Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

First Edition: July 29, 2010

In today's headlines, a new poll shows opposition to health reform declining, and Peter Orszag makes his exit as budget chief -- still pressing lawmakers to make tough budget choices while implementing the new law.

29 Jul 2010

FAO launches initiative to curb animal diseases

In an effort to prevent and control outbreaks of animal diseases and the associated costs, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization on Monday announced a new five-year initiative "to improve global response to disease outbreaks, implement effective prevention and containment strategies and manage risks," PANA/Afrique en ligne reports (7/28).

29 Jul 2010

Advaxis provides update on survival information from ADXS11-001 phase 1 trial in cervix cancer

Advaxis, Inc., the live, attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) immunotherapy company, has updated the survival information from its phase 1 trial of ADXS11-001 which assessed the safety of this agent in advanced, metastatic, progressive cervix cancer in women whose disease progressed subsequent to treatment with cytotoxic therapy.

29 Jul 2010

CMX157 shows potential to suppress replication of HIV in Phase 1 clinical trial

Chimerix, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing orally-available antiviral therapeutics, today announced the publication of research results demonstrating the potential of CMX157 (hexadecyloxypropyl tenofovir) to effectively suppress replication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that cannot be treated with currently available nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), including tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (Viread), due to the development of multi-drug resistance. Earlier this year, Chimerix initiated a dose-escalating Phase 1 clinical trial of CMX-157 to evaluate drug safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics.

29 Jul 2010

Response Biomedical closes $8 million common share private placement

Response Biomedical Corporation announced today that it has closed its previously announced private placement of common shares for gross proceeds of approximately $8 million. The Company issued 13,333,333 common shares at a price of C$0.60 per share.

29 Jul 2010

HIV drug can raise the risk of heart disease: Study

There are a handful of drugs effective in treating HIV/AIDS. However new research shows that some of these drugs can increase the risk of heart attacks. The results come from a Garvan Institute of Medical Research study involving 20 people, 10 taking the drug Ritonavir and 10 others the drug Raltegravir for one month.

28 Jul 2010

HemaQuest closes additional $4M to Series B financing

HemaQuest Pharmaceuticals, a clinical stage biotechnology company developing small molecule therapeutics for sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia and EBV-related cancers, announced today the closing of an additional $4M to its Series B financing by new investor, Latterell Venture Partners. This investment brings the total Series B financing to $16M.

28 Jul 2010

Pharmasset announces data from PSI-352938 single ascending dose study

Pharmasset, Inc. announced today that safety and pharmacokinetic data from the PSI-352938 single ascending dose study support progression to a multiple ascending dose trial with PSI-938, which has initiated dosing. PSI-938 is a guanine nucleotide analog polymerase inhibitor for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

28 Jul 2010

Positive results from study with Genome Sequencer FLX System for HIV drug-resistant mutation detection

454 Life Sciences, a Roche Company, has announced promising new results from a multi-site collaborative research study which used the company's Genome Sequencer FLX System to perform HIV drug-resistant mutation detection.

28 Jul 2010

Roche to present diagnostics testing solutions at 2010 Clinical Lab Expo

Roche is featuring a diverse portfolio of diagnostics testing solutions for healthcare professionals in booth #2808 at the AACC/CSCC 2010 Clinical Lab Expo here, July 27-29 – and it's giving them a unique way to see firsthand where their own "dream lab" might take them.

From Roche Sequencing and Life Science 28 Jul 2010

BiondVax receives 2010 European Influenza Vaccines Technology Innovation Award

Frost & Sullivan is pleased to announce the award of its prestigious 2010 European Influenza Vaccines Technology Innovation Award to BiondVax Pharmaceuticals for their breakthrough work on a universal influenza vaccine. This vaccine, the Multimeric-001, is designed to provide multi-season and multi-strain protection against most influenza virus strains, including both seasonal and pandemic strains, and has the potential to eliminate the need for annual flu vaccination. BiondVax is entering Phase II clinical trials for the development of the Multimeric-001 universal influenza vaccine.

28 Jul 2010

Response Biomedical announces shareholder approval for $8 million private placement

Response Biomedical Corporation announced that at the Company's Special General Shareholders' Meeting held today in Vancouver, shareholders approved the private placement of an aggregate of 13,333,333 common shares, at a price of Cdn. $0.60 per Offered Share, to Caduceus Private Investments III, LP, OrbiMed Associates III, LP and Caduceus Asia Partners, LP for gross proceeds of approximately Cdn. $8 million.

28 Jul 2010

Merck signs non-exclusive license agreement with LabCorp for commercialization of genetic test

Merck announced a non-exclusive license agreement with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings for the commercialization of a genetic test that may help predict the response of patients with Hepatitis C virus infection to peginterferon alpha-based therapy.

28 Jul 2010

DIATHERIX Laboratories opens rapid response diagnostic panels for STD, HSV

DIATHERIX Laboratories ,adds a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) panel and Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) panel to its line up of highly sensitive, rapid response diagnostic panels. The HSV panel identifies herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 and the STD panel identifies 10 sexually transmitted diseases simultaneously, many of which cannot be accurately identified by current testing methods. These STD organisms, if not appropriately treated, can cause diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhoeae, chlamydia, bacterial vaginosis, etc. and may lead to blindness, infertility or complications during pregnancy.

28 Jul 2010

35 cases of hepatitis C among Melbourne abortion clinic patients

Over the last few months there has been a rise in hepatitis C cases at an abortion clinic in Melbourne. In a new development 13 new cases have been diagnosed. This brings the total count to 35. The Victorian police are investigating the source of the infections. The link between the Croydon Day Surgery and the cluster was first revealed in April, when there were only 12 cases.

28 Jul 2010

Antigenics announces positive results of AG-707 genital herpes vaccine

Antigenics announced positive results with AG-707, an investigational therapeutic vaccine being developed to treat herpes simplex virus-2,the virus that causes genital herpes, in infected patients. Developed by Antigenics, the vaccine triggers a cellular immune response, stimulating both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.

28 Jul 2010

InterMune second-quarter total revenue decreases to $5.9 million

InterMune, Inc. today announced results from operations for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2010. InterMune also highlighted its recent clinical development and business activities, and provided forward-looking financial guidance for 2010.

28 Jul 2010

Singapore hepatitis C therapeutics market revenue to increase to $4.5 billion by 2017

The Singaporean government's emphasis on raising awareness on the benefit of frequent health check-ups have significantly raised the number of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) diagnosed cases in the country, expanding the patient pool. Therapeutics companies have a challenging task ahead for improving treatment for this market as current treatment requires high dosage frequency, but potentially has serious side effects.

27 Jul 2010

Global Fund director calls on emerging countries to invest more in programs to reduce HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria at AIDS 2010

On the final day of the International AIDS Conference-AIDS 2010 Friday, Michel Kazatchkine, executive director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria called upon "China, India and other fast-growing economies" to chip in to help close the funding gap in efforts to battle HIV/AIDS, Agence France-Presse reports. "Until now, these countries have been recipients of AIDS funds, not donors," the news service writes.

27 Jul 2010

Albert Einstein College of Medicine receives research grant to help people with MDR-TB

For the third time in four months, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health has awarded Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University a research grant aimed at helping people infected with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Taken together, all three NIH grants total $8.57 million.

27 Jul 2010