Immunology News and Research

Latest Immunology News and Research

Sepracor announces preliminary results from OMNARIS HFA Phase III study for seasonal allergic rhinitis

Sepracor Inc. announced today the preliminary results of a large-scale, 671-patient Phase III study of OMNARIS® (ciclesonide) HFA, an aerosol nasal formulation of ciclesonide, for the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) in adult and adolescent patients. In this study, OMNARIS HFA met its primary efficacy endpoint by demonstrating a statistically significant reduction versus placebo in the reflective total nasal symptom score averaged over a two-week treatment period.

1 Jul 2010

ICON Central Laboratories partners with FMD to open new laboratory facility in China

ICON Central Laboratories - a division of ICON plc,, a global provider of outsourced development services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries - today announced the opening of a new laboratory facility in Tianjin, China, in partnership with Fountain Medical Development Ltd (FMD). It is the third ICON laboratory in the Asia-Pacific region.

30 Jun 2010

Midwest Infusion Center opens new treatment center in Plymouth

Midwest Infusion Center expanded from its previous space at West Health by opening a new infusion center at the City Center Professional Building in Plymouth for patients receiving infusion therapy.

30 Jun 2010

Gene diagnosis to be featured at 9th INT'L BIO FORUM & BIO EXPO JAPAN

9th INT'L BIO FORUM & BIO EXPO JAPAN, organized by Reed Exhibitions Japan, will come back again as Asia's largest bio-event from June 30 - July 2, 2010. "Gene diagnosis" is one of the featured topics for this year.

30 Jun 2010

Vimpat provides long-term additional partial-onset seizure control when added to broad range of AEDs

New long term data showed that Vimpat- (lacosamide) C-V provided sustained reduction in seizure frequency for up to five years when used as an add-on treatment for uncontrolled partial onset seizures in adults with epilepsy. In addition post-hoc exploratory analyses showed that adjunctive lacosamide treatment reduced partial-onset seizure frequency and improved responder rates when added to a broad range of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) including both traditional sodium channel-blocking agents and those that act on non-sodium channel-targets.

30 Jun 2010

Original viral genetic sequences still present months after initial infection, says study

Scientists have been surprised to learn that, despite thousands of changes that viruses like HIV undergo in rapid fashion to evade the body's immune system, the original version that caused the infection is still present in the body months later.

30 Jun 2010

LEAPS vaccine technology generates dendritic cells to stimulate immune system to fight viral illnesses

CEL-SCI Corporation and researchers at the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM) jointly announced today that a LEAPS-based vaccine (Ligand Epitope Antigen Presentation System) study has demonstrated the technology's potential using dendritic cells to stimulate the immune system to fight viral illnesses and other diseases.

29 Jun 2010

Astellas presents ASP1941 selective SGLT2 inhibitor Phase 2 study results at 70th ADA

Astellas Pharma Inc. announced that the company presented results from a Japanese Phase 2 study conducted with ASP1941, a selective SGLT2 inhibitor, at the 70th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) on June 26, 2010 (EST). ASP1941 is designed to block the re-absorption of glucose in the kidney and excrete glucose in the urine.

29 Jun 2010

Avila's AVL-292 demonstrates disease-modifying effects in prophylactic, therapeutic models of rheumatoid arthritis

Avila Therapeutics™, Inc., a biotechnology company developing targeted covalent drugs that treat diseases through protein silencing, today announced results of preclinical studies demonstrating that its clinical candidate, AVL-292, potently inhibits B cell receptor signaling, and demonstrates efficacy in a rodent model of rheumatoid arthritis. These new data were presented Saturday, June 26, 2010 at the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies (FOCIS) 2010 annual meeting in Boston, MA.

29 Jun 2010

'Beeglue' may help deliver new treatments for fatal infections

Bees could have a key role to play in urgently-needed new treatments to fight the virulent MRSA bug, according to research led at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland.

29 Jun 2010

Cells in immune system react to stomach ulcer bacterium Helicobacter pylori, identify researchers

Researchers have identified cells in the immune system that react to the stomach ulcer bacterium Helicobacter pylori, one of the risk factors for the development of stomach cancer. This discovery could lead to faster diagnosis and treatment as well as a better prognosis for patients with stomach cancer, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

28 Jun 2010

Tolerx presents preclinical data on TRX518 anti-GITR immunotherapy for cancer

Tolerx, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapies to treat autoimmune diseases and cancer by modulating T cell activity, presented results from preclinical studies with TRX518, an early-stage agent Tolerx is developing as a treatment for cancer. TRX518 is a monoclonal antibody to glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR) and is designed to enhance the immune system's ability to attack tumors by activating and rendering T effector cells resistant to T regulatory cell suppression.

