Immunotherapy Weekly articles from July 1998

Immunotherapy Weekly archives from July 1998

Multiple Doses of Human Monoclonal Antibody 3622W94 have Acceptable Toxicities.
July 13, 1998... A phase I trial testing multiple doses of the humanized monoclonal antibody (MAb) 3622W94 in cancer patients demonstrated acceptable toxicities. M.N. Saleh, representing colleagues from the University of Alabama and Glaxo Wellcome, Inc.,...

Immune Response Against Human Primary Malignant Melanoma: A Distinct Cytokine mRNA Profile Associated With Spontaneous Regression.
July 13, 1998... Wagner, S.N.; Schultewolter, T.; Wagner, C.; Briedigkeit, L.; Becker, J.C.; Kwasnicka, H.M.; Goos, M. "Immune Response Against Human Primary Malignant Melanoma: A Distinct Cytokine mRNA Profile Associated With Spontaneous Regression." Laboratory...

Role of Fluconazole in the Management of AIDS-Related Cryptococcosis, According to Daily Dosing.
July 13, 1998... Manfredi, R.; Chiodo, F. "Role of Fluconazole in the Management of AIDS-Related Cryptococcosis, According to Daily Dosing." Chemotherapy, May-June 1998;44(3):206-214. According to the authors' abstract of an article published in Chemotherapy,...

Long-Term Protection After Stopping Venom Immunotherapy: Results of Re-Stings in 200 Patients.
July 13, 1998... "Long-Term Protection After Stopping Venom Immunotherapy: Results of Re-Stings in 200 Patients." Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, May 1998;101(5):606-612. According to the authors' abstract of an article published in Journal of...

Adoptive Transfer of Immunity to Hepatitis B for Prevention and Intervention in Persistent HBV Infection.
July 13, 1998... "Adoptive Transfer of Immunity to Hepatitis B for Prevention and Intervention in Persistent HBV Infection." D. Shouval. Liver Unit, Division of Medicine, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel. According to an abstract submitted by the...

Transient Expression of SV40 Large T Antigen by Cre/LoxP-Mediated Site Specific Deletion in Primary Human Normal and Tumor Cells.
July 13, 1998... "Transient Expression of SV40 Large T Antigen by Cre/LoxP-Mediated Site Specific Deletion in Primary Human Normal and Tumor Cells." L.P. Li, P.M. Schlag and T. Blankenstein. Max-Delbruck Centrum fur Moleckulare Medizin, Berlin, FRG; Robert-Rossle...

Toxicities of Combination Immunotherapy for Neuroblastoma Are Manageable.
July 13, 1998... A phase I clinical trial of a chimeric human/murine anti-G[D2] monoclonal antibody (ch14.18) combined with granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) for neuroblastoma in children defined the maximum tolerable dose (MTD) and range...

Exploration of 112 Children Suspected of Amoxicillin Allergy. Indications and Efficacy of Oral Provocation Test.
July 13, 1998... Herve, M.; Delarocque, F.; Bouhanna, A.; Albengres, E.; Reinert, P. "Exploration of 112 Children Suspected of Amoxicillin Allergy. Indications and Efficacy of Oral Provocation Test." Archives de Pediatrie, May 1998;5(5):503-509. According to...

Comparison of Three Methods for Testing Azole Susceptibilities of Candida albicans Strains Isolated Sequentially From Oral Cavities of AIDS Patients.
July 13, 1998... Tortorano, A.M.; Viviani, M.A.; Barchiesi, F.; Arzeni, D.; Rigoni, A.L.; Cogliati, M.; Compagnucci, P.; Scalise, G. "Comparison of Three Methods for Testing Azole Susceptibilities of Candida albicans Strains Isolated Sequentially From Oral...

Aspirin-Like Molecules That Covalently Inactivate Cyclooxygenase-2.
July 13, 1998... Kalgutkar, A.S.; Crews, B.C.; Rowlinson, S.W.; Garner, C.; Seibert, K.; Marnett, L.J. "Aspirin-Like Molecules That Covalently Inactivate Cyclooxygenase-2." Science, May 22, 1998;280(5367):1268-1270. According to the authors' abstract of an...

Cost Effectiveness of Early Treatment With Oral Aciclovir in Adult Chickenpox.
July 13, 1998... Smith, K.J.; Roberts, M.S. "Cost Effectiveness of Early Treatment With Oral Aciclovir in Adult Chickenpox." Pharmacoeconomics, May 1998;13(5 Part 2):645-651. According to the authors' abstract of an article published in Pharmacoeconomics,...

Gene Therapy of Cancer Using Adenovirus Vectors Expressing Cytokines.
July 13, 1998... "Gene Therapy of Cancer Using Adenovirus Vectors Expressing Cytokines." C.L. Addison, R.J. Parks, J. Bramson, M. Hiff, W.J. Muller, B. Putzer, J. Gauldie and F.L. Graham. Departments of Biology and Pathology, McMaster University, Hamilton,...

