issues of poverty and undernutrition have received curiously little attention: about a third of the population, more than 7 million people, are food insecure, according the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP).

2 Nov 2009

A look at the odds associated with the influenza virus

What are the odds you will be one of the unlucky ones who gets the flu this year? Book of Odds has launched "Flu Week," a fascinating look at the odds associated with the influenza virus.

2 Nov 2009

Juvaris BioTherapeutics commences enrollment in its JVRS-100 influenza vaccine adjuvant study

Juvaris BioTherapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company developing adjuvanted vaccines for infectious diseases, today announced that it has begun enrolling patients in a Phase 2 clinical trial of its lead compound, JVRS-100, as an adjuvant for seasonal influenza vaccines in the elderly population.

2 Nov 2009

Avila Therapeutics presents preclinical study data of its AVL-181 HCV protease inhibitor

Avila Therapeutics™, Inc., a biotechnology company developing novel covalent drugs that treat diseases through protein silencing, presented results of preclinical studies on its highly selective, small molecule Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) protease inhibitor, AVL-181. Avila showed that AVL-181 promoted complete viral clearance in vitro when used at clinically-relevant concentrations in combination with other HCV therapies.

2 Nov 2009

Disease/Infection News

Challenges in global health: rising to meet them could save millions of lives, say experts

Schering-Plough's Phase III study of Grass Allergy Immunotherapy meets primary endpoint

Macomb County Health Department announces H1N1 influenza clinic

Tamiflu in short supply, pharmacists compound doses for children suffering from the H1N1 flu virus

Crohn's disease drug market driven by TNF-alpha inhibitors Humira and Remicade

Efficacy trial of the world's most clinically advanced malaria vaccine candidate underway

Interim data from Schering-Plough's narlaprevir Phase IIa study

FDA: Guidance document on diagnostic tests for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus

WHO, UNICEF launch 6-year $39B plan to prevent, treat pneumonia; World Pneumonia Day coverage

Opinions: Obstetric fistula; malaria and climate change

Swine flu vaccine supply expected to increase 'in short order'

Malaria conference begins in Nairobi, will highlight outlook for RTS,S experimental malaria vaccine

U.S. officially ends HIV travel ban

Deaths from H1N1 rise by 700 in one week, WHO reports

Washington Post examines role of USAID's Richard Greene

Zuma calls for renewed effort in fight against HIV/AIDS

Also in Global Health News: Undernutrition in Afghanistan; Namibia's HIV clinics, outreach programs

A look at the odds associated with the influenza virus

Juvaris BioTherapeutics commences enrollment in its JVRS-100 influenza vaccine adjuvant study

Avila Therapeutics presents preclinical study data of its AVL-181 HCV protease inhibitor

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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