Allergies News and Research

Latest Allergies News and Research

Immunetics receives NIH grant for new confirmatory test trial in Chagas' disease

Immunetics, Inc. today announced it has been awarded a $2.4 million, 3-year Phase II SBIR grant by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a division of the National Institutes of Health, to support clinical trials of the company's new confirmatory test for Chagas' disease, a serious and potentially fatal parasitic infection.

4 May 2011

Asthma prevalence jump alarms health experts

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a report released this Tuesday, Americans are suffering from asthma in record numbers. Nearly one in 10 children and almost one in 12 Americans of all ages now has asthma, government researchers said. Tuesday was World Asthma Day.

4 May 2011

National survey reveals severe asthmatics need more treatment options

Today on World Asthma Day 2011, despite decades of progress on the management and control of asthma – more research, better understanding and powerful treatments – millions of people with severe asthma are still living with serious, frequent, life-threatening symptoms.

3 May 2011

Asthma research on its way to help sufferers

The University of Newcastle is now conducting a nationwide research program to help people with asthma better control their condition. This study will be testing the effectiveness of combining antibiotics with commonly used treatments in asthmatics. This news comes today on the World Asthma Day. Statistics show that commonly prescribed treatments and medications do not relieve the symptoms for about 10 per cent of asthma patients. It's thought about 80% of people with the condition suffer numerous symptoms, yet 80% say they believe they have it under control.

3 May 2011

Winner Medical's PurCotton products introduced at MICF 2011

Winner Medical Group Inc. a leading manufacturer of medical dressings, medical disposables and non-woven fabric made from 100% natural PurCotton products in China, today reported that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Shenzhen PurCotton Technology Ltd., participated in the 13th China International Mother-Infant-Child Products Fair held in the China International Exhibition Center, Beijing, on April 14-16, 2011.

3 May 2011

New insight into itch and pain

A new study of itch adds to growing evidence that the chemical signals that make us want to scratch are the same signals that make us wince in pain.

3 May 2011

Springtime blooms, thunderstorms can trigger asthma symptoms, warns ACAAI

The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and the nation's allergists warn people with asthma to beware of both springtime blooms and thunderstorms which can trigger symptoms.

30 Apr 2011

Merck first quarter sales increase 1% to $11.6 billion for 2011

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced financial results for the first quarter of 2011.

30 Apr 2011

Researchers develop new gene therapy technique for CGD treatment

Researchers have developed an effective technique that uses gene therapy on stem cells to correct chronic granulomatous disease in cell culture, which could eventually serve as a treatment for this rare, inherited immune disorder, according to a study published in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology.

29 Apr 2011

New genetic study suspects Armadillos as source of leprosy in the U.S.

A new genetic study on leprosy bacteria reports that armadillos may be a source of infection in the Southern United States.

29 Apr 2011

New discovery in cancer and autoimmune diseases

Researchers in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta have made an important discovery that provides a new understanding of how our immune system "learns" not to attack our own body, and this could affect the way doctors treat patients with autoimmune diseases and cancer.

28 Apr 2011

Clinical study: Plant extract can fight effectively against hay fever

Fighting hay fever with a plant extract - this works, as was shown in a clinical study conducted by researchers of the Center of Allergy & Environment of Helmholtz Zentrum München and Technische Universität München.

27 Apr 2011

New nano-systems capable of binding heparin as effectively as protamine

New nano-systems developed in York may eventually help patients recover from surgery without the danger of allergic reactions to drugs.

26 Apr 2011

Survey: Pharmacists top OTC product picks in more than 77 total categories

The 2010 Pharmacy Today Over-the-Counter Product Survey, conducted by the American Pharmacists Association, reveals pharmacists believe that 81% of consumers purchase the over-the-counter product that was recommended by their pharmacist, 92% of pharmacists walk a patient to the OTC section to assist with a product selection and the average patient consult takes only three minutes of the patient's time.

26 Apr 2011

Signaling pathway reveals mechanism for B cell differentiation in immune response

An article in Science Signaling by researchers at the RIKEN Research Center for Allergy and Immunology (RCAI) has clarified for the first time the mechanism governing differentiation of B cells into antibody-producing plasma cells. The finding establishes a role for the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway in B cell differentiation, a key step toward the development of B cell-targeted drugs for treatment of autoimmune diseases and allergies.

25 Apr 2011

Medtronic's English Channel swimming competition to raise awareness on ALS

In August 2011, Doug McConnell of Barrington, Illinois, expects to be the 48th person over age 50 to successfully swim across the English Channel. He will be swimming more than 21 grueling miles in memory of his father, David, who passed away from ALS.

From Medtronic 25 Apr 2011

Valuable insight into immune response

An article in Science Signaling by researchers at the RIKEN Research Center for Allergy and Immunology has clarified for the first time the mechanism governing differentiation of B cells into antibody-producing plasma cells.

22 Apr 2011

Thought leaders gather to examine challenges facing patients with primary immunodeficiencies

Thought leaders from the medical, scientific and patient advocacy communities gathered in New York and London for CSL Behring's Key Issues Dialogue–Immunoglobulin to examine challenges facing patients with primary immunodeficiencies.

21 Apr 2011

Researchers to wind down HIV prevention trial in women after interim results find drug not offering protection from HIV

Researchers on Monday announced they were calling off a trial to test whether taking an oral HIV drug reduces the risk of HIV infection in women after interim analysis of the study showed women taking the medication were no less likely to become infected with HIV than those who were not taking the medicine, the Associated Press reports.

20 Apr 2011

Circassia closes $98 million fundraising for lead allergy programmes

Circassia Ltd, a specialty biopharmaceutical company focused on allergy, today announced that it has closed a GBP60 million fundraising. The funding round was led by Imperial Innovations, and included investments from other existing shareholders, including Invesco Perpetual.

19 Apr 2011