Adenovirus-Mediated Expression in Rat Liver of IL-4, But Not IL-10 or TGFb1, Induces Acute Lethal Hepatitis Partially Dependent on Enhanced Anti-Adenovirus Immune Responses.
July 13, 1998... "Adenovirus-Mediated Expression in Rat Liver of IL-4, But Not IL-10 or TGFb1, Induces Acute Lethal Hepatitis Partially Dependent on Enhanced Anti-Adenovirus Immune Responses." A. David, J. Chetriff, L. Tesson, C. Guillot, H. Coathalem, P....

Immuno/Gene Therapy of Colorectal Cancer Reaches the Clinical Trial Stage.
July 13, 1998... Early results from a clinical trial of a T cell gene therapy for colorectal cancer are promising. K.M. Hege, representing colleagues from Cell Genesys, the University of California, and Stanford University, California, explained the process...

Research Suggests Tumors May Actively Suppress Dendritic Cell Function.
July 13, 1998... Dendritic cells (DC) in the vicinity of cancers demonstrate minimal activation and express low levels of costimulator molecules; research suggests active suppression of DC functions by the tumor. David Gibbs, representing colleagues from the...

Boosting Immune Response Against HIV-1 Key To Controlling Infection.
July 13, 1998... Researchers have focused extensively on suppressing viral levels in AIDS patients. But to control HIV effectively, one group is emphasizing the need to boost the virus-killing capability of a small but potent group of immune cells, CD8 T cells,...

Vaccine Elicits Specific Responses in Breast Cancer Patients.
July 13, 1998... Using an anti-idiotype antibody that mimics the human milk fat globule (HMFG) antigen as a vaccine, researchers demonstrated specific immune responses in breast cancer patients. Dr. R.K. Munn, representing researchers from the University of...

Receptor-Mediated Gene Transfer using a Diphtheria Toxin-Derived Carrier Protein.
July 27, 1998... "Receptor-Mediated Gene Transfer using a Diphtheria Toxin-Derived Carrier Protein." C. Uherek, J. Fominaya, and W. Wels. Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Tumor Biology Center, Freiburg; Centro Nacional de Biotecoologia/Consejo Superior...

University of Pittsburgh To Study Method of Killing HIV.
July 27, 1998... The immune system of people infected with HIV might one day be taught how to identify and kill HIV, a University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, researcher said. The researcher announced plans to try the new approach to fighting AIDS at the 12th...

NCI Funds Ovarian Cancer Trial with Avax Immunotherapy.
July 27, 1998... Avax Technologies, Inc., Kansas City, Missouri, announced that the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG), funded by the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI), has voted to conduct a Phase I/II clinical study of the O-Vax vaccine in Stage 3 ovarian...

Phagocytosis Mediated by M. tb LAM is Characterized.
July 27, 1998... A mannose receptor-dependent phagocytosis mediated by Mycobacterium tuberculosis lipoarabinomannan has been characterized by researchers at the University of Iowa. "This model will be useful in further characterization of the intracellular...

Protocol for Long-Term Tolerance Shows Promise.
July 27, 1998... A strategy for achieving in mice long-lasting organ and tissue allografts without using immunosuppressants or irradiation might be applied in humans. Haruo Morita, Kansai Medical University, Osaka Japan, and colleagues presented a protocol for...

Researchers Investigate People Who Remain Uninfected with HIV.
July 27, 1998... People repeatedly exposed to HIV but not infected may have some kind of immune protection that allows their cells to resist invasion by the virus. What exactly this protection factor is remains a mystery, but researchers from the University of...

Combination of Monoclonal Antibodies Protects against Mortality.
July 27, 1998... The neutralization of both tumor necrosis factor (alpha) (TNF(alpha)) and Fas ligand (FasL) appears necessary to protect against graft-versus-disease (GVHD). Koichi Hattori, University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan, and colleagues studied...

Cytotoxic T-Cell Therapy May Be Useful for EBV-Positive Hodgkin's Disease.
July 27, 1998... The use of virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) may be beneficial in the treatment of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) positive Hodgkin's disease. To determine the feasibility of using EBV-specific CTLs to treat Hodgkin's disease, Marie A....

Adoptive Immunotherapy Slowed Some Tumor Growth.
July 27, 1998... A new treatment that activates a person's immune system appears to lead to remission in some patients with a common form of aggressive brain cancer, according to a Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, study published in the July 1998 issue of the...

Functional Subset of Donor CD8 Cells Inhibits Graft Rejection.
July 27, 1998... It may be possible to transfer marrow across genetic barriers. The use of Tc2-type subset of CD8 cells may inhibit marrow graft rejection without inducing an alloaggressive response, indicated Daniel H. Fowler and colleagues, U.S. National...

