Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

February is again peak time for influenza across the nation

If you thought the regular seasonal flu has been late making its annual appearance, you might be surprised to learn that based on recent history, it's right on time.

15 Feb 2011

TFAH applauds overall increase in disease prevention funding, expresses concern over CDC cuts

The Trust for America's Health (TFAH) applauds the President's budget for an overall increase in disease prevention funding, reflecting the new funds provided by the Prevention Fund from the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but expresses extreme concerns over the cuts to funding for core programs at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and for emergency preparedness.

15 Feb 2011

Green on satellite images warns of hantavirus outbreaks

The risk of deadly hantavirus outbreaks in people can be predicted months ahead of time by using satellite images to monitor surges in vegetation that boost mouse populations, a University of Utah study says. The method also might forecast outbreaks of other rodent-borne illnesses worldwide.

15 Feb 2011

NIH awards renewal grant to BMC's CARE unit to expand education of physicians-in-training

The Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit in the Section of General Internal Medicine at BMC was recently awarded a $1,886,087 renewal grant from the National Institutes of Health to expand its education of physicians-in-training to become sophisticated implementers of substance use screening, assessment and treatment research.

14 Feb 2011

Chimerix announces completion of $45 million Series F financing

Chimerix, Inc., a pharmaceutical company developing orally-available broad spectrum antiviral therapeutics, today announced the completion of a $45 million Series F financing. New Leaf Venture Partners led the round, with participation by new investors Pappas Ventures and Morningside Group, as well as existing investors Canaan Partners, Sanderling Ventures, Alta Partners, Asset Management Company and Frazier Healthcare Ventures.

14 Feb 2011

Novel technology to diagnose Alzheimer's disease before symptoms appear

UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists have helped develop a novel technology to diagnose Alzheimer's disease from blood samples long before symptoms appear.

14 Feb 2011

Some fat is essential for body function

It's common knowledge that too much cholesterol and other fats can lead to disease, and that a healthy diet involves watching how much fatty food we eat. However, our bodies need a certain amount of fat to function—and we can't make it from scratch.

14 Feb 2011

Janssen, Medivir collaborate to discover and develop drugs against dengue virus

Medivir AB, the emerging research-based specialty pharmaceutical company focused on infectious diseases, announces today that it has signed a collaboration agreement with Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V. for the discovery and development of drugs for the prophylaxis and treatment of dengue virus infection.

14 Feb 2011

Opinions: U.S. foreign aid; Polio eradication

"Over the past few weeks, I've had a chance to interview some amazing people," ranging from Bill Gates to scientists and teachers, who are all concerned about impending budget cuts, the New York Times' David Brooks writes in a column. Brooks explains that the "coming budget cuts have nothing to do with merit. They have to do with the inexorable logic of mathematics."

14 Feb 2011

HIV trials and tribulations

A report published online February 8 in PLoS Medicine shows that mass behaviour changes could be credited with helping to remarkably reduce the number of people infected with HIV in Zimbabwe in recent years. These changes include declines in extramarital, commercial, and casual sexual relations, as well as a decline in multiple partners. These have been triggered by increased awareness of AIDS deaths and fear of infection and to some extent by the country’s economic deterioration.

13 Feb 2011

Protective immunity against HIV can be achieved without presence of virus neutralizing antibodies in the blood

New research shows that protective immunity against HIV can be achieved without the presence of virus neutralizing antibodies in the blood. The study, published by Cell Press in the February issue of the journal Immunity, demonstrates that a vaccine which stimulates production of specific anti-HIV antibodies in the vaginal tissue was sufficient to protect monkeys from exposure to live virus.

11 Feb 2011

Vaccinating through salivary glands may provide protection against wide range of diseases

If you don't like shots or needles, you're in luck. New research published online in The FASEB Journal gives the development of new oral vaccinations a shot in the arm thanks to discoveries involving the salivary glands of mice. In addition, this research report also offers a tantalizing glimpse of vaccines that could prevent infection at mucosal surfaces, even if direct injections into the body fail to cause immunity. This technique may be effective for a wide range of diseases from influenza to cholera.

