Immunotherapy Weekly articles from April 2002

Immunotherapy Weekly archives from April 2002

Chemical attraction needed to launch an immune attack.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A team led by University of California San Francisco (UCSF) scientists has determined how the weapons producers of the immune system - the B cells that make antibodies - find the T cells they must team...

Donor endothelial cells set off transplant rejection.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Otherwise innocuous cells within donated tissue may be responsible for triggering the chronic rejection of transplanted organs, according to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of...

Vaccines and low daily doses of interleukin 2 may hold key to cure.(HIV infection)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A new clinical trial testing an HIV vaccine together with low daily doses of interleukin 2 (IL2) - led by Dr. Kendall Smith, chief of immunology in the department of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical...

Can diesel exhaust increase asthma?(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- An increase in infections in the fall combined with air pollution may explain the increase in asthma attacks each fall, researchers said at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Annual...

Topical agent controls herpetic lesions by extinguishing neovascularization.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Topical agents containing plasmid DNA encoding for interleukin-12 can control lesions caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 by modulating chemokines that...

Infliximab may offer hope.(spondyloarthropathies)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- For the first time, there may be an effective therapeutic option for severe cases of spondyloarthropathies (SpA), a group of rheumatic inflammatory diseases that affect the spinal column, peripheral...

Novel peptide may possess antifungal activity.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A novel peptide derived from a molecule found in human saliva may be effective in treating a fungal infection, researchers in the University at Buffalo (UB) School of Dental Medicine have found. ...

Complement activation helps mediate neurological damage.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Cytolytic immune activation triggered by HIV coat proteins is partially responsible for virus-induced neurologic damage, according to researchers in Austria....

Environmentally friendly version of Ventolin now available in U.S.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ventolin HFA (albuterol sulfate HFA inhalation aerosol), a new environmentally friendly version of the asthma medication Ventolin (albuterol, USP) Inhalation Aerosol, is now available in the United...

Scientists address connection between environmental exposure, allergic disease.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Including goal setting and group discussions in asthma education programs that link learning with behavior changes leads to greater success for participants trying to decrease their asthma symptoms,...

Remedyne announces a license agreement for development of a cancer immunotherapeutic.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Remedyne Corp. has announced that they have signed a licensing agreement with Bayer Corp. (BAY) involving a promising tumor antigen for use in Remedyne's lead cancer immunotherapeutic. The antigen...

Asthma on the rise; researchers explore the epidemic in America.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Severe asthma in adults and children differs in several key ways, leading researchers to theorize that they may be two pathophysiologically different diseases. These findings were announced today at the...

Lincare Holdings, Inc., announces increased revenues for fourth quarter and year ended 2001.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Lincare Holdings, Inc., (LNCR), a provider of oxygen and other respiratory therapy services to patients in the home, announced that for the quarter ended December 31, 2001, revenues were $215.6 million,...

Genelabs announces publication of antibacterial compounds.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genelabs Technologies, Inc., (GNLB) announced publication of a research paper describing its antibacterial compounds. The paper was published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. Entitled...

Veterans most 'chemically sensitized' of U.K. military personnel.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- U.K. Gulf war veterans are twice as likely to report sensitivity to chemicals as U.K. soldiers serving in the Bosnian conflict and those serving during the Gulf war but not deployed there, new research...

Actor joins Anemia LifeLine to help millions who suffer anemia associated with serious diseases.(Danny Glover)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Actor Danny Glover kicked off Anemia LifeLine, a new educational initiative created to help improve the lives of millions of Americans who suffer from anemia associated with many common, serious...

Genetastix announces research collaboration.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genetastix, a privately held biotechnology company and Hyseq, Inc., (HYSQ) announced a collaboration through which Hyseq will obtain access to Genetastix's HuMYTech technology to generate fully human...

Additional data released on REMUNE from Spanish phase II trial.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Immune Response Corp. (IMNR) presented new data at the Ninth Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Seattle. The results were presented by Fernandez-Cruz, principal investigator...

