Immunotherapy Weekly articles from January 2002

Immunotherapy Weekly archives from January 2002

Long-Term Immunity Not Impaired.(in patients who receive bone marrow transplants)
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Researchers in the United States say that patients who receive bone marrow transplants do not suffer from long-term immune impairment. Dr. Jan Storek and...

Transduced Dendritic Cells Inspire Antitumor Effect.
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - A growing body of evidence continues to point to transduced dendritic cells as important adjuvants for tumor vaccines. "Gene delivery to dendritic cells...

Interleukin-2 Does Not Increase Virus-Specific T-Cell Activity.(in HIV patients)
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - The use of the immunostimulatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-2 during HIV treatment has little effect on HIV specific immune activity, researchers in the United...

Admistration Of Antibody Effective In Relieving Symptoms.(omalizumab for treating seasonal allergic rhinitis)
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Omalizumab, an artificial antibody that binds to and blocks the action of the natural antibody involved in allergic disease, appears effective in controlling symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis in...

Risk Factors For Canines Identified, May Give Warning To Humans.(arthritis)
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Drawing upon an international database of some 16,000 dogs, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have pinpointed what's believed to be the first solid predictor, in any species, of future...

Levalbuterol Effective, Has Fewer Side Effects In Kids Than Albuterol.(asthma )
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A new, large-scale study shows that levalbuterol, a purified form of the widely used asthma medication albuterol, is effective for children in much smaller doses with fewer side effects than the...

Scientists Have Identified Protein Involved In Skin Inflammation.
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Scientists have discovered a critical protein involved in skin inflammation. Published in Genes and Development, this study sheds new light on the molecular mechanism of wound healing and identifies...

Study Investigates Treatment for Graft-Versus-Host Disease.
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers at the Foothills Medical Center in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, have confirmed that a low dose of rabbit antithymocyte globulin (Thymyglobulin), when used as part of a regimen to prevent acute...

Modified Rhabdovirus Makes Effective Vector.(for HIV vaccine)
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - A modified form of the rabies virus may be the foundation for an effective HIV vaccine, researchers in the United States say. Heather D. Foley and...

Antisense Therapy Encouraging In Relapsed Disease.(Genasence for the treatment of relapsed acute myeloid leukemia)
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genta, Inc., announced the presentation of clinical and preclinical data that support the activity of Genasense, Genta's lead antisense compound, in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The results were...

Allergies, Asthma In The Workplace Study Reveals Major Work Impact.
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Institute for Health and Productivity Management (IHPM) has released the results of a first-of-its-kind study of more than 13,000 members of the Nevada Health Care Coalition to measure the effect of...

Entelos Collaborates With Pfizer To Evaluate Drug Candidates.
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Entelos, Inc., has signed a science and technology collaboration agreement with Pfizer, Inc. Pfizer will provide research funding and license fees to Entelos, as well as milestone payments for...

Experimental Cancer Drug Beta-Alethine Produces Promising Responses.
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Wilson Miller, PhD, MD, LifeTime Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and principal investigator of the Beta LT clinical trials at McGill University/Jewish General Hospital presented results of the study in Orlando,...

AAMC Issues New Guidelines On Financial Conflicts Of Interest.(Association of American Medical Colleges)
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has released the first report of its Task Force on Conflicts of Interest in Clinical Research "Protecting Subjects, Preserving Trust, Promoting...

Researchers Identify The Role Of A Novel Gene In Asthma.(Genaera Corp. discovers novel calcium-activated chloride channel (hCLCA1) which may provide a target for asthma therapy)
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genaera Corporation announced the publication of a study describing the discovery of a novel calcium-activated chloride channel (hCLCA1) that regulates abnormal mucus production and has potential as an...

Tumor Necrosis Factor Response Pathway Visualized In Living Cells.
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Scientists at Odyssey Pharmaceuticals have succeeded in visualizing the protein network representing the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) response pathway in living cells. TNF signaling is implicated in...

Pentostatin Shows Additional Activity Against Refractory Disease.(Nipent for graft-versus-host disease treatment)
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- SuperGen, Inc., has announced that data from a Phase II clinical study of its anticancer drug pentostatin (Nipent) showed a 60% overall response rate in treating patients with refractory chronic...

