Meningitis News and Research

Latest Meningitis News and Research

Canadians join hands in fight against meningitis on April 24th

Canadians can join hands in a virtual community with the Meningitis Research Foundation of Canada and become a member of the global family by visiting www.comoonline.org and "joining hands" in the fight against meningitis, and to show support for meningitis awareness and prevention.

25 Apr 2011

Group B streptococci continues to increase risk of sepsis in newborns

Bloodstream infections in newborns can lead to serious complications with substantial morbidity and mortality. What's more, the pathogens responsible for neonatal infections have changed over time. In recent years, however, antibiotic prophylaxis given to at-risk mothers has reduced the incidence of early-onset group B streptococcal infections among their babies.

25 Apr 2011

FDA approves Sanofi Pasteur's meningococcal vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted licensure to expand the indication for its meningococcal conjugate vaccine, Menactra, to include a two-dose schedule for infants and children 9 months through 23 months of age.

25 Apr 2011

Sanofi Pasteur receives FDA approval for Menactra to prevent meningococcal disease

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the use of Menactra in children as young as 9 months for the prevention of invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y and W-135. Menactra already is approved for use in people ages 2 through 55 years.

24 Apr 2011

CTIS Pregnancy Health Information Line aims to educate women about meningitis

The California Teratogen Information Service Pregnancy Health Information Line, a state-wide non-profit organization based at the University of California, San Diego with affiliates across North America, will join in the effort to raise awareness of meningitis prevention by helping to launch a new study that will assess safety of the meningitis vaccine in pregnancy.

22 Apr 2011

Viral infection likely to encourage pneumonia spread

Bacteria that cause pneumonia and meningitis are only able to spread when individuals are infected with flu, says a scientist reporting at the Society for General Microbiology's Spring Conference in Harrogate. The work could have implications for the management of influenza pandemics and could help reduce incidence of pneumococcal infections in very young children, who are more susceptible to disease.

11 Apr 2011

Nuron Biotech announces acquisition of Wyeth's HibTITER vaccine assets

Nuron Biotech Inc., a specialty biologics and vaccines company, today announced that it has acquired assets relating to the vaccine HibTITER from Wyeth LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pfizer Inc, for the U.S. and many other markets, including Japan and Korea. Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed.

7 Apr 2011

Scientists identify biological pathways that mediate IgA nephropathy

For the first time, researchers have found five regions in the human genome that increase susceptibility to immunoglobulin A nephropathy, a major cause of kidney failure worldwide - systematically identifying those that point to a tendency for IgA nephropathy, or a protection against it.

6 Apr 2011

International scientists to discuss climate, health data sharing at conference in Ethiopia

Scientists will gather in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, beginning Monday for a workshop that aims to address climate and health issues, VOA News reports.

5 Apr 2011

Sinovac reports fourth quarter net sales of $9.1 million

Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a leading provider of biopharmaceutical products in China, announced today its fourth quarter and full year financial results periods ended December 31, 2010.

31 Mar 2011

BMY receives FDA approval for YERVOY to treat metastatic melanoma

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved YERVOY 3 mg/kg for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma.

28 Mar 2011

CSL Behring presents Hizentra study data against PI at AAAAI meeting

Data presented by CSL Behring today suggest that treatment with higher dose Hizentra correlates with reduced risk of infection and missed school or work among patients with primary immunodeficiencies.

22 Mar 2011

Bacteria more likely to adopt 'loner' genes

A new study of more than three dozen bacteria species - including the microbes responsible for pneumonia, meningitis, stomach ulcers and plague - settles a longstanding debate about why bacteria are more likely to steal some genes than others.

17 Mar 2011

Positive preliminary results from Sinovac EV71 vaccine phase I trial in adults

Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a leading provider of biopharmaceutical products in China, announced today the unblinding of the Phase I clinical trial results for the adult population for its proprietary inactivated vaccine against human enterovirus 71, which causes hand, foot, and mouth disease.

10 Mar 2011

FDA says no cause for alarm on vaccines for meningitis and pneumonia

According to US health officials there are no reports that arouse new safety concerns over two children’s vaccines that have been suspended in Japan following the deaths of four babies.

7 Mar 2011

IMMY, University of Nevada, Reno collaborate to make new blood test for Cryptococcosis

A new, rapid blood test that could lead to early diagnosis and potentially save the lives of hundreds of thousands of people stricken with fungal meningitis, a leading cause of AIDS-related deaths in developing countries, is getting closer to market with a recent collaboration between the University of Nevada, Reno and Immuno-Mycologics in Oklahoma.

5 Mar 2011

Sinovac submits clinical trial application for 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine to China SFDA

Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a leading provider of biopharmaceutical products in China, announced today it submitted the application to commence clinical trials for its 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) to China's State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) on March 3, 2011.

3 Mar 2011

Seven-year study finds Group B strep as main cause of newborn bacterial meningitis

The Group B Streptococcus is still the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in newborns, concludes a seven-year French study in the March issue of The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

3 Mar 2011

First patient treated in KUR-023 pilot clinical trial to assess safety and efficacy of product candidate

Kuros Biosurgery AG, a biotechnology company focused on the development of novel biomaterials and bioactive-biomaterial combination products for trauma, wound and spinal indications, announced today that it has treated the first patient in a pilot clinical trial investigating the safety and efficacy of KUR-023, its novel dural sealant product candidate.

28 Feb 2011

FDA approves sBLA for CSL's Hizentra to treat PI

CSL Behring announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a supplemental Biologics License Application to extend the shelf life of Hizentra, Immune Globulin Subcutaneous, 20% Liquid, from 24 months to 30 months.

24 Feb 2011