AIDS Vaccine Week articles from September 2008

AIDS Vaccine Week archives from September 2008

Research from University of Melbourne in HIV/AIDS provides new insights.
September 1, 2008... "Effective immunotherapies for HIV are needed. Drug therapies are life-long with significant toxicities," scientists in Parkville, Australia report (see also HIV/AIDS). "Dendritic-cell based immunotherapy approaches are promising but...

Researchers from University of Melbourne provide details of new studies and findings in the area of HIV/AIDS.
September 1, 2008... "Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major health problem in sub-Saharan Africa, where prevalence is >= 8%, and is increasingly seen in African immigrants to developed countries. A retrospective audit of the medical records of 383...

Data on HIV/AIDS vaccines described by researchers at University of Wisconsin.
September 1, 2008... A new study, 'The hope for an HIV vaccine based on induction of CD8+ T lymphocytes--a review,' is now available. "The only long-term and cost-effective solution to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic in the developing world is a...

Personalized immunotherapy to fight HIV/AIDS.
September 1, 2008... This release is available in French. Montreal, August 13, 2008 u For a long time, the main obstacle to creating an AIDS vaccine has been the high genetic variability of the HIV virus. Dr. Jean-Pierre Routy and his team from the Research...

Shuyuan Zhang Joins VIRxSYS as Senior Director of Production.
September 1, 2008... VIRxSYS Corporation announced that Shuyuan Zhang, PhD, has joined the company as Senior Director of Production. Zhang will focus on the development and late stage GMP manufacture of lentiviral vectors and ex vivo patient CD4 T cell transduction...

Rare case explains why some infected with HIV remain symptom free without antiretroviral drugs.
September 8, 2008... AIDS experts at Johns Hopkins say they have compelling evidence that some people with HIV who for years and even decades show extremely low levels of the virus in their blood never progress to full-blown AIDS and remain symptom free even...

Recent findings in HIV/AIDS described by K. Babaahmady and colleagues.
September 8, 2008... In this recent study, researchers in London, the United Kingdom conducted a study "To elicit broadly neutralizing antibody activity by combining polyclonal human serum IgG antibodies with HIVgp120, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I or...

Reports from University of Massachusetts add new data to research in HIV/AIDS.
September 8, 2008... "The human monoclonal antibody b12 recognizes a conserved epitope on gp120 that overlaps the CD4 binding site. b12 has neutralizing activity against diverse human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) strains. However, we recently reported that...

Studies by B. Autran and co-authors describe new findings in HIV/AIDS.(Clinical report)
September 8, 2008... "Evaluate immunogenicity and clinical efficacy of two immunization strategies with the ALVAC-HIV-recombinant canarypox vaccine (vCP1452) in treated HIV-infected patients. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II study of vCP1452...

Studies in the area of HIV/AIDS reported from Harvard University.
September 8, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal AIDS, "Selection of specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-restricted cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) escape mutations in key Gag epitopes has been associated with loss of HIV immune control on...

Study findings from University of Witwatersrand provide new insights into HIV/AIDS.(Report)
September 8, 2008... "CCR5 has preferentially been used by all circulating HIV-1 subtype C viruses for cell entry. Recently, we reported the highest proportion of CXCR4-utilizing primary isolates among a cohort of 20 South African AIDS patients," researchers in...

Research conducted at Tokyo University has provided new information about DNA research.
September 8, 2008... Data detailed in 'Effects of menstrual cycle on gene transfection through mouse vagina for DNA vaccine' have been presented. According to recent research published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics, "Human immunodeficiency virus...

Studies from Kumamoto University, Center for AIDS Research yield new data on HIV/AIDS vaccines.
September 8, 2008... Investigators publish new data in the report 'Identification and characterization of HLA-B*5401-restricted HIV-1-Nef and Pol-specific CTL epitopes.' "The identification of HIV-1 cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes presented by each HLA allele...

NIAID describes challenges, prospects for an HIV vaccine.
September 8, 2008... Events of the past year in HIV vaccine research have led some to question whether an effective HIV vaccine will ever be developed. In the August 28 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, officials from the National Institute of Allergy...

Greenway Medical Technologies Advances Industry Leadership With Participation in Public Health Information Network's Interoperability Showcase Sponsored by the CDC.
September 8, 2008... Greenway Medical Technologies Inc., a leading provider of single-database, fully integrated electronic health record (EHR), practice management and interoperability solutions, is currently participating in the 2008 Public Health Information...

Recent findings in HIV/AIDS described by researchers from University of Washington.
September 15, 2008... "Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) mutations that confer escape from cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) recognition can sometimes result in lower viral fitness. These mutations can then revert upon transmission to a new host in the absence...

Reports on HIV/AIDS findings from University of Alabama provide new insights.
September 15, 2008... According to recent research published in the Journal of Virology, "A phase 1 clinical vaccine study of a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vaccine regimen comprising a DNA prime formulation (5-valent env and monovalent gag) followed...

Studies from R.D. Astronomo and co-researchers in the area of HIV/AIDS published.
September 15, 2008... "The glycan shield of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp120 contributes to viral evasion from humoral immune responses. However, the shield is recognized by the HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibody (Ab), 2G12, at a relatively...

Studies from R.J. Luallen and colleagues reveal new findings on HIV/AIDS.
September 15, 2008... According to recent research published in the Journal of Virology, "The glycan shield of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope (Env) protein serves as a barrier to antibody-mediated neutralization and plays a critical role in...

