Anti-Infectives Week articles from March 2003

Anti-Infectives Week archives from March 2003

IL-28, IL-29 are induced by virus and act through an IL-10 receptor.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- "Cytokines play a critical role in modulating the innate and adaptive immune systems. Here, we have identified from the human genomic sequence a family of three cytokines, designated interleukin 28A...

Lactoferrin and fluconazole have synergistic fungicidal activity.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- "In light of the need for new antifungal regimens, we report that at noncandidacidal concentrations, the lactoferrin-derived peptide hLF(1-11), which is highly active against fluconazole-resistant...

Three IFN-lambdas act through a distinct class II cytokine receptor complex.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Recent research from the United States reports "the identification of a ligand-receptor system that, upon engagement, leads to the establishment of an antiviral state. Three closely positioned genes on...

Ceftazidime use raises risk of resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in Taiwan.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ceftazidime treatment may heighten the risk of developing drug-resistant pneumonia, researchers in Taiwan warn. M.F. Lin and colleagues at Hsin-Chu Hospital conducted a study "to find the risk...

Phenothiazines, thioxanthenes block S. aureus drug efflux.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Researchers have identified two classes of agents that inhibit staphyloccal drug efflux. "Efflux-related multidrug resistance (MDR) is a significant means...

Micrologix completes full enrollment in pivotal phase III trial of MBI 226.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Micrologix Biotech, Inc., (MGIXF), in collaboration with Fujisawa Healthcare, Inc., has completed patient enrollment in the phase III clinical trial of MBI 226, a novel, topical, antimicrobial peptide...

Human CMV UL97, an antiviral drug target, is required at nuclear egress.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- According to recent research from the United States, "Human cytomegalovirus encodes an unusual protein kinase, UL97, that activates the established antiviral drug ganciclovir and is specifically...

Development cytomegalovirus vaccine announced.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Vical, Inc., (VICL) announced that a DNA-based vaccine against cytomegalovirus (CMV) will be its first independent development program focused on infectious diseases. Currently, there is no...

Routine microbiological diagnostics unnecessary for community-acquired pneumonia.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- "Current guidelines recommend microbiological diagnostic procedures as a part of the management of patients hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), but the value of such efforts has been...

RWJ-54428 effective against several forms of drug resistance.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Researchers in California have provided new information about a novel antibiotic active against several drug-resistant pathogens. RWJ-54428 "is a new...

Company responds to FluMist complete response letter.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- MedImmune, Inc., (MEDI) announced that it has completed the submission of information requested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for FluMist (Influenza virus vaccine live, intranasal), an...

Novel triterpenes derived from Caloncoba echinata.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers in Denmark have identified a trio of plant-derived anti-malarial agents. "Three novel triterpenes, (11R,20R)-11,20-dihydroxy-24-dammaren-3-one (1),...

Company transfuses initial patients in both phase III trials for Inactine.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- V.I. Technologies (Vitex), Inc., (VITX) announced that it is actively transfusing patients in the two pivotal, phase III clinical studies of the Inactine Pathogen Reduction System for red blood cells....

Pathogenesis is reduced following combined antiviral/immunomodulatory treatment.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Recent research from the United States reports "the responses of mice with symptomatic pneumovirus infection to combined antiviral and specific immunomodulatory agents. Mice infected with pneumonia...

Lack of synergy may be cause to avoid regimen to treat Staphylococcus aureus.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- According to recent research from France, "The in vitro activities of linezolid were determined alone and in combination with vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, fusidic acid, or rifampin against...

Mycobacterial glutamine synthetase inhibition effective.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers at the University of California have identified a novel and effective strategy for tuberculosis treatment. "Tuberculosis remains one of humankind's greatest killers, and new therapeutic...

Molecular studies of Escherichia coli based infections are needed.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- "Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most frequently acquired bacterial infections and Escherichia coli accounts for as many as 90% of all UTIs seen among ambulatory populations," researchers in...

