Bioterrorism Week articles from September 2003

Bioterrorism Week archives from September 2003

Vaccine provides lifelong immunity.
September 1, 2003... 2003 SEP 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- More than 90% of people vaccinated for smallpox might retain lifetime immunity to vaccinia, the virus used to vaccinate against the disease, Mark Slifka and colleagues report. The researchers...

A fluorescent immunoassay can detect enterotoxin B better than ELISA.
September 1, 2003... 2003 SEP 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A fluorescence based immunoassay can detect staphylococcal enterotoxin B four times faster than ELISA. According to recent research published in the journal Molecular and Cellular Probes, "The...

Disaster relief fund in jeopardy.
September 1, 2003... 2003 SEP 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Over the past year, the American Red Cross spent $114.3 million from its Disaster Relief Fund to provide assistance to victims of more than 3,300 disasters throughout the United States and its...

George Mason University to collaborate on probiotics research.
September 1, 2003... 2003 SEP 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- George Mason University's National Center for Biodefense has teamed with Ganeden Biotech, Inc., to investigate potential probiotics and immune system therapies. The research involves antimicrobial...

Company expands Ramoplanin program with launch of infection control study.
September 1, 2003... 2003 SEP 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The clinical development program for Genome Therapeutics' (GENE) product candidate, Ramoplanin, has been expanded to investigate the role of the novel antibiotic in controlling the spread of important...

Voluntary shots may not protect.
September 1, 2003... 2003 SEP 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Leaving smallpox vaccinations up to individual Americans could result in many more deaths in the event of terrorist attack, according to a study. The result could be an increase of between 22% and...

Encephalitis is complication of smallpox vaccination.
September 1, 2003... 2003 SEP 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Encephalitis is a complication of smallpox vaccination that can be prevented by gamma globulin injection. "A smallpox vaccination program has been initiated. The vaccine is a live virus that was...

Many aspects of smallpox vaccination reviewed.
September 1, 2003... 2003 SEP 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A review of smallpox vaccination, including background information, vaccination technique, normal vaccination and revaccination, and expected normal reactions, has been published in a recent issue of...

Bacillus spores show promise for vaccine delivery.
September 1, 2003... 2003 SEP 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Bacillus spores show promise for vaccine delivery. "Spores of the genus Bacillus have been used for a long time as probiotics for oral bacteriotherapy both in humans and in animals. Spores are also...

Laboratory aspects of bioterrorism-related anthrax reviewed.
September 8, 2003... 2003 SEP 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The laboratory aspects of bioterrorism-related anthrax, from identification to microbial forensics, have been reviewed in a recent issue of the Croatian Medical Journal. According to a study from...

New generation of vaccines to be tested.
September 8, 2003... 2003 SEP 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Two new investigational smallpox vaccines will be studied as part of a clinical trial starting soon at St. Louis University's Center for Vaccine Development. St. Louis University is the only location in...

Exclusive license granted for TIAX non-toxic decontaminant foam.
September 8, 2003... 2003 SEP 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- U.S. Global Nanospace, Inc., (USGA) announced it was chosen to enter into an exclusive patent and license agreement for Chem/Bio Decontaminant Foam with TIAX, a leading collaborative product and...

Marines contract for portable device to detect bioterrorism agents.
September 8, 2003... 2003 SEP 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Implant Sciences Corp. (IMX) has been contracted by the U.S. Marine Corps to develop a field-portable instrument capable of quickly detecting and identifying a wide range of chemical warfare agents in...

Indian company says it is developing new vaccine.
September 8, 2003... 2003 SEP 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- An Indian company says it is conducting trials for an anthrax vaccine that will be safer and cheaper than the vaccine currently used around the world and that it hopes to begin selling by March 2004....

Pilot manufacturing facility for bacterial vaccines planned in Massachusetts.
September 8, 2003... 2003 SEP 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Avant Immunotherapeutics, Inc., (AVAN) announced that it has reached agreement with MassDevelopment for Avant to occupy and build out a process development and pilot-manufacturing facility in...

Hospitals falling short in updating Colorado disease database.
September 8, 2003... 2003 SEP 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Colorado hospitals and other health organizations are not regularly updating a state database that tracks diseases such as anthrax, cholera, and the plague, state auditors said on August 18, 2003. ...

