Immunotherapy Weekly articles from February 2000

Immunotherapy Weekly archives from February 2000

Combined Treatment for HCV Replacing Monotherapy.
February 6, 2000... 2000 FEB 6 - (NewsRx.com) -- Combination therapy is fast replacing interferon monotherapy as the treatment of choice for chronic hepatitis C virus, according to a noted hepatitis researcher. S. P. Lawrence of the University of...

Genetically Rooted Immune Mechanismas Play a Key Role in Beta-Thalassemic Heart Failure.
February 6, 2000... 2000 FEB 6 - (NewsRx.com) -- Immunogenetic studies reveal that whether a beta-thalassemic patient suffers left-sided heart failure depends on the patient's genetic background. Failure of the left ventricular systolic function is the...

Idiotypic Vaccination With a Murine Anti-dsDNA Antibody Safe.
February 6, 2000... 2000 FEB 6 - (NewsRx.com) -- Researchers from Switzerland conducted a Phase I study in patients with nonactive systemic lupus erythematosus with nephritis of an idiotypic vaccine made with a murine anti-dsDNA antibody. The researchers...

Allergic Diseases May Be Preventable in Unborn Children.
February 6, 2000... 2000 FEB 6 - (NewsRx.com) -- It may be possible to prevent the development of allergies in a child before he or she is born, according to new research. J.A. Werner and colleagues at Southampton General Hospital in England sought to...

Anticancer Strategy Redirects Natural Antibodies To New Target.
February 6, 2000... 2000 FEB 6 - (NewsRx.com) A novel anticancer strategy redirects naturally occurring antibodies to a new target, researchers from the United States reported. "Antibodies against the disaccharide epitope galactosyl (alpha 1-3) galactose...

WT1 Is Target for Adoptive Immunotherapy of Leukemia.
February 6, 2000... 2000 FEB 6 - (NewsRx.com) -- Researchers from the United Kingdom are exploring the use of WT1 transcription factor as a target for the isolation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) for the adoptive immunotherapy of leukemia. ...

Eosinophils Do Not Express Affinity Membrane Receptors.
February 6, 2000... 2000 FEB 6 - (NewsRx.com) -- Eosinophils do not express functional high affinity membrane receptors for immunoglobulin E (IgE), according to researchers working in England. S. J. Smith and colleagues performed a study to determine...

Immunotherapy Uses G250-scFV Transduced T Lymphocytes.
February 6, 2000... 2000 FEB 6 - (NewsRx.com) -- Preclinical studies of immuno gene therapy of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) using the monoclonal antibody G250 were encouraging enough to prepare for a phase I/II clinical trial, researchers from The...

MHC Binding Peptides Used in Adoptive Anticancer Therapy.
February 6, 2000... 2000 FEB 6 - (NewsRx.com) -- Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) binding peptides elicit cytotoxic and helper T-lymphocytes for the adoptive therapy of cancer, reported researchers from the United States. "Cytotoxic and helper T...

Elevated Dendritic Cells Enhance Viral Immunity.
February 6, 2000... 2000 FEB 6 - (NewsRx.com) -- Elevated numbers of dendritic cells can produce enhanced protection against herpes simples virus type 1 (HSV-1), according to a report from England. Previous research studies have demonstrated that Flt-3...

Allo-Immunization Elicits CD8(+) T-Cell Derived Chemokines.
February 6, 2000... 2000 FEB 6 - (NewsRx.com) -- Allo-immunization of pregnant women against spontaneous recurrent abortion elicits resistance to HIV, reported researchers from the United Kingdom. "We assessed the potential for an allogeneic-based...

Burgeoning Technology Directs Future of Vaccines.
February 6, 2000... 2000 FEB 6 - (NewsRx.com) The regulatory environment is challenged to keep up with technological advancements in order to approve new vaccines, suggested a researcher from the United States. Carlo Russo, from Merck Research...

