Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

Also in Global Health News: H1N1; USAID's Global Pulse; Rotavirus vaccine; Uzbek doctors; Zimbabwe development; Malaria vaccine

WHO flu chief Keiji Fukuda on Monday announced that a group of 29 independent scientists and public health experts has been formed to evaluate the response of the organization and national governments to the emergence of H1N1 (swine flu), the Associated Press reports. According to Fukuda, the committee will hold its first meeting April 12-14 (3/29).

29 Mar 2010

Final results from Novavax' Phase II clinical trial of trivalent seasonal influenza VLP vaccine announced

Novavax, Inc. a clinical-stage vaccine company, released the final results from a Phase II clinical trial evaluating Novavax's trivalent seasonal influenza Virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine candidate in healthy adults. The study enrolled healthy volunteers 18 to 49 years in age who were immunized with a single injection of Novavax's trivalent seasonal influenza VLP vaccine matched to the influenza strains recommended for the 2008-2009 influenza vaccine.

29 Mar 2010

Helmholtz Zentrum München, SIRION BIOTECH partner to develop new therapeutic approaches against lymphoid tumors

Helmholtz Zentrum München has launched a new cooperative project with SIRION BIOTECH GmbH in Martinsried to develop new therapeutic approaches against lymphoid tumors. With a two-year grant from the Federal Ministry for Economics and Technology, the two partners will seek to further develop lentiviral vector systems to better understand the disease mechanisms of this cancer form and to devise approaches for treatment.

29 Mar 2010

Inovio Biomedical's total revenue increased to $2.6M for quarter ended December 31, 2009

Inovio Biomedical Corporation today reported financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2009.

29 Mar 2010

Rift Valley Fever on the rise

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes that mainly affects animals and livestock but may also infect humans. It can lead to high rates of death and disease. While mild forms of the disease can cause fever, muscle and joint pains, headaches, loss of appetite etc., the severe form can affect the eyes, cause meningitis, severe bleeding and even death.

29 Mar 2010

Study provides new clues to obesity epidemic

In a newly published study, scientists from The Scripps Research Institute have shown for the first time that the same molecular mechanisms that drive people into drug addiction are behind the compulsion to overeat, pushing people into obesity.

29 Mar 2010

Antiviral treatment may lead to drug-resistant H1N1 virus: NIAID

Two people with compromised immune systems who became ill with 2009 H1N1 influenza developed drug-resistant strains of virus after less than two weeks on therapy, report doctors from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

27 Mar 2010

WinRho SDF for ITP: Cangene announces new safety information

Cangene Corporation, in consultation with Health Canada, is informing Canadian patients and healthcare professionals of important new safety information concerning the use of WinRho SDF (Rho (D) Immune Globulin (Human)) for the treatment of immune thrombocytopenic purpura, also called immune thrombocytopenia, or ITP. WinRho SDF belongs to a group of biological medicines derived from human plasma known as immunoglobulins. It is administered in hospitals by infusion through the veins.

27 Mar 2010

State HIV programs face cuts, CDC notes high prevalence in young African-Americans, gay men

NPR's Shots blog: "As states struggle with budget shortfalls, many are looking to trim costs by chopping health spending. And funding for HIV/AIDS programs has been a prime target. A proposed budget in South Carolina would eliminate funding for HIV/AIDS prevention and for help with buying drugs to treat the disease. 'South Carolina is thought to be the first state in the nation to propose the elimination of its entire HIV/AIDS budget,' the newspaper The State reported. Elsewhere, HIV/AIDS funding has been under pressure for a while.

27 Mar 2010

Study: Surgical masks prevented hospital staff from acquiring H1N1

The effectiveness of ordinary surgical masks as opposed to respirators in protecting health care workers against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus has been the subject of debate. An observational study published in the April 1, 2010 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, available online, suggests that surgical masks are just as effective as respirators in this regard.

26 Mar 2010

Common beliefs on the spread of sexually transmitted diseases may not apply to HPV: Study

A small new study suggests that some common beliefs about the spread of sexually transmitted diseases may not apply to human papillomavirus, also known as HPV.

26 Mar 2010

Data on Argos Therapeutics' Phase 2a AGS-004 immunotherapy trial presented at Banff HIV Vaccines meeting

Argos Therapeutics today announced the presentation of data from the Phase 2a trial of AGS-004, providing information on rebound viral genetic diversity in HIV patients treated with the personalized immunotherapy following antiretroviral therapy (ART) interruption. The data were discussed in a poster session at the Keystone Symposia Global Health Series HIV Vaccines meeting, held March 21-26, 2010 in Banff, Canada.

