Hepatitis Weekly articles from April 2002

Hepatitis Weekly archives from April 2002

Study associates ultrasound with better survival in hepatocellular carcinoma.
April 1, 2002... 2002 APR 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - A multicenter investigation headed by researchers at National Taiwan University has linked the use of ultrasound with improved survival rates in patients at a...

Hepatitis E virus in Taiwan swine suggests age differential for infection.
April 1, 2002... 2002 APR 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Pigs in Taiwan tend to harbor active hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection during distinct periods of their lives, according to researchers at National Yang-Ming...

Carotid arteries subject to becoming clogged in hepatitis B virus carriers.
April 1, 2002... 2002 APR 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Physicians have now added hepatitis B virus (HBV) to the list of pathogens that may contribute to the onset of vascular disease. While several studies have...

Lamivudine effective for post-transplant hepatitis B reactivation.
April 1, 2002... 2002 APR 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - The antiretroviral drug lamivudine can quickly resolve hepatitis B reinfection after bone marrow transplantation (BMT), researchers in Japan report. ...

Orthopedic surgeon transmits hepatitis C virus to patient.
April 1, 2002... 2002 APR 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - One of the first cases of an orthopedic surgeon transmitting hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection to a patient has been reported in Germany. Although much as...

Transcription-mediated activation assay suitable for blood screening.
April 1, 2002... 2002 APR 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Researchers in California say that a novel assay for detecting and distinguishing between HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is suitable for use in blood...

New data demonstrate accuracy and reliability of Trugene HIV resistance test.
April 1, 2002... 2002 APR 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Visible Genetics, Inc., (VGIN) reported that data presented at the 9th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Seattle demonstrate that the Trugene HIV-1 Genotyping Kit is highly...

Phase II study of lead product candidate in hepatitis B patients initiated.
April 1, 2002... 2002 APR 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Achillion Pharmaceuticals, a privately held pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative anti-infective agents, announced the commencement of a phase...

Colorado bill would help emergency workers get benefits for hepatitis C.
April 1, 2002... 2002 APR 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- It might be too late for Pete Mazula, a Lakewood, Colorado, firefighter awaiting a liver transplant, but he is fighting to help ensure workers' compensation benefits to public safety workers who...

Institut Pasteur enters agreement to research treatments for hemorrhagic fever viruses.
April 1, 2002... 2002 APR 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Novirio Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., has announced that the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France, has set up a program to evaluate Novirio's extensive library of compounds for antiviral activity against several...

Canadian group announces small animal model for hepatitis C.
April 1, 2002... 2002 APR 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - A group in Canada says they have developed a way to study hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a more readily available and less costly animal model. HCV does not...

Hepatitis reactivation likely with autologous blood cell transplant.
April 8, 2002... 2002 APR 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Members of a research consortium in China say hepatitis B virus reactivation can be expected in many patients who receive autologous hematopoietic cell...

Combined vaccines effective, may mean better vaccine program adherence.
April 8, 2002... 2002 APR 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - The results of a Latin American study suggest it is safe and effective to administer diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type...

Genetic mutation may be marker for steatohepatitis, insulin resistance.
April 8, 2002... 2002 APR 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Genetic changes on an important cellular growth factor could be indicative of the risk for developing disorders associated with having nonalcoholic fatty liver...

For small liver tumors, surgical removal preferable for initial treatment.
April 8, 2002... 2002 APR 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Physicians in China have produced data indicating that resection of smaller sized hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) is the preferred method for initial treatment...

LabCorp introduces new suite of molecular assays for hepatitis.
April 8, 2002... 2002 APR 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings (LabCorp) announced an advanced suite of molecular assays developed to improve the management of patients with the hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C virus. ...

Phase III hepatitis B trial for Zadaxin shows positive results.
April 8, 2002... 2002 APR 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- SciClone Pharmaceuticals (SCLN) announced positive preliminary data from its phase III clinical trial in Japan using Zadaxin as a monotherapy treatment for hepatitis B. Preliminary data on...

Zadaxin with interferon has superior sustained response rates, data suggest.
April 8, 2002... 2002 APR 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- SciClone Pharmaceuticals announced that data presented at the World Congress of Gastroenterology in Bangkok, Thailand, indicate that, after an additional 12-month follow-up period for difficult to treat...

Nurse trainees in Taiwan face major risk for job-related transmissions.
April 8, 2002... 2002 APR 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Faculty members at National Yang-Ming University in Taiwan report more than 60% of student nurses have experienced needlestick injuries (NSI). In a new...

New drug therapy improves adherence and cure rate for hepatitis C.
April 8, 2002... 2002 APR 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The side effects with the standard hepatitis C therapy (interferon in combination with ribavirin) are so unpleasant that patients frequently abandon treatment, even though when left untreated hepatitis...

Continuing lamivudine when hepatitis B mutants arise could be risky.
April 15, 2002... 2002 APR 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Doctors who continue to prescribe lamivudine for their liver transplant patients when hepatitis B virus mutants arise may be placing them in harm's way. ...

Basiliximab appropriate for saving liver grafts in chronic hepatitis C.
April 15, 2002... 2002 APR 15 - (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.
April 15, 2002... 2002 APR 15 - (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,...

Drug cocktail may extend life in inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma.
April 15, 2002... 2002 APR 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - In cases where surgery cannot be performed for primary liver cancer, combination therapy that includes four well-known drugs may extend survival. Due to...

Virologic response associates with better quality of life in hepatitis C.
April 15, 2002... 2002 APR 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Sustained virologic response is crucial for improving the quality of life and getting patients with chronic hepatitis C to adhere to their treatment regimens...

Companies collaborate for separation and purification of recombinant proteins.
April 15, 2002... 2002 APR 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Gradipore, Ltd., (GDP) has entered into an agreement with Biomira Inc., for the separation and purification of recombinant proteins based upon Gradipore's platform separations technology, Gradiflow....

Gradiflow's manufacturer opens New York facility.
April 15, 2002... 2002 APR 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Gradipore, Inc., (GDP) announced the opening of a new office and laboratory facility in Hawthorne, New York. The new building, which is an extension of New York Medical College, houses both...

Vitex reports fourth quarter and year-end 2001 losses.
April 15, 2002... 2002 APR 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- V.I. Technologies, Inc., (VITX) announced losses in the fourth quarter and year-ended December 29, 2001. For the fourth quarter, V.I. Technologies Inc. (Vitex) reported a net loss of $1.9 million,...

Quest Diagnostics announces improved Heptimax HCV.
April 15, 2002... 2002 APR 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Quest Diagnostics, Inc., (DGX), launched a newly improved version of its ultra-sensitive Heptimax hepatitis C viral load test using Roche Diagnostics' COBAS TaqMan platform. Heptimax testing...

Renal recipients susceptible to hepatitis B mutants, chronic liver disease.
April 15, 2002... 2002 APR 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - In kidney transplant patients on long-term immunosuppression, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection sometimes leads to worsened liver illness or even liver...