11 Feb 2011

Richard J. Fasenmyer Foundation awards $3M to Cleveland physicians for AIDS research

A three-year, $3 million gift from the Richard J. Fasenmyer Foundation will fund research by a pair of Cleveland physicians into HIV and the body's response in autoimmune diseases.

11 Feb 2011

Viral infection of Leishmania leads to increased pathogenicity

A parasite and a virus may be teaming up in a way that increases the parasite's ability to harm humans, scientists at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report this week in Science.

11 Feb 2011

Times of India examines dengue vaccine trials

India could soon become a site for clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of a dengue vaccine, the Times of India reports. According to the drug controller general of India, vaccine maker Sanofi Pasteur recently submitted a proposal to test the vaccine to the country.

11 Feb 2011

Medivir initiates phase 1a clinical trial of TMC649128 for chronic HCV infection

Medivir AB, the emerging research-based specialty pharmaceutical company focused on infectious diseases, today announces the start of a phase 1a clinical trial with TMC649128 intended for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

10 Feb 2011

Vical 2010 net loss increases to $30.4 million

Vical Incorporated today reported financial results for the year ended December 31, 2010. Vical had cash and investments of approximately $61 million at year-end 2010. The company received approximately $37 million of net proceeds from the sale of equity securities during 2010.

10 Feb 2011

Avian flu vaccine stockpiled in 2004 still useful

A stockpiled vaccine designed to fight a strain of avian flu that circulated in 2004 can be combined with a vaccine that matches the current strain of bird flu to protect against a potential pandemic, researchers from Saint Louis University's Center for Vaccine Development have found.

10 Feb 2011

Global Hygiene Council: Three simple steps to keep your family protected against infections

The Global Hygiene Council, a group of leading health and hygiene experts from around the world, convened in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to discuss how proper hygiene plays a critical role in preventing the spread of illness and improving health around the world.

10 Feb 2011

First patient treated in cytomegalovirus~ACE/ASPECT Phase II randomised clinical trial

Cell Medica, a leading UK cellular therapeutics company that develops, manufactures and markets cellular immunotherapy products for the treatment of infectious disease and cancer, announces today that the first patient has been treated in the CMV~ACE/ASPECT trial at University College Hospital London.

10 Feb 2011

Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

February is again peak time for influenza across the nation

TFAH applauds overall increase in disease prevention funding, expresses concern over CDC cuts

Green on satellite images warns of hantavirus outbreaks

NIH awards renewal grant to BMC's CARE unit to expand education of physicians-in-training

Chimerix announces completion of $45 million Series F financing

Novel technology to diagnose Alzheimer's disease before symptoms appear

Some fat is essential for body function

Janssen, Medivir collaborate to discover and develop drugs against dengue virus

Opinions: U.S. foreign aid; Polio eradication

HIV trials and tribulations

Protective immunity against HIV can be achieved without presence of virus neutralizing antibodies in the blood

Vaccinating through salivary glands may provide protection against wide range of diseases

Richard J. Fasenmyer Foundation awards $3M to Cleveland physicians for AIDS research

Viral infection of Leishmania leads to increased pathogenicity

Times of India examines dengue vaccine trials

Medivir initiates phase 1a clinical trial of TMC649128 for chronic HCV infection

Vical 2010 net loss increases to $30.4 million

Avian flu vaccine stockpiled in 2004 still useful

Global Hygiene Council: Three simple steps to keep your family protected against infections

First patient treated in cytomegalovirus~ACE/ASPECT Phase II randomised clinical trial

A new way of characterising biomolecules eBook

Transforming Cardiovascular Care: Insights from Mina Makar at AstraZeneca

Clue's CEO Rhiannon White on the Future of Femtech and PCOS

Freezing Point Osmometry in Life Science Applications

Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

A new way of characterising biomolecules eBook

Transforming Cardiovascular Care: Insights from Mina Makar at AstraZeneca

Clue's CEO Rhiannon White on the Future of Femtech and PCOS

Freezing Point Osmometry in Life Science Applications

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