Center of Biomedical Research Excellence Funded.(by the National Institutes of Health)
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Dartmouth Medical School has received an $11.6 million award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a nationally recognized center of biomedical research excellence in immunology and...

Lungs Develop Better In Kids Who Move Away From Pollution.
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- When children living under polluted, hazy skies move away to communities with cleaner air, their lungs begin to grow more quickly, according to a study by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of...

Enzyme Mimetic Reduces Tissue Damage in Colitis Animal Study.
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The estimated 2 million Americans suffering from inflammatory bowel disease may benefit from a potential new treatment, using small-molecule enzyme mimetics. The preclinical study conducted by...

Pentostatin Useful as Adoptive Immunotherapy.
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- SuperGen, Inc., announced that data from a Phase I/II clinical study demonstrated that its anticancer drug pentostatin (Nipent) may be an "acceptable nonmyeloablative preparative regimen for solid...

Revimid Demonstrates Antitumor Activity In Phase I/II Clinical Trials.
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Kenneth Anderson, MD, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard University and Bart Barlogie, MD, PhD, from the Arkansas Cancer Research Center and their colleagues presented new clinical data at...

Immunostimulatory Oligonucleotide Results In Positive Clinical Responses.(Coley Pharmaceutical Group)
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Coley Pharmaceutical Group announced Phase I study results of the company's lead product for cancer treatment. Investigators described data on CpG 7909, an immunostimulatory oligonucleotide tested...

Structural Insights Could Improve Immunotherapeutic Targeting.(prostate-specific membrane antigen-targeted cancer immunotherapy)
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The PSMA Development Company, LLC, a joint venture of Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Cytogen Corporation, announced new findings on the molecular structure of prostate-specific membrane antigen...

SkyePharma And Astralis Enter Agreements For Promising New Treatment.(Psoraxine for psoriasis treatment)
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- SkyePharma, Plc., and Astralis, Ltd., (ASTR) have signed several agreements concerning the formulation and development of Astralis' novel injectable vaccine therapy, Psoraxine, for the treatment of all...

Lexicon Genetics Advances Gene Target For Inflammation, Transplant Rejection.
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Lexicon Genetics, Inc., (LEXG) has discovered a new role in the immune system for a known enzyme and plans to develop drugs that could be used to block inflammation and potentially even prevent organ...

HuMax-CD4 To Enter Phase III Studies.(for treating rheumatoid arthritis)
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genmab A/S announced that it has received permission from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin a Phase III study with HuMax-CD4 to treat patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA)...

Intranasal Corticosteroids Plus Antibiotics Can Improve, Quicken Recovery.(from sinus infections)
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- For patients with a past history of sinus symptoms who are receiving antibiotics for the treatment of acute sinusitis, adding an intranasal corticosteroid to the regimen may improve symptoms and the...

Interferon-(alpha) Useful For Extrahepatic Hepatitis C Virus Infections.
January 9, 2002... 2002 JAN 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - The symptoms of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are not always confined to the liver. Interferon (IFN)-(alpha), useful for treating HCV-related liver...

Minocycline May Be Potential Therapy for MS.(multiple sclerosis)
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A common antibiotic, long used to treat infections in humans, may have potential as a treatment for multiple sclerosis, a devastating disease of the central nervous system, according to a new study....

Adeno-Associated Virus Gene Transfer Could Prevent Several Disorders.(recombinant adeno-associated virus vector-mediated gene therapy)
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Type 1 diabetes is just one of several diseases related to dysfunctional immune response that could potentially be prevented with the use of recombinant...

Healthy Patients With Low CD4 Counts May Retain High Natural Killer Cell Function.
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - HIV patients who remain relatively healthy despite clinical signs of advanced disease may have enhanced nonspecific immune function, according to researchers...

Researchers Identify Key Factor In Hair Loss Disorder.(alopecia areata)
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel, have identified a key factor in the cause of alopecia areata, a hair loss disorder that often strikes children. Their...

Researchers Illuminate How The Body Handles Inflammation.
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- After a decade of research, Michail Sitkovsky, PhD, and his coworkers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) may have answered one of the most perplexing questions in...