Transforming Growth Factor Plays Role in Nervous System Wounds.
February 6, 2000... 2000 FEB 6 - (NewsRx.com) -- Antagonizing transforming growth factor-(beta) activity in central nervous system wounds may be a sound therapeutic strategy for anti-fibrogenesis, according to researchers in England. Traumatic injury to...

Anti-C5 Monoclonal Antibody Prevents Hyperacute Rejection.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- An anti-C5 monoclonal antibody prevents hyperacute rejection in a murine xenograft organ transplantation model, researchers from Canada reported. "The present study was undertaken to determine whether...

Monoclonal Anti-IgE Therapy Studied.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- A recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody directed against IgE has potential as a treatment for asthma, according to a study from the United States. "Immune responses mediated by IgE are important in...

Engineered CD3 Antibody Prevents Organ Rejection.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- A clinical trial of an engineered aglycosylated humanized CD3 antibody in renal allograft patients demonstrated therapeutic benefit, reported researchers from England. "The potential therapeutic benefits...

Engineered Dendritic Cells Induce Hyporesponsiveness.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- Genetically engineered dendritic cells induced donor-specific hyporesponsiveness and prolonged allograft survival, researchers from Canada reported. "Polarization of an immune response toward tolerance or...

Vinblastine Is Effective at Non-Toxic Doses.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- Vinblastine may have promise as an antiangiogenic agent to treat a variety of pathogenic angiogenesis diseases, according to researchers in Italy. A. Vacca and colleagues tested the effects of vinblastine...

Non-Peptide Agonist Mimics Bradykinin.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- The first nonpeptide bradykinin receptor agonist 8-[2,6-dichloro-3-[N-[(E)-4-(N-methylcarbamoyl)cinnamidoacetyl]-N-methyl-amino]benzyloxy]-2-methyl-4-(2-pyridylmethoxy)quinoline (FR190997) displays high...

Interleukin-15 Facilitates Antiviral State.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- The cytokine interleukin-15 is involved in producing an antiviral state, according to a report from Canada. Natural killer (NK) cells are large granular lymphocytes capable of efficient killing of...

Novel Regulatory Mechanism May Modulate Leukocyte Trafficking.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- Recently reported cell actions may represent a potent regulatory mechanism that modulates leukocyte trafficking. J. G. Filep and colleagues examined in whole blood the actions of 2 lipoxin A(4) (LXA(4))...

Histidine-Rich Glycoprotein May Prevent Disease Formation.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- Histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) may serve as an important inhibitor for preventing immune complexes (IC) in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Research from the Australian National University...

Granulocyte Colony-Stimulator Factor Effect Post-Chemo Studied.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- Recent study findings suggest that lenograstim and filgrastim are equivalent for peripheral blood stem cell mobilization after chemotherapy. Mobilization techniques for peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC)...

Infection Rate from Surgery Halved if More Oxygen Given During Anesthesia.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- The rate of infection from surgical wounds can be cut in half simply by giving patients more oxygen during and after anesthesia, according to a new study led by a University of California, San Francisco,...

Disease Inhibits Immune Response to Stress.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- Investigators in Germany initiated a study to examine the physical response of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients to extreme stressors. They found that there is a different type of physiological...

Liquid Formulation with 2-Year Shelf Life Developed.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- A subcutaneous liquid formulation of humanized monoclonal antibody (HuEp5C7) at 100 mg/mL has been developed with a 2-year shelf life, reported researchers from the United States. "Due to the high sample...

B7.1 Gene Transfer Improves T-Cell Activation.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- B7.1 gene transfer protects T cells from apoptosis and improves their activation, researchers from Germany reported. "Expression of B7 on tumor cells can circumvent T-cell tolerance and lead to the...

Interleukin-10 May Augment Host Immune Response.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- Researchers from the United Kingdom investigated the way proinflammatory cytokines mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It is well known that adaptive immune...

Ganciclovir Given Early after Transplant Prevents GVHD.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- Future clinical trials need to address prevention, rather than treatment of graft-versus-host disease, according to a recent report. Donor T cells are beneficial for engraftment, immune reconstitution,...