AtlaRex announces financial results for 4Q, full-year 2001.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- AltaRex Corp. (AXO.TO), a developer of foreign antibodies that activate the immune system to treat cancer, announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2001. All...

Umea scientist presents discoveries about natural immunity.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A team including scientists at UCMP (Umea Center for Molecular Pathogenesis), a research unit at Umea University, has shown in Science that the protein PGRP-LC plays a crucial role in so-called innate...

Phase II trials to begin on SCIO-469, new oral treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Scios, Inc., (SCIO) has announced that enrollment has begun in a phase IIa clinical trial evaluating SCIO-469, its oral p38 kinase inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). "This...

FDA clears the way for phase I trial of DCVax-Lung.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Northwest Biotherapeutics, Inc., (NWBT) announced that its investigational new drug (IND) application for its third dendritic cell-based immunotherapy, DCVax-Lung, has been cleared by the U.S. Food and...

Companies provide update on status of Alzheimer collaboration.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Elan Corp., plc, (ELN) and Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, the pharmaceutical division of American Home Products Corp. (AHP) have decided not to resume further dosing of AN-1792, an experimental...

Toe joint surgery relieves arthritis pain.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Seniors with painful arthritis in the joint at the base of the big toe are taking advantage of a surgical remedy to relieve their pain and, as a result, they are able to pursue healthier and more active...

Arthritis Foundation lauds FDA approval for Remicade in rheumatoid arthritis.
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Arthritis Foundation issued the following statement: On February 27, 2002, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted approval for the marketing of Remicade (infliximab) as the first drug,...

Sports injuries put youth at high risk for arthritis, according to Arthritis Foundation.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2002... 2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Arthritis Foundation reports that 996,000 injuries occur annually from family recreational activities such as biking, playground activities, and roller sports. In addition, sports-related...

Protein mixup tied to suppressed immune response early in HIV infection.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- New research that arose from a serendipitous laboratory observation could resolve a scientific mystery, the fact that some people become less able to fight HIV infection despite having a high number of...

Immune system in hamsters bolstered during winter, especially during stress.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A new study found that Siberian hamsters boost their immune function during the winter in order to help them cope with the seasonal stresses of cold weather and limited food. Researchers at Ohio...

Global warming may significantly increase airborne allergens.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A demonstration showing that global warming may significantly increase allergenic ragweed pollen is reported by investigators at Harvard University and Harvard Medical School in the March 2002 Annals...

Smokers with one gene deletion face severe arthritis.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In a recent study, researchers found an association between cigarette smoking and a specific gene deletion that leads to more severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). According to the results of this...

Using antibiotics for gum infection helps whole body.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Treating gum infections with an antibiotic decreases two markers of inflammation throughout the body, further supporting the connection between oral health and general health. This is what...

USC researchers define role of protein, discover cause of chromosome damage.(University of Southern California)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Pinpointing oxygen as the cause of routine chromosome damage and defining the role of a key protein in the repair of that damage are the subjects of two recently published papers from the laboratory of...

New type of AIDS vaccine shows promise in tests.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The first preliminary human testing of a highly anticipated AIDS vaccine offers tantalizing hints it may ultimately protect against the killer virus. The study of Merck & Co.'s experimental vaccine...

Steroid nasal spray more effective against hay fever.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers from the University of Chicago have found that the corticosteroid nasal spray fluticasone propionate (Flonase) is slightly more effective at controlling seasonal allergies than a...

Phase I trials commence for AGI-1096 for prevention of organ transplant rejection.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- AtheroGenics, Inc., (AGIX), a pharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases, has begun a phase I clinical trial of AGI-1096 as an oral treatment for the prevention of...

Optical laser tweezers play role in development of new antibiotics.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Bimonthly OpticsReport, in its coverage of investment opportunities in optics, explains how laser tweezers are being used by researchers in experiments that will lead to more sophisticated antibiotics....

