Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Gilead presents Phase IIa data for HCV therapy at The Liver Meeting 2010

Gilead Sciences, Inc. today announced data from a Phase IIa study showing that its investigational compounds GS 9190 and GS 9256, used in conjunction with current standard of care therapies, produced substantial suppression of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) within 28 days of treatment.

1 Nov 2010

Anadys presents data of ANA598 for hepatitis C treatment at AASLD Annual Meeting

Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the ANA598 data to be presented at the 61st Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) in Boston, MA.

1 Nov 2010

Rite Aid to host flu shot clinics at nationwide pharmacies

With the holidays getting closer, Rite Aid is reminding people to get a flu shot so that the only thing they are spreading this season is good cheer. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it can take up to two weeks for flu shots to be effective and protect against the flu; those who get their flu shot now can help protect themselves by the time they sit down for Thanksgiving dinner.

30 Oct 2010

Presidio to present PPI-461 data for HCV infection at AASLD meeting

Presidio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that Nathaniel Brown, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, will present a late-breaker poster, "Safety and Pharmacokinetics of PPI-461, a Potent New Hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5A Inhibitor with Pan-Genotype Activity" at the 61st AASLD meeting in Boston, MA, on November 1, 2010.

30 Oct 2010

Alnylam to present data on RNAi therapeutics for fibrotic diseases at The Liver Meeting

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today it will present several poster presentations at the 61st Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases being held in Boston, Mass from October 29 - November 2, 2010.

30 Oct 2010

New shuttlte program helps probe spaceflight-induced immune-system impairment

When the space shuttle Discovery lifts off on its final flight Nov. 2, its six astronauts will be joined by 16 rodent passengers on a historic mission of their own. Riding in special self-contained modules that automatically supply them with food and water, the mice will be part of a long-term NASA effort aimed at understanding why spaceflight makes humans more vulnerable to infection by viruses and bacteria.

30 Oct 2010

Merck reports $342 million net income for 2010 third quarter

Merck & Co., Inc. today announced financial results for the third quarter of 2010. The company reported non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) earnings per share (EPS) for the third quarter of $0.85, which excludes purchase accounting adjustments, restructuring costs, merger-related expenses and a $950 million legal reserve.

29 Oct 2010

Scientists develop new method to analyze early detection of virus

The virus, called enterovirus 71, is closely related to poliovirus, and was first detected in California in the 1960s. Since then the virus has spread across Asia, affecting mostly children and some adults. Serious cases of the disease can include neurological disorders such as meningitis, paralysis and encephalitis.

29 Oct 2010

New iPSC cell lines could help in treating patients with lung diseases

A team of researchers from Boston University's Center for Regenerative Medicine and the Pulmonary Center have generated 100 new lines of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from individuals with lung diseases, including cystic fibrosis and emphysema. The new stem cell lines could possibly lead to new treatments for these debilitating diseases.

29 Oct 2010

Scientists identify potential new treatment for Nipah and Hendra viruses

Scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College have identified a potential new treatment for the Nipah and Hendra viruses, two lethal and emerging viruses for which there is currently no treatment or vaccine available. The approach could also lead to new therapies for measles, mumps and the flu. The new research appears in today's edition of the prestigious journal Public Library of Science (PLoS) Pathogens.

29 Oct 2010

Hemophiliacs, hepatitis and HIV: A magic cure gone wrong

The dark side of capitalism’s effect on the medical and pharmaceutical industries is chillingly exposed in Doctor Guilt? Benefits of Medical Treatment Compared with Hazards – A tradeoff (published by iUniverse), the provocative new nonfiction by Everett Winslow Lovrien, M.D.

28 Oct 2010

Richmont establishes distribution of PURE's SDC-based IV-7 products in Middle East

PURE Bioscience, creator of the patented silver dihydrogen citrate (SDC) antimicrobial, today announced that its marketing partner, Richmont Sciences (Richmont), has established distribution of PURE's SDC-based IV-7™ products in the Middle East region. Under this arrangement, PURE sells IV-7 products to Richmont for resale into the Middle East, where the IV-7 water treatment and disinfection products have been registered by the United Arab Emirates-Dubai Municipality. Richmont is initially focusing on distribution of IV-7 Water Treatment™.

28 Oct 2010

New nationwide initiative to conduct research on human immune system

A new nationwide research initiative has been launched to define changes in the human immune system's response to infection and vaccination using human rather than animal models, which could lead to better vaccines and other treatments. Baylor Research Institute (BRI), along with five other U.S.-based Human Immune Phenotyping Centers, will receive a total of $100 million over five years to conduct the research.

28 Oct 2010

Pharmasset's PSI-938 phase I monotherapy trial shows positive result for HCV treatment

Pharmasset, Inc. reported positive preliminary results today from its phase I monotherapy trial of PSI-352938 for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (HCV). PSI-938 is a guanosine nucleotide analog polymerase inhibitor in development for the treatment of chronic HCV infection.

28 Oct 2010

Octapharma initiates Human-cl rhFVIII clinical study for severe hemophilia A

Octapharma, one of the largest human protein products manufacturers in the world, today announced that patients diagnosed with severe hemophilia A have started treatment with the first recombinant Factor VIII derived from a human cell line (Human-cl rhFVIII). Researchers are investigating pharmacokinetics, efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of Human-cl rhFVIII for previously treated patients with severe hemophilia A.

28 Oct 2010

H5N1 lethality gene Replikin Count continues to rise in 2010

BioRadar™ software correctly predicted the 2009 H1N1 (Swine Flu) outbreak a year in advance. The same rise in Replikin Count of these genomic Replikin genes, this time in the H5N1 (Bird Flu) virus, may similarly warn of the coming of severe outbreaks in H5N1.

28 Oct 2010

New findings suggest way to treat lung diseases

A new study of an exotic, infectious virus that has caused three recent outbreaks in the United States reveals clues to how the virus might damage lungs during infection. The findings also suggest possible new ways to treat lung diseases in humans.

28 Oct 2010

Flu deaths analyzed for future lessons

A new report has looked at all of England’s swine flu deaths in children under 18 during the 2009 pandemic. Researchers found that there was a higher risk of dying from the influenza A H1N1 strain of flu among certain groups of children, such as those with pre-existing conditions and those of a Pakistani or Bangladeshi background. However it was unclear why.

27 Oct 2010

Vical to present preclinical results of HSV-2 vaccine program at Keystone Symposium

Vical Incorporated today announced that the company's Vice President of Clinical Development, Richard T. Kenney, M.D., is presenting preclinical results from the company's herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2) vaccine program in a poster session Friday morning at the Keystone Symposium on Immunological Mechanisms of Vaccination (Seattle, October 27 – November 1).

27 Oct 2010

Scripps Florida scientist receives grant from Landenberger Foundation for HIV research

A scientist on the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute has received funding from the Philadelphia-based Margaret Q. Landenberger Research Foundation.

27 Oct 2010