Hepatitis Weekly articles from January 2002

Hepatitis Weekly archives from January 2002

Testosterone Affects HBV-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk In Men.
January 7, 2002... 2002 JAN 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - A new Japanese study suggests sex hormones influence the formation of primary liver cancer, or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in men infected with hepatitis B...

Gold Powder Might Replace Needle-Sticks In The Future.
January 7, 2002... 2002 JAN 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - The rush for gold in the U.S. may be on again if a new vaccine delivery system developed at PowderJect Vaccines, Inc., pans out. PowderJect researchers...

Study Review Cites Low Risk For Hepatitis A In Workers With Sewage Exposure.
January 7, 2002... 2002 JAN 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Citing information gathered from a systematic review of 17 studies, researchers in Switzerland have concluded workers exposed to sewage stand very little risk...

Pentavalent Vaccine Could Weaken Hepatitis B Vaccination Efforts.
January 7, 2002... 2002 JAN 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - A new survey of pediatricians in the U.S. suggests efforts to increase compliance with hepatitis B vaccine recommendations could weaken if a pentavalent vaccine...

Interferon-(alpha) Useful For Extrahepatic Hepatitis C Virus Infections.
January 7, 2002... 2002 JAN 7 - (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...

Agreement Will Share Profit From AIDS Drug With Samoan Healers.
January 7, 2002... 2002 JAN 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The families of two Samoan women who passed on knowledge of a tree's healing powers will share in profits from any AIDS drug developed from the rainforest plant. In an agreement announced December...

Phase II Results Show Inactine Effectively Treats Red Blood Cells.
January 7, 2002... 2002 JAN 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- V.I. Technologies, Inc., (Vitex) announced results of a Phase II study of its Inactine Pathogen Inactivation System for red cells at the December 2001 American Society of Hematology meeting. The...

Red Cross, FDA Face January Hearing.
January 7, 2002... 2002 JAN 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A federal judge set a January hearing on the government's effort to impose severe fines on the Red Cross over violations of blood safety rules. At the same time, Judge John Garrett Penn directed the...

New Theory On Origin Of AIDS Proposed.
January 7, 2002... 2002 JAN 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Could a relatively harmless monkey virus called simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) have mutated into the deadly AIDS virus as a result of the repeated use of unsterilized hypodermic needles among 23...

AAMC Issues New Guidelines On Financial Conflicts Of Interest.
January 7, 2002... 2002 JAN 7 - (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...

New Anti-Hepatitis B Product Seeks Approval In Canada.
January 7, 2002... 2002 JAN 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cangene Corp. (CNJ) has filed a New Drug Submission for its anti-hepatitis B hyperimmune in Canada. The submission follows a U.S. licensing application filed earlier this year, and seeks Health...

ICN Pharmaceuticals Pleads Guilty To Securities Fraud For Virazole.
January 7, 2002... 2002 JAN 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- ICN Pharmaceuticals, Inc., has agreed to plead guilty to one count of federal securities fraud and pay a $5.6 million fine for failing to disclose that its drug ribavirin would not be approved as a sole...

Entecavir Effective For Virus Reduction In Duck Model Of Hepatitis.
January 14, 2002... 2002 JAN 14 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - A potentially potent antiviral agent has demonstrated effectiveness against a duck model of human hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The agent, entecavir,...

Cross-Reactive Memory Cells Recognize HCV Peptides After Influenza Exposure.
January 14, 2002... 2002 JAN 14 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Vaccine developers need to keep in mind that cross-reactive memory cells can form in human hosts, producing an immune response to antigens the host has not...

HIV Enhances Risk For Hepatitis C When Sexual Transmission Sole Risk Factor.
January 14, 2002... 2002 JAN 14 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Hoping to shed new light on the role of sexual transmission in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, medical investigators in Naples, Italy, have produced data...

Hepatitis C Virus And Rift Valley Fever Epidemics.
January 14, 2002... 2002 JAN 14 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michelle Marble, senior medical writer - "Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an extremely prevalent infection in the United States population," stated Beth P. Bell, MD, MPH, National Center for Infectious...