Infections possible cause, even in children.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The fact that infections among adults can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes is now well-established by several hundred scientific studies. Now research from the section for pediatric...

Compounds effective against food-borne pathogen.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Antex Biologics, Inc., (ANX), through its AntexPharma subsidiary, continues to explore the potential effectiveness of its novel anti-infective compounds in preventing and destroying pathogenic bacteria...

Backache and renal failure can be due to septicemia; cured by antibiotics.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- According to a study from England, "Backache, a common symptom, is rarely caused by infection of the lumbar discs. The authors present the case of a 60 year old man with Staphylococcus aureus...

MprF-mediated lysinylation protects S. aureus from neutrophils.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- According to a study from Germany, "Staphylococcus aureus achieves resistance to defensins and similar cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) by modifying anionic membrane lipids via MprF with...

A new risk factor to consider is cytomegalovirus-produced cellulitis.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- According to a study from Argentina, "Cutaneous lesions in CMV infection are rare, often a late manifestation of systemic infection, and usually herald a fatal course. A 70 year old woman had received...

MicroTest wins government contract to assist in vaccine manufacturing.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- MicroTest Laboratories (MTL) announced that it has received a $1.22 million contract to provide aseptic manufacturing support for the production of a series of recombinant vaccines against botulinum...

Neuraminidase inhibitors work as well in outpatient practice as in trials.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Neuraminidase inhibitors work as well in outpatient practice as in trials. According to a study from Germany, "The neuraminidase inhibitor signifies a breakthrough in the treatment of influenza....

Clinical success was obtained with linezolid singly or in combination.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Clinical success was obtained with linezolid singly or in combination. "Linezolid is an oxazolidinone that has activity against most gram positive bacteria, including in vitro activity against all...

Cell cytotoxicity by ciprofloxacin is protected by vitamin E pretreatment.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cell cytotoxicity by ciprofloxacin is protected by vitamin E pretreatment. According to a study from Turkey, "Quinolones (Qs) were shown to have cytotoxic effects in various cell lines including...

Cyanobacteria, especially Microcystis, produce activity against influenza.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cyanobacteria, especially Microcystis, produce activity against influenza. According to recent research from Germany, "Aqueous and methanolic extracts of cultured cyanobacteria of several genera;...

Southern Research Institute names new program leaders.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Southern Research Institute named three new leaders in its homeland security and infectious disease research division, continuing to expand its research staff and capabilities in this area. ...

Sale of VScan product in West Africa now completed.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Medical Services International, Inc., (MSITF) announced that the company has completed an initial sale of US$122,000 of VScan product to West Africa. Previously, Medical Services announced an...

Net loss reported at $0.81 per share for drug maker; clinical update provided.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- InterMune, Inc., (ITMN) announced results from operations for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2002. For the fourth quarter of 2002, InterMune recorded total product sales of $39.3...

Antifungal drug discovery, development collaboration announced.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Kaken Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Elitra Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced a multi-year research collaboration under which the two companies will collaborate on the discovery and development of novel...

U.S. government requests meeting to discuss BioShield products.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- International BioChemical Industries, Inc., (IBCI) announced that a federal government agency has requested an urgent meeting with the firm to discuss the BioShield line of products in the war on...

UNICEF pushes ahead with polio and measles campaigns for Iraqi children.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In the shadow of ongoing international debate over a potential conflict in Iraq, health workers were expected to fan out across the country to immunize more than 4 million Iraqi children against polio,...

Dendritic cells show promise as tool to combat infectious diseases.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Dendritic cells are being investigated to defend against infectious diseases. According to recent research from Germany, "Dendritic cells (DCs) form a network of potent antigen-presenting cells...

Two new pig cell lines were developed for use in diagnostics and laboratories.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Two new pig cell lines were developed for use in diagnostics and laboratories. According to recent research from Italy, "Two pig cell lines derived from kidney and trachea tissues and referred to...