Progress Made Toward Gene Therapy for HIV Infection.
July 27, 1998... Scientists at the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) have reported their first findings from a novel study to determine whether virus-fighting immune cells can be genetically altered to boost the immune system's...

IL-10 Suppresses the Immune Stimulatory Potential of B7.1 and B7.2.
July 27, 1998... Interleukin-10 (IL-10) suppresses the immune stimulatory potential of melanoma cells retrovirally transduced with the costimulatory molecules B7.1 and B7.2. R. Dummer and colleagues from the University of Zurich Medical School, and the Basel...

Boosting with Vaccinia Increases Efficacy of Malaria DNA Vaccine.
July 27, 1998... Primary inoculation with DNA, followed by boosting with a recombinant vaccinia virus, increased the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a malaria vaccine. To enhance the efficacy of DNA malaria vaccines, Martha Sedegah and colleagues...

Thermally Stabilized Immunoconjugates: Conjugation of Antibodies to Alkaline Phosphatase Stabilized With Polymeric Cross-Linkers.
July 27, 1998... Bieniarz, C.; Young, D.F.; Cornwell, M.J. "Thermally Stabilized Immunoconjugates: Conjugation of Antibodies to Alkaline Phosphatase Stabilized With Polymeric Cross-Linkers." Bioconjugate Chemistry, May-June 1998;9(3):399-402. According to the...

Hepatitis B Immune Globulin: US Experience.
July 27, 1998... "Hepatitis B Immune Globulin: US Experience." T.L. Pruett. Charles O. Strickler Transplant Center, University of Virginia Health System, Virginia. According to an abstract submitted by the author to the American Liver Foundation, Hepatitis B...

Use of Cellular and Cytokine Adjuvants in the Immunotherapy of Cancer.
July 27, 1998... "Use of Cellular and Cytokine Adjuvants in the Immunotherapy of Cancer." Journal of Surgical Oncology, June 1998;68(2):122-138. According to the authors' abstract of an article published in Journal of Surgical Oncology, "Cellular and cytokine...

Global Surveillance for Antituberculosis-Drug Resistance, 1994-1997.
July 27, 1998... Pablosmendez, A.; Raviglione, M.C.; Laszlo, A.; Binkin, N.; Rieder, H.L.; Bustreo, F.; Cohn, D.L.; Lambregtsvanweezenbeek, C.S.B.; Kim, S.J.; Chaulet, P.; Nunn, P. "Global Surveillance for Antituberculosis-Drug Resistance, 1994-1997." New England...

Novel Immunotherapy for Melanoma: Results of Clinical Trials using Liposome-MTP-PE in Spontaneous Canine Melanoma.
July 27, 1998... "Novel Immunotherapy for Melanoma: Results of Clinical Trials using Liposome-MTP-PE in Spontaneous Canine Melanoma." E.G. MacEwen, I.D. Kurzman, D.M. Vail and K. Everlith. University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, Madison, Wisconsin....

Antiviral and Antimelanoma Immune Reactions in Patients Actively Immunized with Melanoma-NDV Oncolysates.
July 27, 1998... "Antiviral and Antimelanoma Immune Reactions in Patients Actively Immunized with Melanoma-NDV Oncolysates." A. Horak, J. Horvath, J. Sinkovics, S. Pendleton and M. Pritchard. Cancer Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital; The University of South...

Intention-to-Treat vs. On-Treatment Analyses of Clinical Trial Data: Experience From a Study of Pyrimethamine in the Primary Prophylaxis of Toxoplasmosis in HIV Infected Patients.
July 27, 1998... Chene, G.; Morlat, P.; Leport, C.; Hafner, R.; Dequae, L.; Charreau, I.; Aboulker, J.P.; Luft, B.; Aubertin, J.; Vilde, J.L.; Salamon, R. "Intention-to-Treat vs. On-Treatment Analyses of Clinical Trial Data: Experience From a Study of...

The Efficiency of B7-1 Modified Breast Cancer Vaccines is Impaired by Prostaglandin E[2] and Other Immunosuppressive Factors Produced by Tumor Cells.
July 27, 1998... "The Efficiency of B7-1 Modified Breast Cancer Vaccines is Impaired by Prostaglandin E[2] and Other Immunosuppressive Factors Produced by Tumor Cells." H.K.E. Boxhorn, R. Gutzmer, J.G. Smith, D. Guerry IV and S.L. Eck. Department of Medicine,...

GVHD and Prevention of Rejection May Be Separable Effects.
July 27, 1998... Graft-versus-host disease and prevention of graft rejection may be mediated by different populations of donor T cells. In allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, donor T cells that recognize recipient alloantigens prevent rejection, but they...