28 Jun 2010

TRL commences operations at San Diego facility with focus on biological drugs for autoimmune diseases

Tanabe Research Labs USA, Inc. (TRL) today announced commencement of its new operations at the TRL facility in San Diego with a focus on biological drugs for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. TRL began its new activities in May with the appointment of three new senior executives: Masaki Yamada, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer; Toshihiro Hosaka, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, and Roland Newman, Ph.D., VP and Chief Scientific Officer.

28 Jun 2010

Phase 2b clinical trial data of SGLT2 inhibitor in patients with type 2 diabetes presented at ADA 2010

Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C. announced today that canagliflozin, an investigational, oral, selective sodium-glucose transporter-2 inhibitor, improved glycemic control, and was also associated with a decrease in body weight, in a Phase 2b dose-ranging trial in patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who were concurrently treated with metformin. The data were presented at the 70th American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions.

28 Jun 2010

Additional results from BLISS-76 Phase 3 trial of BENLYSTA presented at International Congress on SLE

Human Genome Sciences, Inc. today announced the presentation of additional results from BLISS-76, one of two pivotal Phase 3 trials of BENLYSTA (belimumab) in seropositive patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. The additional data will be presented in Vancouver at the 9th International Congress on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus on Friday and Saturday, June 25-26.

28 Jun 2010

Gilead Sciences signs definitive agreement to acquire CGI Pharmaceuticals

Gilead Sciences, Inc. and CGI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately-held, development-stage pharmaceutical company focused on small molecule chemistry and kinase biology, today announced the signing of a definitive agreement pursuant to which Gilead will acquire CGI. Under the terms of the agreement, Gilead will acquire CGI for up to $120 million, the majority as an upfront payment and the remaining based on clinical development progress, all of which will be financed through available cash on hand.

25 Jun 2010

Corgenix Medical issued additional U.S. patent covering AspirinWorks technology

Corgenix Medical Corporation, a worldwide developer and marketer of diagnostic test kits, has been issued an additional U.S. patent covering its AspirinWorks technology and product line.

25 Jun 2010

Specific virus can interact with mutation in host's genes to trigger diseases: Scientists

Scientists have shown that a specific virus can interact with a mutation in the host's genes to trigger disease. The observation may help explain why many people with disease risk genes do not actually develop disease.

25 Jun 2010

UCSD researchers awarded $2.5M CIRM grant to explore stem cells

A pair of University of California San Diego researchers - Martin Marsala, a specialist in spinal cord trauma and disorders, and Yang Xu, an immunologist - have been awarded more than $2.5 million in new grants from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

24 Jun 2010

Extract of French maritime pine tree bark reduces hay fever symptoms

An estimated 60 million people in the U.S. are affected by allergic rhinitis, commonly known as hay fever, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology. Hay fever is an allergic inflammation of the nasal airways that causes itching, swelling, mucus production, hives and rashes. A study published in the June 14, 2010 issue of Phytotherapy Research demonstrates Pycnogenol- (pic-noj-en-all), an antioxidant plant extract derived from the bark of the French maritime pine tree, substantially improves the symptoms of hay fever.

24 Jun 2010

Immunology News and Research

Latest Immunology News and Research

Sepracor announces preliminary results from OMNARIS HFA Phase III study for seasonal allergic rhinitis

ICON Central Laboratories partners with FMD to open new laboratory facility in China

Midwest Infusion Center opens new treatment center in Plymouth

Gene diagnosis to be featured at 9th INT'L BIO FORUM & BIO EXPO JAPAN

Vimpat provides long-term additional partial-onset seizure control when added to broad range of AEDs

Original viral genetic sequences still present months after initial infection, says study

LEAPS vaccine technology generates dendritic cells to stimulate immune system to fight viral illnesses

Astellas presents ASP1941 selective SGLT2 inhibitor Phase 2 study results at 70th ADA

Avila's AVL-292 demonstrates disease-modifying effects in prophylactic, therapeutic models of rheumatoid arthritis

'Beeglue' may help deliver new treatments for fatal infections

Cells in immune system react to stomach ulcer bacterium Helicobacter pylori, identify researchers

Tolerx presents preclinical data on TRX518 anti-GITR immunotherapy for cancer

TRL commences operations at San Diego facility with focus on biological drugs for autoimmune diseases

Phase 2b clinical trial data of SGLT2 inhibitor in patients with type 2 diabetes presented at ADA 2010

Additional results from BLISS-76 Phase 3 trial of BENLYSTA presented at International Congress on SLE

Gilead Sciences signs definitive agreement to acquire CGI Pharmaceuticals

Corgenix Medical issued additional U.S. patent covering AspirinWorks technology

Specific virus can interact with mutation in host's genes to trigger diseases: Scientists

UCSD researchers awarded $2.5M CIRM grant to explore stem cells

Extract of French maritime pine tree bark reduces hay fever symptoms

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