Study Examines Hepatitis B and C Virus Prevalence In Thailand Minorities.
January 14, 2002... 2002 JAN 14 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Epidemiologists have produced one of the first studies to examine the prevalence of hepatitis B and C virus (HBV, HCV) infections among ethnic minorities...

Phase I Data Of ACH-126,443 For Hepatitis B And HIV Presented.
January 14, 2002... 2002 JAN 14 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Achillion Pharmaceuticals presented the results of its Phase I study of ACH-126,443 (beta-L-Fd4C), an L-nucleoside analog with potent in vitro activity against both chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and human...

Metabasis Forms Scientific Advisory Board.
January 14, 2002... 2002 JAN 14 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Metabasis Therapeutics, Inc., has completed the formation of its scientific advisory board (SAB). The SAB will help the company to deliver on the promise of its growing pipeline of products for...

Alcohol Consumption Compromises HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients.
January 14, 2002... 2002 JAN 14 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michelle Marble, senior medical writer - "Hazardous drinking may be associated with increased HIV-1 RNA viral load and lower CD4 counts in persons with HIV with and without hepatitis C virus (HCV)...

New Antivirals And Anti-Infective Agents Presented At ICAAC.
January 14, 2002... 2002 JAN 14 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company recently presented clinical data on atazanavir, a novel protease inhibitor, and des-F(6)quinolone (BMS 284756) - investigational compounds to treat HIV/AIDS and community...

General Accounting Office Probes Tainted Medical Research.
January 14, 2002... 2002 JAN 14 - (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...

Positive Prophylaxis Data Announced At Conference.
January 14, 2002... 2002 JAN 14 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Dynavax Technologies and its partner, Triangle Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced positive results for a Phase I/II trial for hepatitis B prophylaxis at the 41st annual meeting of the Interscience...

XTL Updates Lactoferrin-Derived Peptide Program.
January 14, 2002... 2002 JAN 14 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- XTL Biopharmaceuticals, Ltd.'s, human lactoferrin peptide research program, originally initiated with Pharming Group, NV, in November 2000, has been extended with AM-Pharma, BV, a recently established...

Keys To A Safer Work Environment: Postexposure Prophylaxis And Prevention.
January 14, 2002... 2002 JAN 14 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michelle Marble, senior medical writer - Although accidents happen, those that happen in the healthcare setting can be life threatening. Providing safety devices and knowing what to do and when to...

HIV Infection Prolongs Hepatitis A Viremia.
January 21, 2002... 2002 JAN 21 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Infection with HIV has a significant impact on the course of hepatitis A, according to researchers in the United States and Japan. Setsuko Ida and...

Antivirals Worsen, Cause Sarcoidosis In Chronic Hepatitis C Cases.
January 21, 2002... 2002 JAN 21 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Physicians in Spain have reported antiviral therapies given to patients with chronic hepatitis C can cause or exacerbate sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis often...

Antibodies Protect Liver Graft Recipients From Viral Reactivation.
January 21, 2002... 2002 JAN 21 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Patients receiving livers that were once infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) can be prevented from acquiring viral infection themselves by receiving...

HIV Aggravates Chronic Hepatitis C In Injection Drug Users.
January 21, 2002... 2002 JAN 21 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Being coinfected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can worsen the symptoms of chronic hepatitis C in injection drug users, medical researchers have...

Red Cross Appeals For Blood.
January 21, 2002... 2002 JAN 21 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Just months after a post-September 11 surge of blood donations, the American Red Cross is warning that supplies are running low. Most of the Red Cross' 36 regional blood centers have half their...

Esoterix Introduces HCVComplete Testing For Hepatitis C.
January 21, 2002... 2002 JAN 21 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Esoterix Infectious Disease Center has launched HCVComplete, a Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) testing program. "HCVComplete provides an avenue for physicians to order any combination of tests that will...

Trugene Genotyping Technology Effective For Hepatitis B And C.
January 21, 2002... 2002 JAN 21 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Visible Genetics, Inc., presented results of comparative studies using its Trugene hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotyping tests December 2001 at the Frontiers in Drug...

