Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

Also in global health news: U.S. aid to Philippines, Swaziland, Guyana; Uganda Bills; Botswana HIV/AIDS

U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney said the U.S. will give the country an additional $10 million worth of food aid for people affect by the recent typhoons, the Manila Bulletin reports. This brings "the total amount of its disaster relief and recovery assistance to US$30 million" (Sabater, 12/3).

3 Dec 2009

Fear of swine flu impacts lifestyle

One of the lasting legacies of 2009 and looming challenges of 2010 is the H1N1 virus. Fears about contracting H1N1 (commonly known as the swine flu) have consumed many Americans for most of the year, so EarnMyDegree.com (http://www.earnmydegree.com), a web resource of EducationDynamics, which connects prospective students with online classes, commissioned a new study about whether flu-related worries have caused people to change their habits.

3 Dec 2009

Avisio forms new subsidiary to market its virus detecting nano sensory technology

Avisio, Inc. announced today that it has formed a majority-owned subsidiary to market and commercialize Instant Detect, the company's new nano sensory technology that instantly detects biological viruses. The new company, Diagnostic Nano Applications (DNA), will be headquartered in Riverside, California.

3 Dec 2009

Tripep receives approval to extend ChronVac-C study

Today Tripep (STO:TPEP) received the approval from the Swedish Medical Products Agency and the local ethical committee to give three patients in the highest dose group in the ChronVac-C® study one additional treatment with the therapeutic vaccine.

3 Dec 2009

Roche to provide the RealTime ready Influenza A/H1N1 Detection Set to CLIA high-complexity labs under EUA

The Roche assay for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus detects RNA from the 2009 H1N1 Influenza A virus and provides a rapid means of identification of patients infected with this virus. In order to ensure continued specificity and sensitivity of the Roche's Influenza A/H1N1 assay, Roche performs sequence comparisons with all available 2009 H1N1 Influenza Virus sequences on a regular basis.

3 Dec 2009

Email security experts at Red Condor issue a warning about latest spam campaign

Email security experts at Red Condor today issued a warning about the latest spam campaign claiming to be from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and requesting that recipients complete a "Personal H1N1 Vaccination Profile."

3 Dec 2009

Roche ships additional quantities of Tamiflu oral suspension

Roche announced today that it has begun shipping additional quantities of Tamiflu® (oseltamivir phosphate) oral suspension (liquid).

3 Dec 2009

Respiratory syncytial virus, the most common cause of pneumonia in children

RSV is a respiratory virus that infects the lungs and breathing passages. While most healthy people recover from RSV infection, it can be severe in infants. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia in children under 1 year of age in the nation.

3 Dec 2009

Children vaccinated against chickenpox at much lower risk of developing shingles

Vaccination to prevent chickenpox (varicella) appears to have an added benefit for children—a reduced risk of shingles (herpes zoster). That's the finding of a study in the November issue of The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.

3 Dec 2009

U.S. H1N1 cases decreasing, CDC says; HHS to review approach to health-threat preparedness

The number of H1N1 (swine flu) cases in the U.S. appears to be decreasing, the CDC said Tuesday, CQ HealthBeat reports. "Flu was widespread in 32 states by the end of the week of Nov. 21, a decrease from 43 states in the prior week and 46 states earlier this fall, according to the CDC," the news service writes. "

3 Dec 2009

Leaders respond to World AIDS Day; South Africa to expand HIV treatment program

Marking World AIDS Day on Tuesday, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon "warned ... that new infections are outpacing the gains from treating people with the HIV virus" and that discrimination against HIV-positive people remains "widespread," the Associated Press reports.

2 Dec 2009

Favorable initial results from Novavax' 2009 H1N1 VLP pandemic influenza vaccine Phase II study

Novavax, Inc. today reported favorable initial results from the first stage of a two-stage pivotal Phase II study evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of the company's 2009 H1N1 virus-like particle (VLP) pandemic influenza vaccine. Novavax is conducting this study in collaboration with Avimex Laboratories of Mexico to support registration of the vaccine in Mexico and potentially other countries.