Children seen by specialists more likely treated according to NAEPP guidelines.(National Asthma Education and Prevention Program )(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Children treated by an allergist/immunologist are significantly more likely to be using controller medication, suggesting that specialist care is more consistent with National Asthma Education and...

Genaera announces publication on new therapeutic strategy respiratory diseases.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genaera Corp. (GENR) has released a paper describing the relationship of its mucoregulator target to mucus overproduction in asthma. Genaera's second genomics-based target in development, hCLCA1,...

Disease management more likely to succeed when patients and caregivers take part.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Asthma education in small interactive groups of patients and their parents/caregivers improves self-management and positive decision-making, according to another study presented at the meeting. ...

Three new targets found for cancer vaccines.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Investigators at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research have discovered three new genes that may prompt the immune system to seek out and destroy cancer cells. The genes belong to a specialized group...

Researchers explore ways to better manage asthma.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Asthma care in emergency departments has improved since 1996 but does not meet national standards, according to a study presented by two Boston-based researchers at the 58th Annual Meeting of the...

Nuvion phase II trials ready to begin.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Protein Design Labs, Inc., (PDL) announced that it has initiated a phase II clinical study to evaluate its humanized antibody Nuvion (visilizumab) in patients with steroid-resistant, acute...

OvaRex pharmacokinetics study.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- AltaRex Corp., (AXO.TO) a developer of foreign antibodies that activate the immune system to treat cancer, announced that it has commenced, as scheduled, its OvaRex human pharmacokinetic study with the...

Private placement of special warrants could raise up to $7 million.(AltaRex Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- AltaRex Corp., (AXO.TO) announced that it has issued 185.7 Special Warrants as part of an offering of up to 1000 Special Warrants on a private placement basis. If fully subscribed, the offering...

Enrollment complete for phase II membranous nephritis clinical trial with 5G1.1.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (ALXN) announced that it has completed enrollment in its first phase II trial in patients suffering from a severe form of kidney disease known as membranous nephritis,...

UT Southwestern study finds asthma link.(University of Texas (Dallas) Southwestern Medical Center (Dallas, Texas))(Mycoplasma pneumonia infection)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Long-term infection with a bacteria that causes pneumonia could lead to chronic asthma, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas researchers report in the February 2002 issue of Infection and Immunity....

CDC detects first U.S. cases of parasite disease.(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention )(Brief Article)
April 10, 2002... 2002 APR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Three transplant patients contracted a dangerous parasitic disease from their new organs in the first such documented cases in the United States, the government said March 14, 2002. Two of the three...

Researcher develops effective animal model.(of autoimmune diabetes)
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- What triggers the immune system to attack the body, as it does in autoimmune diabetes, is the ultimate question pursued by a Medical College of Georgia researcher who has developed a mouse model to...

New study finds kidney damage in lupus to be a case of mistaken molecular identity.
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- It is now nearly half a century since antibodies to DNA were found in the serum of lupus patients. The prevailing view has been that these antibodies are responsible for the serious kidney damage...

Nicotine withdrawal woes shown to be similar to inflammatory response.
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In a small study conducted at Penn State, researchers have shown, for the first time, that heavy or moderate smokers who stop smoking have symptoms similar to those experienced by patients undergoing...

Model of potent German cockroach allergen developed.(Brief Article)
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Allergic reactions to a potent German cockroach allergen, which may result in emergency room visits for asthma in sensitive children, are not linked to enzymatic activity as have been dust mite...

Basiliximab appropriate for saving liver grafts in chronic hepatitis C.(Brief Article)
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - A drug that has shown benefits for enhancing kidney graft survival is also effective for liver grafts. Basiliximab, a monoclonal antibody, is the drug. A...

Study questions role of autoantibodies in anesthesia-related liver injury.(Brief Article)
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Though pediatric anesthesiologists, particularly those who are female, harbor higher levels of two important autoantibodies than general anesthesiologists,...

Next-generation biomaterials to help body heal itself.
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The next generation of biomaterials will help the body heal itself by prompting cells to repair their own tissues, researchers report in the journal Science. Professors Larry Hench and Julia Polak...

