Immunotherapy Weekly articles from August 2001

Immunotherapy Weekly archives from August 2001

Cyclosporin A An Effective Alternative To Corticosteroid Therapy.(for autoimmune hepatitis)
August 8, 2001... 2001 AUG 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - A limited study of patients with autoimmune hepatitis suggests cyclosporin A, an immunosuppressant, might be more effective than corticosteroid therapy,...

Combined Immunotherapy Regimen Shows Promise In Pilot Trial.
August 8, 2001... 2001 AUG 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by N.R. Saltmarsh, staff medical writer - A combined regimen of vaccination with CD40-activated malignant B cells and interleukin 2 (IL-2), along with autologous tumor-specific T-cell transfer,...

Antibodies May Aid Early Control.(in HIV infection)
August 8, 2001... 2001 AUG 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Contrary to conventional wisdom, HIV specific antibodies appear to be involved in viral suppression during the acute stages of infection, researchers in the...

Intrakine Blockade Of Chemokine Receptor May Have Potential Against HIV.
August 8, 2001... 2001 AUG 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In one clever, but still unproved, scheme for blocking the progression of AIDS, a so-called intrakine is to be transduced into lymphocytes to prevent surface expression of a molecule required for...

Murabutide Can Control Lymphocyte Infection.(by HIV)
August 8, 2001... 2001 AUG 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Researchers in France say that Murabutide, a nonspecific immune modulating drug, can inhibit HIV replication in lymphocytes. "We have previously shown...

Antibody Targets Amyloid-Beta Protein.(Alzheimer disease)
August 8, 2001... 2001 AUG 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, and Eli Lilly and Co. have new data from a mouse study that may explain why certain antibodies can slow or reverse...

Bispecific Antibodies Target Disease Cells.(cancer )
August 8, 2001... 2001 AUG 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Immunomedics, Inc. (IMMU) announced three trials, two preclinical and one human, involving use of a pretargeting method which can deliver higher doses of radioactive isotope to cancerous tissue. ...

Herpes-Based Vectors Promising For Gene Therapy.(of hematological malignancies and chronic lymphocytic leukemia)
August 8, 2001... 2001 AUG 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Genetic material from the herpes virus shows great potential for immunotherapy of hematological malignancies in general, and for chronic lymphocytic...

Interferon/Ribavirin Combination Therapy More Effective At Reducing HCV Load In HIV(+).
August 8, 2001... 2001 AUG 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A clinical study has revealed that interferon/ribavirin combination therapy is more effective than interferon monotherapy at reducing hepatitis C viral load in HIV infected persons in the first 12...

U.K. Researchers Studying Rise Of Kiwi Fruit Allergy.
August 8, 2001... 2001 AUG 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Volunteers from throughout the United Kingdom are being asked to take part in the first major scientific study into the prevalence of kiwi fruit allergy in the U.K. University of Southampton...

Clinical Studies Of Immune Regulating Hormone Approved.(HE2200, an immune regulating hormone from Hollis-Eden Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
August 8, 2001... 2001 AUG 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Hollis-Eden Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (HEPH) announced it received clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin human clinical trials with HE2200, an immune regulating...

Targeting Antigen Reduces Graft-Versus-Host Disease Response To Bone Marrow Transplants.
August 8, 2001... 2001 AUG 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Bone marrow transplants have brought new hope to leukemia patients in recent years. Sometimes, though, the graft fails after a battle between the patient's body and the new tissue. A team of...

Breast Milk Has Antifungal Properties That May Protect Infants.(from infection by the yeast that causes thrush)
August 8, 2001... 2001 AUG 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Breast milk possesses antifungal properties that may protect infants from infection by the opportunistic yeast that causes thrush, researchers have found. Caused by the common yeast Candida...

Phase I Trial Of Monoclonal Antibody Initiated.(XTL-002 from XTL Biopharmaceuticals, Ltd. for the treatment of hepatitis C)
August 8, 2001... 2001 AUG 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- XTL Biopharmaceuticals, Ltd. (XTL) announced the commencement of Phase I clinical studies with XTL-002, its human monoclonal antibody (MAb) being developed for the treatment of hepatitis C virus...

Dendritic Cells Can Be Derived From Malignant Cells.
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Researchers in Japan have shown that dendritic cells can be created from leukemia cell cultures, possibly paving the way for a novel treatment. "To...

Interferon Alpha Suppresses Key Enzyme In HCV Patients.(dipeptidyl peptidase IV, hepatitis C virus)
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Interferon (IFN) alpha, known to cause depressive symptoms in some patients, decreases serum levels of an important enzyme, new research has found. ...

CpG Oligodeoxynucleotides Suppress Th2 Cytokines, Prevent Inflammation.(in allergic rhinosinusitis)
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) may lead to new therapies for allergic rhinosinusitis, according to a study presented at the third triennial World Asthma Meeting (WAM). Allergic rhinosinusitis...

Interrupting Signalling Of Th2-Cell Mediator May Be New Treatment Approach.(for asthma)
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Interrupting Stat6 (signal transducer and activation of transcription factor 6) may present an opportunity for a new asthma therapy. Antigen-specific CD4 T helper type 2 (Th2) cells play an...