DNA Vaccine Induced Mucosal and Systemic Immune Response.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- A SIV DNA vaccine induced mucosal and systemic immune responses, reported researchers from the United States and the United Kingdom. "A major goal in the development of an effective HIV vaccine is the...

New Compound Decreases Need for Steroids in Asthma Patients, Reduces Symptoms.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- The following was issued by Novartis Pharma AG: [helv] Study results published [December 27, 1999] in The New England Journal of Medicine demonstrate that patients with moderate-to-severe allergic asthma...

Collaborative Study Using INJEX Needle-Free Injection System Announced.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- Equidyne Corporation announced that its partially-owned Germany based subsidiary, Rosch AG Medizintechnik (Rosch AG), has entered into a collaboration with Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine to...

Alliance Seeks Development of Monoclonal Antibody-Based Therapies.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT) announced a multidisciplinary strategic alliance with Searle, the pharmaceutical business of Monsanto Company, for the development of fully human monoclonal antibody-based...

Broad Antibody Development Agreement, Cancer Vaccine Partnership Announced.(between Medarex Inc. and IDM)
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- Medarex, Inc. and IDM, a privately held European biotechnology company, announced the formation of a collaboration involving the use of Medarex's HuMAb-Mouse(TM) technology for the generation of fully human...

Human Trials Going Well for C. difficile Vaccine.(Clostrium difficile)
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- Peptide Therapeutics Group, plc, announced positive results from a Phase I/II trial of its vaccine against Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea and colitis (CDAD). The results of the trial showed...

Well-Nourished Women Maintain Ability To Ward Off Disease in Old Age.
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- Contrary to previous reports, healthy, well-nourished older women, 60 to 80 years of age, have immune systems that function at levels similar to young women, 20 to 40 years old, a Pennsylvania State...

Company Reports Promising Results on Universal Vaccine Immune Stimulant.(Epimmune Inc.'s Padre vaccine)
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- Epimmune Inc. announced the publication of data in The Journal of Immunology showing that constructs composed of Padre(TM), together with carbohydrate antigens, are potent immunogens that elicit strong...

Patent on Dry Powder DNA Formulations Announced.(Inhale Therapeutic Systems)
February 13, 2000... 2000 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- Inhale Therapeutic Systems, Inc, announced it has been issued US patent 5,994,314 for dry powder formulations of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) with viral or commonly used lipid vectors. Dry powder DNA...

Researchers Assess Effects of Laughter on Immune Systems of Ill Children in First-of-its-Kind Study.
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- In a first-of-its-kind study focusing on ill children and adolescents with depressed immune systems, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, Jonsson Cancer Center will try to determine if...

Anti-CEA mAb-Phthalocyanine Conjugates Studied.
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- The preparation, phototoxicity, and biodistribution of anti-carcinoembryonic antigen monoclonal antibody-phthalocyanine conjugates were studied by researchers from France. "Immunophototherapy of cancer...

Antitumor Activity of a Chimeric Antibody Explored.(for leukemia and lymphoma treatment)
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- A chimeric antibody against the leucocyte antigen CD48 demonstrates antitumor activity, reported researchers from Australia. "Preclinical studies with the murine anti-CD48 antibody, mHuLym3 (IgG2a) have...

Ch14.18-GM-CSF Fusion Protein Effectively Mediates Cytotoxicity.(granulocyte/macrophage-colony stimulating factor)
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- A Ch14.18-GM-CSF fusion protein demonstrates effective mediation of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity in vitro, researchers from the United States reported. ...

Interleukin-12 Has New Defensive Role.(anti-viral host defense)
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- Recently reported findings describe a new role for the cytokine interleukin-12. Resistance or susceptibility to most infectious diseases is strongly determined by the balance of type 1 versus type 2...

Patients Unable to Mount Effective T-Cell Response.(against palillomaviruses)
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- Patients with recurrent respiratory papillomas appear to be unable to manage their disease with an appropriate and effective T-cell response, according to a report from the United States. Human...

