According to a new study, septic shock — a dangerous, often deadly runaway immune response — is controlled by a genetic on/off switch. The research also suggests how a drug might temper sepsis. This is the first time this genetic mechanism has been revealed in an experimental animal.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) today announced that two-year data from three Phase III pivotal trials demonstrate the long-term efficacy of ORENCIA? (abatacept) in adult patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have had an inadequate response to one or more disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) such as methotrexate and TNF antagonists. The data also demonstrate that ORENCIA provided clinically meaningful improvements in multiple aspects of health-related quality of life and physical function, sustained improvements in pain and had a consistent safety and tolerability profile through two years of treatment. These data will be presented at the upcoming 2006 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Annual Scientific Meeting.
Researchers have successfully tested two candidate vaccines that may eventually be used together to confer immunity against HIV infection. Their findings are published in the Dec. 15 issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases, now available online.
Acetaminophen 500-milligram caplets made by the Perrigo Co. are being recalled because they could contain metal fragments. The move affects 11 million bottles sold under store brands by Wal-Mart, CVS, Safeway and more than 120 other major retailers. CVS Corp. and SuperValu Inc. have already begun taking out the pills from store shelves.
IDM Pharma (NASDAQ:IDMI) announced today that the company has submitted a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) in eCTD format (electronic common technical document) to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) for Mepact (mifamurtide for injection), requesting approval for its use in the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed resectable high-grade osteosarcoma following surgical resection in combination with post-operative multi-agent chemotherapy. This announcement follows the October 25, 2006 submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) for Junovan (mifamurtide for injection) to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States.
Even as the mosquito season draws to a close, Public Health ? Seattle & King County continues to find birds infected with West Nile virus. A dead crow found near downtown Kent on October 26th and tested at the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory last week was determined to be positive for West Nile virus. This is the sixth positive bird finding in King County since early October, and is an indication that the virus is likely spread throughout the region.
Deadly dengue claimed two more lives in the national capital pushing the countrywide death count to 175 as 35 fresh cases poured in taking the number of those afflicted with the mosquito-borne disease to 9,680.
An estimated 50 million people were affected by zoonotics diseases, including H5N1 (bird flu), SARS and Rabies, between 2000 and 2005 and up to 78,000 died. No effective vaccines exist for the most common diseases. And the Dengue virus, which caused about a third of the deaths is experiencing a global resurgence. Zoonotic diseases can become serious killers if they adapt to human to human transmission — HIV and Measles are two examples.
To reduce the risk of influenza infection and in accordance with the Government’s Influenza Vaccination Programme for 2006-07, the General Out-Patient Clinics (GOPCs) and Specialist Out-Patient Clinics of the Hospital Authority will start providing influenza vaccination to eligible people from today (November 6) until the end of December.
The Centre for Health Protection is investigating a Dengue fever case involving a 34-year-old woman who fell ill after returning from Malaysia.