Asthma Goes Undiagnosed In Minority Children.
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Children in low-income, culturally and ethnically diverse communities have a higher incidence of asthma and many of them go undiagnosed, according to the results of an asthma screening program...

Researchers Discover How Immune System Rids Nervous System Of Mosquito-Borne Viruses.(at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health)
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have determined that neurons in the central nervous system react differently to the body's immune defenses to rid themselves of...

No HIV Mutation Found After Long-Term Treatment With Immune Therapy.(Remune from Trinity Medical Group USA, Inc.)
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Trinity Medical Group USA, Inc. (TMGU) announced the presentation of clinical studies showing that random genotype testing in patients using its immune-based therapy for HIV, Remune(TM), did not...

FDA Releases Anti-Cocaine Vaccine From Clinical Hold And Trials Resume.
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Xenova Group plc (XNVA) announced that, following a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review of the company's recently submitted toxicology and clinical study results, the FDA has notified...

Parents Play Role In Child's Susceptibility.(to allergens)
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Events occurring in utero could influence the development of allergic immunity, according to researchers reporting at the World Asthma Meeting. Karen Rudolph, MS, and colleagues from Lovelace...

FDA Delays Approval Of New Drug.(Xolair, developed by Genentech Inc., Novartis A.G., and Tanox Inc. for treating asthma and allergy)
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- U.S. federal regulators said July 10, 2001, they want more information about the potential side effects of Xolair, a new asthma and allergy drug that three biotech companies had planned to sell in...

High Medications Costs Reinforce Need For Patient Education.(asthma)
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The high cost of asthma medication in the United Kingdom emphasizes the need to ensure that asthmatics receive appropriate medications, are well informed on how to use the medications, and comply...

Centrifugation Improves Dendritic Cell Transduction Efficiency.
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Deborah W. Heinrich, PhD, staff medical writer - Researchers in Japan have significantly improved adenovirus-mediated transfection of human dendritic cells without harming them by using...

Phase I/II Trials Initiated With Antiangiogenesis Drug.(Vitaxin from MedImmune, Inc. for treating colorectal cancer)
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- MedImmune, Inc. (MEDI) announced that it has begun dosing colorectal cancer patients with Vitaxin(TM), an antibody with antiangiogenesis properties, in Phase I/II clinical trials. Vitaxin has...

Novel Interferon-Inducing Molecule Discovered.(CpG oligonucleotide sequences identified by Coley Pharmaceutical Group)
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Coley Pharmaceutical Group announced the identification of a new class of oligonucleotides that induce a specific type of immune cell to produce high levels of interferons. The interferons...

Potential Breast Cancer Immunotherapeutic Under Study.(at Virginia Polytechnical Institute)
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Virginia Polytechnical Institute researchers in human nutrition and dairy science are beginning animal trials to test a new compound against breast cancer, thanks to a grant from Virginia's...

Clinical Trial Findings Show Remune Has "Significant Effect" On Viral Load.(in HIV infection)
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- New virological findings from the Phase II clinical trial (STIR 2102) completed in Spain with Remune(TM) (HIV-1 Immunogen), an investigational immune-based therapy of the Immune Response Corp....

Antibody Demonstrates Novel Immune Mechanism.(in ovarian cancer patients)
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- AltaRex Corp. (ALXFF.OTC) presented evidence that, in response to the patient's circulating CA125 antigen, its OvaRex(R) monoclonal antibody (MAb) helps produce an immune response in ovarian cancer...

Analysts Say Targeted Immunotherapies Define Future Of Therapeutics Markets.(for treating psoriasis)
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Psoriasis, a disorder that causes flaking, itching, and burning skin, affects more than seven million people in the United States. As scientists begin to unravel the genetic secrets of psoriasis, a...

Mexico Approves Immune System Enhancer.(Zadaxin from SciClone Pharmaceuticals for treating hepatitis C and hepatitis B)
August 15, 2001... 2001 AUG 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- SciClone Pharmaceuticals (SCLN) announced that its immune system enhancer Zadaxin(R) has been approved for expanded indications in Mexico. Zadaxin may now be marketed for the treatment of hepatitis...

Monoclonal Antibody Reduces Need For Corticosteroids.(omalizumab for immunotherapy of asthma)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Results of an international study of a monoclonal antibody, omalizumab, for immunotherapy of asthma include a twofold drop in the frequency of attacks, a reduction in their severity, and a reduced...

Monoclonal Antibody Could Help Prevent Sight Loss Associated With Inflammatory Disorder.(infliximab, Behcet's disease)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease could play an important role in preventing sight loss associated with the inflammatory disorder Behcet disease. Behcet disease is...

Study Finds Corticosteroids Are Cost-Effective And Improve Quality Of Life.(inhaled corticosteroids for treating asthma)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Inhaled corticosteroids offer asthmatics a cost-effective treatment that improves their quality of life, according to a study in the in the July 2001 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical...