CNS Mediators May Generate "Brain-Mediated" Immunodepression.(central nervous system)
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- C. Woiciechowsky and colleagues in Berlin, Germany, published a recent study of the role of the brain in immunodepression in the absence of a systemic inflammatory process ("Mechanisms of brain-mediated...

CD28-Dependent Costimulation Is Important in Immune Response.
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- The CD28-dependent costimulatory pathway is critical in the antiviral immune response to an influenza virus infection, according to a report from New Zealand. The CD28 costimulatory pathway is...

Retreatment of Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C.
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- A study conducted by scientists in Italy has shown that interferon retreatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) may slow down disease activity, but not to a great extent. A. Spadaro and...

Xenograft Survival Is Prolonged by Interleukin-10.
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- Interleukin-10 prolonged rat pancreatic islet xenograft survival by inhibiting macrophage-mediated immune responses in an animal study. Xenograft rejection is a complex response in which macrophages and...

Anti-ADAM 10 Linked to Pulmonary Fibrosis.
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- The humoral immune system is thought to play a part in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. Circulating autoantibodies to lung proteins have been suggested, however, few lung proteins have been...

Scientists Devise Approach for "Recruiting" Immune System Response to Partial Spinal Cord Injuries.
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- Severing the spinal cord causes complete paralysis of the organs innervated by the central nervous system, from the point of injury downwards. In fact, even a partial injury of the spinal cord may cause...

Combination of Antibodies Shown To Block Transmission of HIV-Like Virus Across Mucous Membranes.
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- In Africa, where tens of thousands of children infected with the AIDS virus are born each year, a drug or vaccine capable of preventing the virus from passing from mother to infant has the potential to save...

Pharmacokinetics of Immunosuppressant Drug FTY720 Assessed.
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- Novartis researchers recently reported the results of a population pharmacokinetic analysis of FTY720, an immunosuppressive drug. FTY720 is the first member of a unique immunosuppressant class currently...

Triple Nucleoside Therapy Data Presented.(Ziagen, Combivir and indinavir sulfate)
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- Immune system and resistance data from a study comparing a triple nucleoside regimen of Ziagen (abacavir sulfate) and Combivir (lamivudine/zidovudine) to a regimen of indinavir sulfate (Merck) in combination...

Phase II Trial Initiated Evaluating Treatment for Fungal Infection.(clinical trial of Actimmune by InterMune Pharmaceuticals)
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- InterMune Pharmaceuticals announced that it has initiated a Phase II clinical trial evaluating the safety, efficacy, and dosing of Actimmune (interferon gamma-1b) in the treatment of cryptococcal meningitis,...

Synthetic Peptide Vaccine Developed.(p2249f developed by United Biomedical Inc.)
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- United Biomedical, Inc. (UBI), Hauppauge, New York, has developed a synthetic peptide vaccine "p2249f" which evokes potent antibodies effective against a broad range of HIV primary isolates. This is the...

Treatment Shows Beneficial Effect on Delaying MS Development.(multiple sclerosis)
February 20, 2000... 2000 FEB 20 - (NewsRx.com) -- Biogen, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, announced that the Controlled High Risk Subjects Avonex Multiple Sclerosis Prevention Study (CHAMPS) has shown a highly statistically significant beneficial effect of...

In vivo Administration Possible for Bladder Cancer.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- In vivo delivery of interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) by retroviral vectors was successful in a murine model of bladder cancer, researchers from Taiwan reported. "Advances in recombinant DNA technology have...

Specific Vaccines May Target Autoimmune Diseases.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- Certain autoimmune disorders may be treatable with vaccines, suggested researchers from Israel. "Copolymer 1 (Cop 1, Copaxone) is a synthetic amino acid copolymer effective in suppression of experimental...

CI-MPR/IGF-2R Identified as Target of Autoantibodies.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- Cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor/insulin-like growth factor type-2 receptor (CI-MPR/IGF-2R) has been identified as a novel target of autoantibodies, according to a study from Spain. "Two...