Infected apoptotic cells can be used to promote antiviral responses.
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - T cells killed by HIV infection can be used to augment the bodies' immune response to the virus, researchers in the United States say. "T-cell responses...

FDA approves new antihistamine, Clarinex.
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Schering-Plough Corp. (SGP) announced that its new antihistamine - Clarinex (desloratadine) 5 mg tablets - has been granted the broadest indications of any nonsedating antihistamine. According to...

Neurochem receives U.S. patent for amyloid program.(amyloidosis inhibitor)
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Neurochem, Inc., (NRM) has been issued a U.S. patent relating to the company's industry-leading amyloid technology program. Patent No. 6,329,356, covers the use of phosphonocarboxylate compounds...

New science advisor named.(Philip Needleman appointed by Pharmacia Corp.)
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Pharmacia Corp. announced that Philip Needleman, PhD has been appointed Science Advisor to the company's board of directors, in addition to his continuing roles as Pharmacia's senior executive vice...

FDA approval for indomethacin extended-release capsules.(Able Laboratories Inc. receives approval)
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Able Laboratories Inc. (ABRX), reports that it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its abbreviated new drug application (aNDA) for Indomethacin Extended Release Capsules...

Reduced sensitivity to dyspnea may predispose asthmatics to life-threatening attacks.
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In a new study published in Chest, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), researchers found that patients with a low perception of dyspnea (POD) had significantly...

Governments, hospitals, researchers not ready for next bioterrorist act.
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- If a U.S. city suffered a biological attack today, health officials would scramble for expertise from medical experts who wouldn't know where to offer it, a panel studying the issue said. And that...

DCV-I dendritic cell therapy product receives CE mark.(Aastrom Biosciences Inc. receives European marketing approval)
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Aastrom Biosciences, Inc., (ASTM), announced that it has obtained approval to affix the CE Mark to the new DCV-I Cell Therapy Kit (DCV-I), permitting its marketing and sale in Europe. The DCV-I...

Researcher identifies part of cancer cell that tells the body to fight cancer.
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In a presentation at the International Society of Preventive Oncology meeting at the Pasteur Institute (Feb. 2002), a U.S. researcher reported that he has identified the part of the cancer cell that...

Patent office issues composition-of-matter patent for rhAFP.(to Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a composition-of-matter patent for recombinant human alpha-fetoprotein (rhAFP), to which Merrimack has...

Lynx to provide immunology research services for Keryx Biopharmaceuticals.(Lynx Therapeutics Inc.)
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Lynx Therapeutics, Inc., (LYNX) announced today the initiation of an agreement to provide Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., (KERX) with immunological research services aimed at profiling the biological...

Company reports 2001 4Q, year-end financial results.(AutoImmune Inc.)
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- AutoImmune, Inc., (AIMM) reported net income of $0.85 million, or $0.05 per share basic and diluted, for the year ended December 31, 2001, compared with net income of $3.15 million, or $0.19 per share...

Ciphergen signs agreement with the NIAID for AIDS research.(Ciphergen Biosystems Inc.; National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc., (CIPH) has signed a collaborative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the Laboratory of Immunoregulation at the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious...

Intranasal delivery of HIV-1 antigen with adjuvant may induce potent immune responses.(Immune Response Corp. announces research results)
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Immune Response Corp. (IMNR) announced that data presented at the Ninth Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (Feb. 2002) suggest that the company's envelope depleted killed HIV-1...

Phase II study of topical alicaforsen (ISIS 2302) yields positive results.(reports Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In a phase II clinical trial of patients with mild-to-moderate plaque psoriasis, a topical formulation of alicaforsen (ISIS 2302) demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in investigator's...

SurroMed receives research contract for NIH NIAMS RA study.(National Institutes of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; rheumatoid arthritis)
April 17, 2002... 2002 APR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- SurroMed, Inc., announced that it has been awarded a subcontract to undertake clinical phenotyping under a U.S. National Institutes of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases contract entitled...