Suppressing Immune System Unlikely Best Way To Treat Autoimmune Diseases.
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Suppressing the immune system is one way to treat autoimmune diseases, frustrating conditions in which the body's tissues are attacked by "friendly fire." But a new study shows that such blanket...

Immunotherapy Gets Dramatic Results For Rare Disorder.(stiff person (man) syndrome)
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- An immunologic therapy, intravenous immunoglobulin (i.v. Ig), administered to patients suffering from stiff person syndrome (SPS), provides dramatic relief from disabling symptoms, according to a new...

Interleukins Can Be Effective Adjuvants For Mucosal Administration.
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - A group of proinflammatory cytokines may be useful as adjuvants for nasally administered HIV vaccines, researchers in the United States report. "Safe and...

Schering-Plough Gets OK For New Allergy Drug.(Clarinex)
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Schering-Plough Corp. has received government approval for Clarinex, the successor to the company's best-selling allergy drug Claritin. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration had previously held up...

ViroPharma to Join Aventis in Promoting Allegra and Nasacort AQ.(Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- ViroPharma, Inc., (VPHM) and Aventis Pharmaceuticals, the U.S. division of Aventis Pharma AG, have announced that the ViroPharma sales force will join Aventis to promote products from the Allegra...

Leisure Activity Decreases Risk Of Dementia.(and Alzheimer's disease development)
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Pick up a book or magazine, go for a walk, see a movie or visit a friend or relative - and reduce your risk for developing Alzheimer disease (AD). Reading and engaging in other leisure activities...

Infliximab May Leave Rheumatology Patients Susceptible To Tuberculosis.
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michelle Marble, senior medical writer - Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common disease. Currently, many clinicians treat the disease early and aggressively in order to improve the patients'...

Immune System Dysfunction May Play A Key Role.(in the cause of chronic fatigue sydrome)
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Research on the immune system could shed light on the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), including whether a pathogenic agent such as a virus or bacteria is involved. This was one conclusion...

Women Who Have Surgery For Ulcerative Colitis Risk Infertility.
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Patients who undergo surgery for ulcerative colitis experience many side effects, including living with a colostomy pouch, but evidence now shows that female patients are also at risk for lower...

Improving Patient Care Focus Of AAAAI March Meeting.(American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology)
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The latest findings on care for allergies, asthma and immunology will be discussed during the 58th annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), March 1-6, 2002, in...

General Accounting Office Probes Tainted Medical Research.
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Universities and federal health officials must do more to prevent financial conflicts that could taint biomedical research and harm human subjects, a congressional review says. The study by the...

New Function Of Cancer Gene Discovered.(mda-7 gene can stimulate immune cells)
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Introgen Therapeutics, Inc., announced that it and collaborators at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that the mda-7 gene, a tumor suppressor gene, is also a novel...

Exelixis Collaboration Identifies New Genes Related to Immunity.(Exelixis Inc. and the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology)
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Scientists at Exelixis, Inc., (EXEL) and the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology (IMCB) in Strasbourg, France, have identified several genes involved in immunity whose roles were previously...

Researchers Report Development Of New Antibodies Technology.
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Kyowa Hakko, Tokyo, Japan, has developed a next-generation technology for the production of highly active antibodies. The technology will allow the company to create a new range of antibodies, and...

Immune Response Enhancer Improves Vaccine.(QS-21 immune response enhancer from Antigenics Inc.)
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Antigenics, Inc., announced the publication of clinical results of a malaria vaccine containing Antigenics' immune response enhancer, QS-21, which showed significant protection against the most...

Comparison Study Of MS Therapies Shows Two Reduce Relapses.(Copaxone and Betaseron reduce relapse in multiple sclerosis)
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Only Copaxone (glatiramer acetate for injection) and Betaseron (interferon (beta)-1b) significantly reduced the mean annualized number of relapses compared with the untreated group of...

Elan and Biogen Begin Phase III Clinical Trials of Antegren.(for multiple sclerosis treatment)
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Elan Corp., plc, (ELN) and Biogen, Inc. (BGEN) have enrolled and dosed the first patients in their multicenter Phase III clinical trials of Antegren (natalizumab) in multiple sclerosis (MS). Elan and...