'Super Milk' Could Help Body's Immune System Fight Cancer, Pathogens.(cow's milk contains conjugated linoleic acid)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Hard-pressed dairy farmers may get a welcome boost from research aiming to discover if drinking milk can help the body fight viral infections and diseases including cancer. There is growing...

Researchers Test Post-Trauma Vaccination In Animals.(to protect them from the immune aspects of spinal cord injury)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers in Israel are exploring a remarkable strategy by which animals may be vaccinated against the effects of spinal cord injury. They discuss their work in the August 2001 issue of the...

Adjuvant Enhances Antibody Immune Response.(QS-21 from Antigenics, Inc. for treating Alzheimer's disease)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Antigenics, Inc. (AGEN) announced that one of the company's Stimulon(R) adjuvants, QS-21, was used in conjunction with a therapeutic agent to treat patients with Alzheimer disease and produced...

Polyunsaturated Fats Implicated In Increased Prevalence Among Preschool Children.(asthma)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A diet high in polyunsaturated fats seems to double the risk of asthma, reveals research in the journal Thorax. Being breastfed as a baby and having three or more older siblings seemed to...

Key Protein Of Innate Immune System Is Critical To Development Of Inflammatory Disease.(complement, autoimmune myocarditis)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have discovered that complement, a key protein of the innate immune system, is critical to the development of autoimmune...

Study Results Of Enzyme Mimetic Reported.(M40403 from MetaPhore Pharmaceuticals mimics the action of superoxide dismutase)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- MetaPhore Pharmaceuticals announced that initial human clinical studies of the first candidate from its proprietary family of free-radical fighting enzyme mimetics have shown the drug to be safe...

Immune-Based Therapy Looks Promising In HIV-Infected Women.(Multikine from CEL-SCI Corporation)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- CEL-SCI Corporation (CVM) has found that preliminary results with its investigational therapy Multikine(TM), used in a study of HIV infected women with cervical dysplasia, are so encouraging that...

Intranasal Delivery Of Interferon Achieves Promising Blood Levels.
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Nastech Pharmaceutical Company, Inc. (NSTK) announced results from a Phase I pharmacokinetic, safety, and tolerance study in the United States demonstrating therapeutic blood levels of intranasally...

Alliance Could Produce Pipeline Of Antibody Therapeutics.(Abgenix, Inc. and CuraGen Corporation)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Abgenix, Inc. (ABGX) and CuraGen Corporation (CRGN) announced that CuraGen scientists have discovered an additional 49 novel drug targets against which scientists at the companies have jointly...

Simple Steps Can Reduce Allergens In Bedrooms.
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Some simple steps - allergen-proof mattress and pillow covers, weekly laundering of other bedding, and very careful vacuuming and dry steam cleaning of bedroom carpets and upholstery - can...

Researchers Study Characteristics Of Patients With Peanut Allergy.(Statistical Data Included)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Allergic reactions to peanut and tree nuts are frequently severe, often occur on the first known exposure, and can become more severe over time, researchers report. This information comes from...

Component Of Fly Saliva Has Promise For Vaccine.(vaccine against a component of sand fly saliva prevents leishmaniasis in mice)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers seeking to make a vaccine against a serious parasitic infection have discovered a dose of fly saliva might be just what the doctor ordered. Leishmaniasis, a disabling and sometimes...

Anti-Inflammatory Agents Expressed In Conjunctival Cells.(gene therapy for ocular inflammatory disorders using interleukin-10)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Deborah W. Heinrich, PhD, staff medical writer - Advances in gene therapy approaches to ocular inflammatory disorders using interleukin-10 have been reported by researchers in the U.K. ...

More Results From Antibody Therapy Trial Published.(OvaRex by AltaRex Corp. for treating ovarian cancer)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- AltaRex Corp. (ALXFF) reported further results from its 55-patient OvaRex(R) trial for ovarian cancer patients with biochemical relapse following primary surgery and chemotherapy. The primary...

Phase I Testing Of Immunosuppressor Siplizumab Initiated.(monoclonal antibody from MedImmune, Inc. for treating psoriasis)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- MedImmune, Inc. (MEDI) announced that it has begun dosing patients with psoriasis in a Phase I pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) study of siplizumab (MEDI-507). This trial is the...

Immune System Enhancer Patented As Part Of Combination Therapy.(Zadaxin from SciClone Pharmaceuticals plus lamivudine and famciclovir for treating hepatitis B)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- SciClone Pharmaceuticals (SCLN) announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for use of the company's lead drug, Zadaxin(R) plus lamivudine and famciclovir...

Antibody Is Immunosuppressive In Animal Models.(research by GPC Biotech and MorphoSys)
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- GPC Biotech (GPC) and MorphoSys announced the achievement of a preclinical milestone in GPC Biotech's antibody program for the treatment of transplant rejection and graft versus host disease. ...

Researchers Uncover How A Poxvirus Fools The Immune System.
August 22, 2001... 2001 AUG 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Research on a rabbit poxvirus has shed light on how some viruses sneak past our immune defenses. Scientists at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have found three separate mechanisms by...