26 Mar 2010

Interim results from ZALBIN Phase 2B trial in chronic hepatitis C patients announced

Human Genome Sciences, Inc. today announced interim results through Week 12 following the end of treatment in a Phase 2b clinical trial conducted by Novartis to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ZALBIN™ (albinterferon alfa-2b), an investigational agent, administered monthly in combination with ribavirin in 391 treatment-naive patients with genotypes 2 and 3 chronic hepatitis C virus. The primary efficacy endpoint is sustained virologic response (SVR) at Week 48 (24 weeks following the end of treatment).

26 Mar 2010

Positive results from Stage A pivotal study of 2009 A/H1N1 VLP pandemic influenza vaccine

Novavax, Inc. announced today positive results from the entire 1,000 subject Stage A of its two-stage pivotal study evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of Novavax's unadjuvanted 2009 A/H1N1 virus-like particle pandemic influenza vaccine.

26 Mar 2010

New research may help advance treatment strategies for common liver disease

A research article published in the journal PloS Pathogens could lead to improvements in the production of vaccines for hepatitis A, the most widespread viral disease in the world.

26 Mar 2010

Medicare Roundup: Changes from health reform, payments for HIV patients

USA Today: "Perhaps the biggest factor in whether your Medicare costs will rise or fall depends on your Medicare plan. There are two: a traditional Medicare plan run by the federal government and Medicare Advantage, which is run by private insurance companies. Medicare Advantage costs more than the traditional plan, but provides more generous benefits.

26 Mar 2010

Clinic sites seek gay men to participate in HIV vaccine study

Clinic sites in 13 cities across the U.S. are looking for a total of 1,350 HIV-negative gay men to participate in the latest HIV vaccine study from the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN). And they're using social media to help reach these individuals where they are, which, these days, is increasingly online.

25 Mar 2010

Queensland rains and floods – boon or bane?

Warnings of floods and rains across Queensland have sparked fears related to Ross River fever among health authorities. Ross River fever is caused by a virus carried by a number of mosquito species. It is usually associated with joint pain and swelling that can last for weeks.

25 Mar 2010

Swine flu closely related to 1918 Spanish flu pandemic

In research on the swine flu virus it has been seen that the virus may seem new, but it has old relatives. An influenza virus which was pandemic in 1918 is seen to be very closely related, structurally speaking, to the H1N1 swine flu vaccine. This virus has the dubious distinction of having claimed between 40 million to 100 million lives in the flu wave of 1918.

25 Mar 2010

New study investigates effects of influenza among pregnant women

This spring, pregnant women in Bergen and Oslo will be invited to take part in the Norwegian Influenza Study (NorFlu). The aim is to find out how influenza in pregnancy affects maternal health and childhood development. NorFlu will also study any implications of vaccination during pregnancy.

25 Mar 2010

Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

Also in Global Health News: H1N1; USAID's Global Pulse; Rotavirus vaccine; Uzbek doctors; Zimbabwe development; Malaria vaccine

Final results from Novavax' Phase II clinical trial of trivalent seasonal influenza VLP vaccine announced

Helmholtz Zentrum München, SIRION BIOTECH partner to develop new therapeutic approaches against lymphoid tumors

Inovio Biomedical's total revenue increased to $2.6M for quarter ended December 31, 2009

Rift Valley Fever on the rise

Study provides new clues to obesity epidemic

Antiviral treatment may lead to drug-resistant H1N1 virus: NIAID

WinRho SDF for ITP: Cangene announces new safety information

State HIV programs face cuts, CDC notes high prevalence in young African-Americans, gay men

Study: Surgical masks prevented hospital staff from acquiring H1N1

Common beliefs on the spread of sexually transmitted diseases may not apply to HPV: Study

Data on Argos Therapeutics' Phase 2a AGS-004 immunotherapy trial presented at Banff HIV Vaccines meeting

Interim results from ZALBIN Phase 2B trial in chronic hepatitis C patients announced

Positive results from Stage A pivotal study of 2009 A/H1N1 VLP pandemic influenza vaccine

New research may help advance treatment strategies for common liver disease

Medicare Roundup: Changes from health reform, payments for HIV patients

Clinic sites seek gay men to participate in HIV vaccine study

Queensland rains and floods – boon or bane?

Swine flu closely related to 1918 Spanish flu pandemic

New study investigates effects of influenza among pregnant women

Small solutions for big problems in drug discovery and delivery

Professor Nancy Ip: Pioneering New Paths in Neurodegenerative Therapy

Utilizing process Raman in optimizing cultivated meat production