Largest Clinical Trial For Parkinson Proposed For 2002, 2003.(at the Medical University of South Carolina)
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A neurologist at the University of Rochester (New York) Medical Center has been chosen to lead the largest study ever of patients with Parkinson disease. Professor of Neurology Karl Kieburtz, MD,...

Antigenics Gets Further Protection for Heat Shock Protein Immunotherapy.(receives patent for heat shock protein usage)
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Antigenics, Inc., (AGEN) has been issued a U.S. patent covering the use of heat shock proteins (HSPs) in activating the immune system to treat cancer and infectious diseases. Antigenics is the...

MorphoSys and Schering to Develop Therapeutic and Diagnostic Products.
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- MorphoSys AG (MOR) has signed a major strategic collaboration with Schering AG, for the development of antibody therapeutics and in vivo diagnostics. As part of the strategic alliance, Schering...

Sarcoidosis Relatives At Greater Risk For Disease.
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In a large study involving 10,862 first- and 17,047 second-degree relatives of 706 sarcoidosis case control pairs, persons with the illness were almost five times more likely than controls to have a...

Progenitor Cells Are Involved In Thymus Development.
January 16, 2002... 2002 JAN 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Scientists at the University of Ulm, in collaboration with researchers from Roche, have achieved a significant breakthrough in immunology. Their findings are the first to show that the thymus - the...

Epigallocatechin Gallate Reduces Nicotine-Induced Legionella Susceptibility.
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Researchers in Florida say that they have found an agent capable of reversing nicotine-induced susceptibility to Legionella pneumophila infection. ...

Commercial Immunoglobulin Preparations Don't Transmit TTV Infection.(transfusion-transmitted virus infection)
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Individuals who must take immunoglobulin therapy because of immunodeficiency are at little risk for acquiring transfusion-transmitted virus (TTV) infection,...

Early Cytotoxic T-Cell Responses Characterized.
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Vaccine researchers in the United States have shed new light on the early cytotoxic T-cell response to HIV infection. "Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL)...

Psychosocial Effects of ABMT May Remain Long after Physical Recovery from Treatment.(autologous blood and bone marrow transplantation)
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Despite achieving a remission after treatment with autologous blood and bone marrow transplantation (ABMT), the patients in a recent study continued to experience illness intrusiveness that compromised...

Hopkins Defends Two Studies Investigated By Federal Regulators.(addiction and childhood disorder studies under scrutiny)
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine has defended two of its research studies that had been criticized by the federal regulators that temporarily suspended most of the institute's studies on human...

Asthmatics Shown To Be More Likely To Get Lung Cancer.
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- It's true. Asthmatics are more likely to get lung cancer, but women are not less at risk than men, contrary to previous studies. Such are the conclusions of a broad prospective study, including...

(alpha)-Interferon Can Help Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura Patients.
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - The antiviral protein (alpha)-interferon may also be an effective treatment for children suffering from chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP),...

Epitope Affinity Enhancement Can Improve Vaccine Efficacy.(AIDS vaccine)
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Researchers in the United States have modified an HIV protein-based vaccine to improve its ability to trigger long-term immune responses. "Natural viral...

FDA Approves Clarinex for Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis.
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Schering-Plough Corp.'s Clarinex (desloratadine) 5 mg tablets has received marketing clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) in adults...

Enriched Stem Cell Treatment Can Help Severe Aplastic Anemia Patients.
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Researchers in South Korea say that transfusions of CD34-selected stem cells can be beneficial for patients suffering from severe aplastic anemia (SAA). ...

Clinical Trial Enrollment For Synagis And Siplizumab Completed.
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- MedImmune, Inc., announced the completion of enrollment in two previously announced clinical trials for Synagis (palivizumab), a product that prevents serious respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease...

Exonhit Therapeutics, IDEC Pharmaceuticals Target Antigen Discoveries.
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- ExonHit Therapeutics and IDEC Pharmaceuticals Corp. (IDPH) have signed a collaboration and research agreement directed to the discovery of new antigen targets for antibody therapy, including prostate...

