Disease

Receives Fast Track Designation from FDA for PEGylated Interferon Beta-1a for Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jul 08, 2009 -- Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted PEGylated interferon beta-1a (BIIB017) Fast Track designation for relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). Biogen Idec is currently enrolling patients in a global Phase III study evaluating the efficacy and safety of either bi-weekly or once-monthly injections of PEGylated interferon beta-1a in this patient population.    » read more »

Investment will help to develop New York’s new economy; Requests for applications for stem cell research released

July 8, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today announced the availability of $21.5 million in State funding for stem cell research in New York State through the release of two Requests for Applications (RFAs). This latest investment underscores New York’s commitment to stem cell research and its potential to strengthen the State’s position as a national leader in biomedical research.    » read more »

IRESSA (Gefitinib) receives marketing authorization for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in Europe

01 July 2009 -- AstraZeneca announced today that the European Commission has granted marketing authorisation for the oral anti-cancer drug, IRESSA for the treatment of adults with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with activating mutations of EGFR-TK (epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase) across all lines of therapy. The authorisation is based on a submission package including two pivotal Phase III studies comparing IRESSA with chemotherapy, IPASS and INTEREST.    » read more »

HHS announces advanced development contract for new way to make flu vaccine

June 23, 2009 -- HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that the department will pursue advanced development of new way to make influenza vaccine. The work will be done by Protein Sciences Corporation, Inc., of Meriden, Conn., under a new $35 million contract. The contract could be extended up to five years at a total cost of approximately $147 million.

“The technology has advanced in recent years to a point that we believe it could help meet a surge in demand for U.S.-based vaccine for seasonal and pandemic flu,” Secretary Sebelius said. “We want to use the technology to help our nation respond to emerging infectious diseases.”    » read more »

The NAACP wants you to get tested

June 22, 2009 -- Through the ACT Against AIDS Leadership Initiative (AAALI), the NAACP has renewed its commitment in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The AAALI seeks to integrate interventions into existing programs within longstanding traditional African American organizations. Similarly, the NAACP seeks to educate, empower, and mobilize all members and constituents about the importance of getting tested.    » read more »

June 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today joined President Barack Obama at a White House signing ceremony of legislation empowering the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate tobacco products. Bingaman is a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which helped write the bill.

Among other things, the bipartisan legislation would give the FDA authority to make tobacco products less toxic for those who continue to use them and prevent the tobacco industry from misleading the public about the dangers of smoking. The measure also would help smokers overcome their addiction.    » read more »

Bill Shields Doctors in Treatment of Lyme Disease

June 22, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced she has signed a bill allowing doctors to prescribe long-term antibiotics in the treatment of persistent Lyme disease – outside of standard guidelines – without fear of sanctions from state health regulators if the patient’s clinical diagnosis of the tick-borne disease and treatment have been documented by a licensed physician.    » read more »

Biogen Idec Announces First Patient Enrolled in the Global Phase III Study of PEGylated Interferon Beta-1a for Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Jun. 22, 2009 -- Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) today announced enrollment of the first patient in a Phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PEGylated interferon beta-1a (BIIB017) in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). The trial, called ADVANCE, will determine the efficacy of PEGylated interferon beta-1a in reducing relapse rates in patients with RMS.    » read more »

Seattle, WA - June 17, 2009 – A new landmark collaboration between the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance), a not-for-profit, product development partnership, and Tibotec, a global pharmaceutical company, has been announced today at the Pacific Health Summit in response to the urgent need to accelerate the discovery and development of new drugs to fight tuberculosis (TB). The collaboration agreement is between Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, an affiliate of Tibotec, and the TB Alliance.    » read more »

Finding Yields Clues for Potential New Therapies

LA JOLLA, CA, June 12, 2009—New research by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute, the University of Virginia and the University of Utah provides a close-up look at the cone-shaped shell that is the hallmark of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), revealing how it is held together—and possible ways to break it apart.

Previously, scientists had known that the genetic material within HIV is enclosed within a cone-shaped shell called the capsid, which is formed by a honeycomb arrangement of about 250 hexagonal protein building blocks. For HIV to infect human cells, the virus binds to cell surface receptors, and then the capsid is delivered into the cytoplasm of the cell.    » read more »

CDC report provides look into foods associated with outbreaks

June 11, 2009 -- Norovirus and Salmonella were the leading causes of foodborne disease outbreaks in 2006, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report, based on investigations of foodborne disease outbreaks provides the most recent report of how many illnesses were linked to specific types of foods.    » read more »

Lyon, France and Swiftwater, Pennsylvania – June 11, 2009 – Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), announces today it is ready to support public health efforts to respond to the emergence of the new A(H1N1) influenza strain following the decision made by the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise the pandemic alert level from Phase 5 to Phase 6, the highest level of alert in the WHO global influenza preparedness plan.    » read more »

WHO raises influenza pandemic alert to phase 6

June 12, 2009, London, UK -- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced it has raised the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 5 to phase 6. As stated by the WHO, phase 6 indicates that there now is a pandemic ongoing caused by the new A (H1N1) influenza virus. The WHO has stated in their current assessment of the situation that this pandemic is currently of a moderate severity.

In addition to increasing production and supply of the anti-viral medication, Relenza (zanamivir), the company continues to focus efforts on the development of a candidate A (H1N1) adjuvanted influenza vaccine.    » read more »

First results achieved with A(H1N1) wild type strain shows significant time savings of cell-based production over egg-based manufacturing approach confirming its value in pandemic situations.

Basel, June 12 2009 - Novartis has successfully completed the production of the first batch of influenza A(H1N1) vaccine, weeks ahead of expectations.

Cell-based manufacturing technology[1] allows vaccine production to be initiated once a pandemic virus strain is identified without the need to adapt the virus strain to grow in eggs, as with traditional vaccine technologies. This advance has cut weeks off the time required to begin vaccine production.    » read more »

Governor Crist Signs Legislation to Increase Access to Health Care for Floridians with Kidney Disease; Allows Medicare beneficiaries to purchase plans starting October 1, 2009

June 10, 2009 -- TALLAHASSEE – Florida Governor Charlie Crist today signed the Alonzo Mourning Access to Care Act which expands the availability of Medicare supplemental policies to Medicare beneficiaries with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). House Bill 675, relating to Medicare Supplement Policies, makes Medicare beneficiaries with ESRD eligible to receive supplemental coverage known as Medigap policies.    » read more »