Eligen technology company provides second quarter update, including collaboration news.
September 8, 2003... 2003 SEP 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Emisphere Technologies, Inc., (EMIS) announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2003. The company also provided an update on development programs involving its proprietary...

IRH-focused pharmaceutical company converts debentures into common stock.
September 8, 2003... 2003 SEP 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Hollis-Eden Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (HEPH) has converted all of its remaining outstanding debentures into 1,675,581 shares of common stock, including accrued interest. The $10 million original...

General Physics leads bioterrorism prep for Tennessee Department of Health.
September 8, 2003... 2003 SEP 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- General Physics Corp. (GP), a subsidiary of GP Strategies Corp. (GPX), has just completed the third phase of their bioterrorism preparedness services contract for the Tennessee Department of Health. ...

ImmuneRegen, DoD researching potential treatments for radiation exposure.
September 8, 2003... 2003 SEP 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- GPN Network, Inc., (GPNW) recently announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, ImmuneRegen BioSciences, Inc., a research and development biotechnology company, is cofunding research with the U.S....

FDA unveils strategic action plan to protect and advance America's health.
September 8, 2003... 2003 SEP 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In a comprehensive strategic action plan entitled "Protecting and Advancing America's Health: A Strategic Action Plan for the 21st Century," the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has outlined...

Indoor air quality experts can analyze indoor environmental health problems.
September 8, 2003... 2003 SEP 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Experts on building investigation at Air Quality Sciences, Inc., have developed an innovative technique to chemically analyze dust in buildings that can effectively track down the sources of difficult...

Low-dose sulfur mustard initiates oxidative burst and apoptosis of leukocytes.
September 8, 2003... 2003 SEP 8 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Low doses of sulfur mustard such as might be left on skin initiate oxidative burst and apoptosis of leukocytes. According to a study from the United States, "Although considerable work has focused...

Pathology and pathogenesis of inhalational anthrax reviewed.
September 15, 2003... 2003 SEP 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The pathology and pathogenesis of bioterrorism-related inhalational anthrax has been reviewed in a recent issue of the American Journal of Pathology. "During October and November 2001, public...

Vaccinia-neutralization assay based on reporter-gene expression developed.
September 15, 2003... 2003 SEP 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers have developed a novel vaccinia-neutralization assay based on reporter-gene expression. "In anticipation of large-scale smallpox vaccination, clinical trials of new vaccine candidates...

Superior results reported with CAP vaccines.
September 15, 2003... 2003 SEP 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (BISP) announced results of several studies demonstrating the superiority of its innovative calcium phosphate nanoparticulate (CAP) vaccine adjuvant and delivery system,...

Self-assembling silicon particles are first step toward tiny robots.
September 15, 2003... 2003 SEP 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Chemists at the University of California, San Diego, have developed minute grains of silicon that spontaneously assemble, orient, and sense their local environment, a first step toward the development...

ABthrax wins fast-track designation.
September 15, 2003... 2003 SEP 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Human Genome Sciences, Inc., (HGSI) announced that it has received a fast track product designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for ABthrax (PA mAb), a drug for the prevention of...

Bioterrorism-focused joint venture agreement extended.
September 15, 2003... 2003 SEP 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Meditech Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (MDCH) announced that Elan Group, Ltd., Meditech's joint venture partner, and Meditech have agreed to extend the term of their joint venture agreement until Dec. 5,...

CDC official: Nebraska's health system is model for country.
September 15, 2003... 2003 SEP 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A top official from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says he is impressed with the cooperation among Nebraska's private and public health systems, its universities, government,...

Agreement signed with SAIC to pursue nanotechnology-enabled systems.
September 15, 2003... 2003 SEP 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Nanosys, Inc., announced that it has signed a master marketing and business development agreement with SAIC. Under the agreement, SAIC will fund selected research and development efforts at...

Biochip company names Danley director, homeland security, defense programs.
September 15, 2003... 2003 SEP 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Acacia Research Corporation (CBMX, ACTG) announced that David L. Danley, Colonel (ret.) U.S. Army, has joined CombiMatrix Corporation as its director, Homeland Security and Defense Programs. ...

SIGA consummates previously announced transaction.
September 15, 2003... 2003 SEP 15 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- SIGA Technologies, Inc., (SIGA) has entered into a definitive purchase agreement with MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings, Inc., a corporation wholly owned by Ronald O. Perelman, pursuant to which MacAndrews...