Phase I/II Data Of LdT Presented At Conference.
January 21, 2002... 2002 JAN 21 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Novirio Pharmaceuticals announced the results from the first human study of LdT, a new treatment for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, at the 41st annual meeting of the Interscience Conference...

Circulating Protein Antigen And Its Antibodies Denote Liver Cancer.
January 21, 2002... 2002 JAN 21 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - The p53 gene is best known for its role in preventing cancer. New evidence suggests circulating levels of serum p53 protein and anti-p53 antibody represent a...

Supplement Lipokinetix Linked To Liver Failure Death In Oregon.
January 21, 2002... 2002 JAN 21 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- State health officials confirmed that an Oregon woman died after taking the dietary supplement Lipokinetix, which helped lead to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration warning about the supplement. ...

Tumor Necrosis Factor Highly Expressed In Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.
January 21, 2002... 2002 JAN 21 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - The gene for an important cytokine is highly expressed in the tissues of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), suggesting the possibility of using...

Genetic Mutations Not A Factor For Iron Accumulation In Hepatic Disease.
January 28, 2002... 2002 JAN 28 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Scientists seeking to link iron accumulation with mutations on a particular gene in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) have decided there is no...

Hepatitis C Genotypes Among The French Changes Because Of Drug Use.
January 28, 2002... 2002 JAN 28 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - A French study suggests hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in that country have changed over the past several years because of a rise in intravenous drug use....

Long-Term Methotrexate Aggravates, May Cause Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.
January 28, 2002... 2002 JAN 28 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Certain patients who use methotrexate over long periods of time to treat their psoriasis run the risk of developing a form of liver disease known as...

Reinforced Hepatitis B Vaccine Schedule Fails In Organ Recipients.
January 28, 2002... 2002 JAN 28 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - A reinforced hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine schedule that is believed to prevent posttransplantation infection in liver transplant recipients has failed in a...

Vaccine Failure Rate In Segment Of Chinese Population Elucidated.
January 28, 2002... 2002 JAN 28 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - A Chinese investigation of vaccine escape mutants in adults indicates the vaccine failure rate following hepatitis B virus (HBV) immunization in adults is low...

Antiviral Therapies Promise Significant Treatment Rewards.
January 28, 2002... 2002 JAN 28 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Decision Resources, Inc., announced the publication of "Hepatitis B Virus," a new study that explains why, despite considerable progress in the prevention and treatment of this disease, the hepatitis B...

Epimmune and Genencor Announce HBV Vaccine Candidate.
January 28, 2002... 2002 JAN 28 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genencor International, Inc. (GCOR) and Epimmune, Inc. (EPMN) have identified an EpiGene clinical product candidate for the lead program in their collaboration, a therapeutic hepatitis B vaccine. ...

Physicians Say All Babies Need Hepatitis Vaccine.
January 28, 2002... 2002 JAN 28 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- All U.S. newborns should be vaccinated against hepatitis B before leaving the hospital to protect against possible disease from infected mothers, doctors recommend. Previously, giving the shots in...

Positive Phase III Results From Novel Two-Dose Vaccine Reported.
January 28, 2002... 2002 JAN 28 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Rhein Biotech, N.V., and Corixa Corporation announced positive preliminary efficacy results of a Phase III clinical trial with a novel two-dose hepatitis B vaccine. The new vaccine is based on...

Lilly and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Select Novel Oral Compound.
January 28, 2002... 2002 JAN 28 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Eli Lilly and Co. (LLY) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (VRTX) have selected LY570310 (VX-950), a novel small-molecule protease inhibitor for the potential treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV)...

Phase II Trial Of Actimmune As Antifibrotic Therapy Initiated.
January 28, 2002... 2002 JAN 28 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- InterMune, Inc., announced that it has begun enrolling patients in its Phase II clinical trial of Actimmune (interferon (gamma)-1b) injection for the treatment of severe liver fibrosis, or cirrhosis,...

United Kingdom Launches Infectious Diseases Strategy.
January 28, 2002... 2002 JAN 28 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The United Kingdom Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson has announced plans for a new National Infection Control and Health Protection Agency to streamline the services involved in the prevention...