2 Dec 2009

International AIDS Vaccine Initiative calls for redoubled efforts in vaccine development

As we approach World AIDS Day, observed globally December 1, we are reminded that while progress has been made in expanding access to treatment and prevention and that progress has been made toward the development of new prevention tools, the world is still falling short of established targets for providing universal access to HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment and care by 2010. Nearly 5.5 million of the estimated 9.5 million people in need of antiretroviral therapy are still not receiving it.

2 Dec 2009

FDA approves additional intended use of Roche's cobas TaqScreen MPX Test

Roche announced today that the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved an additional intended use for its licensed nucleic acid test, to screen source plasma in pools comprised of up to 96 individual donations. The test, called the cobas® TaqScreen MPX Test for use on the cobas s 201 system, is a qualitative, in-vitro test for the simultaneous, direct detection of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1 Group M RNA, HIV-1 Group O RNA , HIV-2 RNA), hepatitis C virus RNA and hepatitis B virus DNA in human plasma.

From Roche Sequencing and Life Science 2 Dec 2009

PharmAthene to present its biological/ chemical weapons countermeasure program data at the HHS PHEMCE workshop

PharmAthene, Inc., a biodefense company developing medical countermeasures against biological and chemical threats, announced today that the Company will participate in and present data at the HHS Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE) workshop and BARDA Industry Day taking place in Washington, DC Dec. 2-4, 2009.

2 Dec 2009

NAF and Bristol-Myers Squibb take initiative to launch 'Positive Charge'

The National AIDS Fund (NAF) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced today their intention to launch “Positive Charge,” a new multiyear initiative aimed at helping to break down the barriers that prevent people living with HIV from receiving HIV care, treatment and necessary support.

2 Dec 2009

Development of novel virus can lead to new therapeutic strategy to combat cancer

Ohio State University cancer researchers have developed a tumor-attacking virus that both kills brain-tumor cells and blocks the growth of new tumor blood vessels.

2 Dec 2009

New approach to identify molecules that prevent immune cells from attacking body

A study led by a Scripps Research Institute scientist describes a new, highly pragmatic approach to the identification of molecules that prevent a specific type of immune cells from attacking their host. The findings add a powerful new tool to the ongoing search for potential treatments for autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as blood cancers, such as myeloid leukemia.

2 Dec 2009

URAC accreditation ensures round the clock access to quality health care

The spread of the H1N1 virus and the growing concerns about treatments have illustrated the need for reliable sources of health care information. URAC, the nation's leading health care accreditation and education organization, offers a Health Call Center Accreditation which provides a framework for call centers around the country.

2 Dec 2009

SinoFresh Healthcare re-launches sales and distribution of Sinofresh Nasal Spray

SinoFresh Healthcare, Inc. over the last six months has re-launched sales and distribution of the Sinofresh Nasal Spray product through the exclusive licensee of the products through, Sinofresh Healthcare Products, Inc., a privately held company.

2 Dec 2009

Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

Also in global health news: U.S. aid to Philippines, Swaziland, Guyana; Uganda Bills; Botswana HIV/AIDS

Fear of swine flu impacts lifestyle

Avisio forms new subsidiary to market its virus detecting nano sensory technology

Tripep receives approval to extend ChronVac-C study

Roche to provide the RealTime ready Influenza A/H1N1 Detection Set to CLIA high-complexity labs under EUA

Email security experts at Red Condor issue a warning about latest spam campaign

Roche ships additional quantities of Tamiflu oral suspension

Respiratory syncytial virus, the most common cause of pneumonia in children

Children vaccinated against chickenpox at much lower risk of developing shingles

U.S. H1N1 cases decreasing, CDC says; HHS to review approach to health-threat preparedness

Leaders respond to World AIDS Day; South Africa to expand HIV treatment program

Favorable initial results from Novavax' 2009 H1N1 VLP pandemic influenza vaccine Phase II study

International AIDS Vaccine Initiative calls for redoubled efforts in vaccine development

FDA approves additional intended use of Roche's cobas TaqScreen MPX Test

PharmAthene to present its biological/ chemical weapons countermeasure program data at the HHS PHEMCE workshop

NAF and Bristol-Myers Squibb take initiative to launch 'Positive Charge'

Development of novel virus can lead to new therapeutic strategy to combat cancer

New approach to identify molecules that prevent immune cells from attacking body

URAC accreditation ensures round the clock access to quality health care

SinoFresh Healthcare re-launches sales and distribution of Sinofresh Nasal Spray

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