Dual-action vaccine more effective than current vaccine in early tests.
September 22, 2003... 2003 SEP 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital have created a vaccine that delivers a one-two punch to anthrax and could become a powerful defensive weapon against bioterrorism....

September 11 victim identification project results in new software.
September 22, 2003... 2003 SEP 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In the aftermath of the tragedy of September 11, 2001, there was no software in the world capable of managing the overwhelming task of compiling, sorting, managing, and matching thousands of DNA...

Mouse study gives new view of toxin.
September 22, 2003... 2003 SEP 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A large-scale study of anthrax in mice has yielded new information about immune system response to anthrax bacteria, according to scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases...

Firm negotiates vaccine rights.
September 22, 2003... 2003 SEP 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Shares of VaxGen, Inc., surged after the biotechnology company announced it was negotiating to sell rights to its experimental anthrax vaccine in the United Kingdom. No deal has been made, and the...

Is it inhaled anthrax or flu?
September 22, 2003... 2003 SEP 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers have identified key symptoms that may help distinguish inhalational anthrax from the flu and other common respiratory conditions in the event of a bioterrorist attack, according to a new...

Meditech and Elan Bio Dynamics enter joint venture.
September 22, 2003... 2003 SEP 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Meditech Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (MDCH) announced that Elan Bio Dynamics Ltd., Bio-D-Tec, Inc., and Meditech have signed a shareholders' agreement that sets forth the ownership of the new entity. ...

HHS announces new regional centers for biodefense initiatives.
September 22, 2003... 2003 SEP 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy G. Thompson has announced grants totaling approximately $350 million spread over 5 years to establish eight Regional Centers of Excellence for...

Millions of smallpox vaccine doses delivered to U.S. stockpile.
September 22, 2003... 2003 SEP 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Acambis plc confirmed that it has successfully completed the production, filling, and quality control testing of all 155 million doses of ACAM2000 smallpox vaccine required under its principal contract...

Fe-TAML activators decontaminate anthrax simulant.
September 29, 2003... 2003 SEP 29 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Carnegie Mellon University scientists have announced that one of their powerful, environmentally friendly catalysts called Fe-TAMLR activators has the potential to become an important cleanup tool for...

Researchers develop system to detect biowarfare agents on navy ships.
September 29, 2003... 2003 SEP 29 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- An Ohio State University professor is part of a team that developed a new protocol that the U.S. Navy now uses to detect biowarfare (BW) agents, such as anthrax, aboard its ships. "Until mid-2002,...

Most physicians willing to serve but unready for bioterrorism.
September 29, 2003... 2003 SEP 29 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A survey of 1000 physicians found that four out of five were willing to care for victims of a bioterrorist attack, but only one out of five felt well prepared for such a role. Despite the...

Shortage of clinical laboratory scientists could stymie emergency response.
September 29, 2003... 2003 SEP 29 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A shortage of clinical laboratory scientists, the behind-the-scenes medical professionals who perform and interpret laboratory tests, is so severe that it could compromise the quality of the U.S....

Anthrax vaccine to be manufactured and marketed in the U.K.
September 29, 2003... 2003 SEP 29 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- VaxGen, Inc., (VXGN) and the Health Protection Agency (HPA) for England and Wales have signed a binding letter of intent (LOI) to negotiate terms under which VaxGen would license U.K. rights to, and...

Biodefense proteomics collaboration receives NIAID funding.
September 29, 2003... 2003 SEP 29 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc., (CIPH) announced that the University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston (UTMB) and Ciphergen have received funding from the National Institute of Health (NIAID) to develop...

Detecting chemical threats with "intelligent" networks.
September 29, 2003... 2003 SEP 29 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Prototype microsensor arrays connected to artificial neural networks - computer models that "learn" - can reliably identify trace amounts of toxic gases in seconds, well before concentration levels...

Kakadumycins show promise for treatment of anthrax and malaria.
September 29, 2003... 2003 SEP 29 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Kakadumycin antibiotics show great promise for the treatment of numerous infectious diseases, including anthrax and malaria. In a recent study from the United States, "an endophytic streptomycete...

Centrex CEO named to board of directors at biotech company.
September 29, 2003... 2003 SEP 29 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Centrex, Inc., (CNEX) and Bio-Defense Research Group, Inc., (BDRGI) announced that they have entered into a strategic alliance to explore the joint applications, development, and marketing of their...