New immunodeficiency data have been reported by researchers at Colorado State University.(Report)
September 15, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Immune dysregulation initiated by a profound loss of CD4+ T-cells is fundamental to HIV-induced pathogenesis. Infection of domestic cats with a non-pathogenic lentivirus prevalent in the...

Research from University of Alabama provides new data on virology.
September 15, 2008... "In a study of 114 epidemiologically linked Zambian transmission pairs, we evaluated the impact of human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA-I)-associated amino acid polymorphisms, presumed to reflect cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) escape in Gag and...

Charite University, Institute of Microbiology and Hygiene reports research in HIV/AIDS.
September 15, 2008... Fresh data on HIV/AIDS are presented in the report 'A functional Toll-like receptor 8 variant is associated with HIV disease restriction.' "Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in the innate immune response to pathogens. TLR8 has...

Data on HIV/AIDS vaccines published by researchers at University of Toronto.
September 15, 2008... Data detailed in 'CD40L expressed from the canarypox vector, ALVAC, can boost immunogenicity of HIV-1 canarypox vaccine in mice and enhance the in vitro expansion of viral specific CD8+ T cell memory responses from HIV-1-infected and...

Anadis Commercializing "BioGard" Adjunctive Therapy for HIV & AIDS.
September 15, 2008... Anadis (ASX: ANX; OTC: ANDIY) announced its commercialization of a new product, BioGard(TM), intended to maintain gastrointestinal and immune system health. The specific formulation may be of particular clinical benefit in persons undergoing...

FDA Approves First Hepatitis B Viral Load Test.
September 15, 2008... The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Roche COBAS(R) TaqMan(R) HBV Test, the first assay for quantitating Hepatitis B Virus DNA approved in the U.S. The test uses Roche's real-time PCR technology to quantify the amount of...

Southern Research Institute Wins $14.7 Million NIH Award to Participate in Molecular Libraries Probe Production Center Network.
September 15, 2008... Southern Research Institute announced that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has selected the organization to participate in the newly-funded Molecular Libraries Probe Production Center Network (MLPCN). The MLPCN -- a collaborative...

Gladstone scientists identify genetic link that may neutralize HIV.
September 22, 2008... Scientists from the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology (GIVI) and the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) have identified a gene that may influence the production of antibodies that neutralize HIV. This...

Study reveals link between Apobec3 gene and neutralizing antibody response to retrovirus.
September 22, 2008... Scientists have uncovered new evidence that strengthens the link between a host-cell gene called Apobec3 and the production of neutralizing antibodies to retroviruses. Published in the Sept. 5 issue of Science, the finding adds a new dimension...

Research in the area of gene therapy reported from University of Regensburg.
September 22, 2008... According to a study from Regensburg, Germany, "Trans-dominant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Gag derivatives have been shown to efficiently inhibit late steps of HIV-1 replication in vitro by interfering with Gag precursor...

University of Cape Town, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences reports research in DNA vaccines.
September 22, 2008... Researchers detail in 'HIV-1 subtype C Pr55gag virus-like particle vaccine efficiently boosts baboons primed with a matched DNA vaccine,' new data in dna. "A DNA vaccine expressing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) southern African...

New HIV Protection for Women.
September 22, 2008... Vaginal rings, similar to those used for contraception and hormone replacement therapy, could protect women from sexually-transmitted HIV, according to research presented at the British Pharmaceutical Conference (BPC) in Manchester (see also...

Calvin B. Johnson, MD, MPH, Appointed Vice President & Chief Medical Officer for Temple University Health System.
September 22, 2008... Calvin B. Johnson, MD, MPH, has been appointed Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Temple University Health System (TUHS), effective October 15, 2008. Johnson has served as Secretary of Health for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania since...

A potential approach to treatment of hepatitis B virus infection.
September 22, 2008... Eukaryotic cells employ multiple strategies of checkpoint signaling and DNA repair mechanisms to monitor and repair damaged DNA. There are two branches in the checkpoint response pathwayuataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) and ATM-Rad3-related...

Behavioral intervention works to reduce risky behavior.
September 29, 2008... In an effort to curb the rising rates of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) along the Mexico-US border, a binational team of researchers led by the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have shown that brief but...

Data on HIV/AIDS reported by S. Gupta and co-researchers.
September 29, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Immunology, "The mechanism of the T-cell response and cytokine induction to restrict human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) infection is not clear. During early infection, HIV-infected...

Industry Pioneer Joins Profectus BioSciences to Support Innovation in Therapeutic and Preventative Vaccines.
September 29, 2008... Profectus BioSciences Inc., a biotechnology company that develops therapeutic and preventative technologies to reduce the morbidity and mortality of viral diseases, announced the appointment of Dr. William Haseltine, PhD, to the company's board...

Why some primates, but not humans, can live with immunodeficiency viruses and not progress to AIDS.
September 29, 2008... Key differences in immune system signaling and the production of specific immune regulatory molecules may explain why some primates are able to live with an immunodeficiency virus infection without progressing to AIDS-like illness, unlike other...

Successful Results for Mymetics Corporation's Mucosal HIV/AIDS Vaccine Viral Challenge Significantly Exceeds Expectations.
September 29, 2008... Mymetics Corporation (OTCBB: MYMX), a vaccine development company, is pleased to announce their preliminary SHIV challenge results on non-human primates previously immunized with the Company's mucosal HIV-AIDS vaccine designed for triggering...