FDA Approves Pregnancy Rating Upgrade for Pulmicort Turbuhaler.
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved revised labeling for Pulmicort Turbuhaler (budesonide inhalation powder), which upgrades its pregnancy rating to Category B and makes it the...

Clinical Study Based On ESO-1 Tumor-Associated Antigen Initiated.(Therion Biologics' vaccine testing)
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research has initiated the first European Phase I trial for Therion Biologics' two-component vaccine targeting the tumor antigen NY-ESO-1. In this study, the Ludwig...

Clinical Trial Data Encouraging.(Genzyme Molecular Oncology melanoma and breast cancer vaccine trials)
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Two Harvard Medical School oncologists working with Genzyme Molecular Oncology presented preliminary data showing both clinical and immunologic responses from melanoma and breast cancer vaccine trials....

Therapy Recognizes Receptor Mutation, Prevents New Melanoma Formation.(tumor vaccine)
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Duke University researchers say they have created a tumor vaccine that targets mutated receptors on malignant tumors but also circumvents abnormal immune...

Antisense Therapy Trial Data Encouraging.(Genasense for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia)
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genta, Inc., announced the presentation of both clinical and preclinical data supporting the activity of Genasense, an antisense compound, in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The results were...

Immune Response Announces Completion of Private Financing.
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Immune Response Corp. (IMNR) has privately placed a $2 million convertible note and warrant to an accredited investor. Furthermore, the investor and the company have agreed that, upon the...

Rabbit Thymoglobulin Helps Prevent Deaths.(from graft-versus-host disease)
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers at the Foothills Medical Center in Calgary, Alberta, Canada have confirmed that a low-dose of rabbit antithymocyte globulin [thymoglobulin; antithymocyte globulin, (Rabbit)], when used as...

Study Identifies Signaling Gene For Immune Cells.(Tob gene keeps cells in a dormant state)
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- More vigilant than minutemen, the immune system's T cells form one of the main lines of defense against infection and disease. A study by Dana-Farber investigators is reversing scientists'...

Two T-Cell Receptors Can Be Better Than One.
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- T cells normally bear only one type of T-cell receptor (TCR) for antigen on the cell surface but a few can bear two. Having more than one is thought to be detrimental, because the second may cause...

Zadaxin Enters European Phase II-III Cancer Program.(SciClone Pharmaceuticals)
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- SciClone Pharmaceuticals has initiated a late-stage oncology clinical development program in Europe for Zadaxin, SciClone's lead immune system enhancer drug. The clinical program is being...

Interferon-(beta)1a Is As Effective As Interferon-(beta)1b.(Avonex for the treatment of multiple sclerosis)
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The use of interferon-(beta)1a (Avonex) for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) stabilizes the disease by delaying progression of patient disability. The data were...

Radiolabeled Epratuzumab Repeated, Fractionated Doses Prove Safe And Active.(Immunomedics Inc. develops treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma)
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Investigators from the University of Lund, Sweden, reported at the December 2001 American Society of Hematology meeting in December 2001 that the yttrium-90-radiolabeled anti-CD22 humanized antibody...

Hybridon Appoints Senior Scientific Advisor, Collaborates With Duke.(David S. Pisesky)
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Hybridon, Inc., (HYBN.OB) has appointed David S. Pisetsky as a senior scientific advisor and has established a collaboration with Duke University to further develop the company's class of...

Advances In Cell Therapy Announced.(BioTransplant Inc. announces research for the prevention of transplant rejection)
January 23, 2002... 2002 JAN 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- BioTransplant, Inc., reported important advances towards solving the problem of rejection of foreign proteins in transplantation. Using enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) as a model...

Preterm Birth Changes Normal Development Of Lung Function.
January 30, 2002... 2002 JAN 30 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Preterm birth intrinsically changes the normal development of lung function, according to Swedish researchers. By studying 32 healthy preterm infants whose gestational age ranged from 25 to 33...

(beta)-Hemolysin/Cytolysin Mediates Streptococcal Lung Injury.
January 30, 2002... 2002 JAN 30 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Researchers in the United States have identified a protein produced by streptococcal bacteria as a mediator of lung toxicity during streptococcal infections in...