Vaccine News and Research

Latest Vaccine News and Research

H1N1 virus causes more life-threatening complications than seasonal flu

Infection with the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, causes more life-threatening complications than seasonal flu in children with sickle cell disease, according to research from Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

8 Dec 2009

HHS joins with Ad Council to launch new nationwide PSA campaign

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is joining with the Ad Council to launch a new nationwide public service advertising (PSA) campaign called “Together We Can All Fight the Flu.”

7 Dec 2009

Millipore introduces new handheld, automated cell counter

Millipore Corporation, a leading provider of technologies, tools and services for the global life sciences industry, today introduced Scepter™, the industry’s first handheld, automated cell counter, at the American Society of Cell Biology Annual Meeting in San Diego.

7 Dec 2009

Adamis Pharmaceuticals to acquire La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company

Adamis Pharmaceuticals Corporation (OTCBB: ADMP), announced today that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement providing for the acquisition of La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company by Adamis.

7 Dec 2009

H1N1 reported in Gaza, Southern Sudan

Two women have become the first to die from H1N1 (swine flu) in Gaza, health officials said Monday, Agence France-Presse/Inquirer.net reports. The announcement came after five patients were confirmed to have H1N1 - the first cases in the region.

7 Dec 2009

PharmAthene presents Protexia clinical trial results at PHEMCE conference

PharmAthene, Inc., a biodefense company developing medical countermeasures against biological and chemical threats, today announced Phase I clinical trial results for Protexia, a pegylated recombinant version of human butyrylcholinesterase (rBChE), which has been shown to be effective in animal models in preventing toxicity from exposure to chemical nerve agents.

7 Dec 2009

CDC announces the start of National Influenza Vaccination Week

Today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the start of National Influenza Vaccination Week. While the week was designed to highlight the importance of flu vaccinations, it also brings to light the importance of taking additional steps to keep you and your family healthy during the peak cold and flu season of December, January and beyond.

7 Dec 2009

Phase I/II clinical trial of Multimeric-001 Universal Flu Vaccine successful

BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd., an Israeli biopharmaceutical company at the forefront of the development of a Universal Influenza Vaccine, announced the success of the Phase I/II clinical trial of the Company's Multimeric-001 Universal Flu Vaccine, in trials conducted at the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Israel.

7 Dec 2009

Alexion Pharmaceuticals announces positive data from AEGIS study of Soliris

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced positive data from the 26-week extension of the AEGIS study, an open-label registration study examining Soliris® (eculizumab) for the treatment of Japanese patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH).

7 Dec 2009

China life science companies receive 'Most Promising Company' awards

The 7th ChinaBio® Investor Forum, held December 2-3, 2009 in Tianjin, concluded a successful meeting by giving “Most Promising Company” awards to two young China life science companies.

7 Dec 2009

New approach to protein misfolding may lead to novel therapies for a number of diseases

In an encouraging new development, a team led by Scripps Research Institute scientists has restored partial function to lung cells collected from patients with cystic fibrosis. While there is still much work to be done before the therapy can be tested in humans, the discovery opens the door to a new class of therapies for this and a host of other chronic diseases.

7 Dec 2009

Chicken pox vaccine also reduces risk of herpes zoster in children

Herpes zoster, also known as shingles, is very rare among children who have been vaccinated against chicken pox, according to a Kaiser Permanente study in the December issue of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal.

5 Dec 2009

97 new drugs and vaccines in development for HIV/AIDS treatment, finds report

Chemistry World recently highlighted a new report published by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) that identifies 97 new drugs and vaccines in development for HIV/AIDS and related conditions.

5 Dec 2009

PharmAthene's Valortim demonstrates potential for anthrax treatment

PharmAthene, Inc., a biodefense company developing medical countermeasures against biological and chemical threats, announced today that the Company is presenting results of a study demonstrating the effectiveness of Valortim® in an inhalation anthrax model in the New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit.

5 Dec 2009

Scientists report cervarix vaccine offers protection against cervical cancer

The Cervarix vaccine provides protection against two types of human papillomavirus (HPV) for more than six years, US scientists have reported.

5 Dec 2009

New data from PharmAthene's anthrax vaccine program presented

PharmAthene, Inc., a biodefense company developing medical countermeasures against biological and chemical threats, announced today the presentation of new data from the Company's anthrax vaccine program showing that its lyophilized recombinant Protective Antigen (rPA) based anthrax vaccine is structurally stable and potent after 16 months at various temperatures up to and including 55 degrees C.

5 Dec 2009

Number of new active TB cases increases from 2007 to 2008, WHO says

The WHO's Stop TB Department released data on Thursday at the 40th Union World Conference on Lung Health indicating that the number of new active TB cases worldwide rose from 9.27 million in 2007 to 9.4 million in 2008, Reuters reports. Experts, who were gathered for the conference in Cancun, Mexico, "called for more research funding to develop better diagnostic tests, vaccines and drugs for tuberculosis, which killed 1.8 million people around the world last year," according to the news service.

4 Dec 2009

Too early to declare end of H1N1 pandemic, WHO says

Though there are signs the H1N1 (swine flu) has peaked in the U.S. and Canada, a WHO flu expert said Thursday it is too early to declare the pandemic over, Canadian Press reports.

4 Dec 2009

Measles deaths decline worldwide by 78%, experts warn against complacency

Measles deaths fell from 733,000 in 2000 to 164,000 in 2008 - 78 percent - thanks, in part, to increased vaccination efforts that reached an estimated 700 million children, according to a report released Thursday by the U.S.-based Measles Initiative, Reuters reports.

4 Dec 2009

Foreign Policy examines 'philanthrocapitalism' trend

Foreign Policy examines "a revolutionary idea for how to remake charity in the 21st century [that] is taking off: philanthrocapitalism." The magazine writes: "Unlike their colleagues in government bureaucracies and tried-and-true NGOs, the philanthrocapitalists are a nimble, business-minded stock."

4 Dec 2009