INF-(alpha) Combined with CD80 Transduction Reduces Tumorigenicity.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- Interferon-alpha (IFN-(alpha)) gene therapy in combination with CD80 transduction reduced tumorigenicity and growth of established tumor in poorly immunogenic tumor models, reported researchers from the United...

PBL-Derived CTL May Have Prognostic Value.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- Peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL)-derived cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) generated in vitro are indicative of an anti-tumor immune response in vivo, researchers from Germany reported. "Melanoma-specific...

Anti-CD44 mAb Disrupts Progression of Glioblastoma.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- In vivo treatment with anti-CD44 monoclonal antibody (mAb) disrupted the intracerebral progression of C6 rat glioblastoma, reported researchers from Germany. "Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) invasiveness is...

Anti-Idiotype Immune Responses Generated Post-Vaccination in Myeloma Cells.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- Anti-idiotype immune responses were generated following inoculation with an idiotype-protein pulsed dendritic cell vaccine in myeloma cells, researchers from Australia reported. "Myeloma cells produce...

Gene Gun-Mediated Vaccine Induces Antitumor Immunity.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- A gene gun-mediated DNA vaccine induced antitumor immunity against human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) E7-expressing murine tumor metastases in the liver and lungs, researchers from the United States...

Vaccination with Plasmid Expressing HPV L1 Elicits Antibodies.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- Immunization with DNA capable of expressing human papillomavirus 6 (HPV) L1 protein has potential as an HPV vaccine strategy for humans, suggested research from Japan. "HPV 6 causes benign condylomata. As...

Food Hygiene and Decline in Orofecal Infections May Underlie Epidemic of Asthma and Rhinitis in Developed World.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- A decline in orofecal infections and a westernized, semi-sterile diet may be the root of the epidemic of allergic asthma and rhinitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane that lines the nose) in developed...

Functional Heterogeneity Found in B. burgdorferi Antibodies.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- CB2 is an IgG1 monoclonal antibody that has a bactericidal action against Borrelia burgdorferi, researchers from the United States reported. "Antibodies to outer surface molecules of Borrelia burgdorferi...

Thymic Graft Successful in Reconstructing Immune System.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- The Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston, and BioTransplant Inc., Charlestown, Massachusetts, announced scientific advances in organ transplantation and immunocompetency that may hold promise for...

Combination Approaches Have Therapeutic Merit.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- Gene therapy using adenoviral vectors encoding interleukin (IL)-12 combined with surgery or chemotherapy may have therapeutic merit against lung cancer, suggested researchers from Taiwan. "To date,...

Counteracting Tumor-Associated Immunosuppression Is Crucial.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- For cancer immunotherapy to be successful, tumor-associated immunosuppression must be counteracted, reported researchers from the United Kingdom and the United States. "A number of obstacles exist to...

Cells Generated with Low Doses of Cytokines.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- Researchers from the United States reported on a less expensive way to obtain dendritic cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The cytokine combination that is most commonly used to generate...

Antibody-Based Therapies Target Cell Interaction.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- Insights into HIV-1/target cell interaction facilitate development of antibody-based therapeutic strategies, reported researchers from the United States. "The push for an effective AIDS vaccine has been...

Dendritic Cells Vaccine May Spur Tumor Resistance.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- A vaccine of tumor peptide-pulsed bone marrow-derived dendritic cells may have promise for inducing tumor resistance. Grzegorz Dworacki and colleagues evaluated the efficacy of vaccines consisting of...

Interleukin-12 Is Well Tolerated.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- Patients with Kaposi's sarcoma tolerated administration of the cytokine interleukin-12 well, according to early results of a pilot study performed in the United States. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) inhibits...

Strategic Collaboration Announced To Develop Vaccines.
February 27, 2000... 2000 FEB 27 - (NewsRx.com) -- Dynavax Technologies Corp., Berkeley, California, and Aventis Pasteur (formerly Pasteur Merieux Connaught) announced the signing of an agreement to develop prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines for the...