Antimicrobial chemotherapy, especially fluoroquinolones, may be useful.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Antimicrobial chemotherapy, especially fluoroquinolones, may be useful. "Aeromonas hydrophila is distributed widely in nature and is responsible for various but infrequent human infections. More...

Expression and assembly of a fully active antibody in algae is achieved.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Expression and assembly of a fully active antibody in algae is achieved. "Although combinatorial antibody libraries have solved the problem of access to large immunological repertoires, efficient...

New test of non-inferiority for anti-infective trials developed.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A new test of non-inferiority for anti-infective trials has been developed. According to a study from the United States, "This paper describes a new statistical test of non-inferiority in clinical...

British team to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Prolysis, Ltd., and Professor Jeff Errington at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, are collaborating to combat the antibiotic-resistant bacteria that threaten healthcare...

Galactofucan compounds from brown seaweed show antiviral activity.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Chemists at the University of Buenos Aires have investigated fucoidan compounds from a brown seaweed and found that the galactofucans inhibit herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2. "Adenocystis...

Biosynthesis of lipopeptide antibiotic involves a glutamate mutase.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- According to recent research from Germany, "Actinoplanes friuliensis produces the lipopeptide antibiotic friulimicin. This antibiotic is active against Gram-positive bacteria such as multiresistant...

Marine bacterium-derived agent active against methicillin-resistant S. aureus.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A novel bacterium-derived agent is active against drug-resistant staphylococci. Researchers in Japan identified "a new marine bacterium, Pseudoalteromonas phenolica sp. nov. O-BC30[superscript]T,...

Zn(II)ligated bleomycin seen to bind bleomycin resistance proteins.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Zn(II)ligated bleomycin is seen to bind bleomycin resistance proteins. "Bleomycin (Bm), a 1.4 kDa glycopeptide excreted by Streptomyces verticillus, is a natural antibacterial compound used in...

Aminoglycosides have varying effects on infant renal function.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Aminoglycoside antibiotics have varying effects on infant renal function. In a recent study from Greece, "the effect of aminoglycoside administration on kidney functional maturation was evaluated...

Ampicillin/sulbactam effective against resistant Acinetobacter.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ampicillin/sulbactam can be safely and effectively used to treat refractory Acinetobacter infections. In a recent study from Brazil, "forty consecutive patients with nosomial infections caused by...

Novel cephalosporins have improved oral bioavailability.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A series of novel cephalosporins show improved bioavailability compared to their predecessors. According to recent research from South Korea, "KR-984055 is a new oral cephalosporin antibiotic with...

Reacetylated chitosan microspheres effective for gastic drug delivery.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Reacetylated chitosan microspheres may be an effective means for delivering antimicrobial agents to the gastric mucosa. "The high aqueous solubility of chitosan restricts the utility of chitosan...

Early therapy with neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir maximizes its efficacy.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Early therapy with neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir maximizes its efficacy. According to a study from Germany, "Influenza illness is an important cause of severe morbidity and mortality in the...

Merger creates international company focused on anti-infectives.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Versicor, Inc., (VERS) and Biosearch Italia, S.p.A., (BIO) announced the completion of their merger, creating a transatlantic company focused on the discovery, development, manufacture, and...

Concise synthesis of 2 glucuronide conjugates of transresveratrol achieved.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Concise synthesis of 2 glucuronide conjugates of transresveratrol is achieved. According to recent research from Portugal, "Transresveratrol, or (E)-3,4',5-trihydroxystilbene-1, is a phytoalexin...

Workforce focused on key research and development programs.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genelabs Technologies, Inc., (GNLB) announced that it is reducing its workforce by approximately 20%, or 20 employees. The company is not making any reductions to its drug development staff...

Susceptibility of Lactobacillus spp. to antimicrobial agents studied.
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers in Denmark recently reported their findings on the susceptibility of various species of Lactobacillus to antimicrobial agents. They said this work "is a prerequisite for differentiating...

Plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance discovered in clinical strain in 1994.
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance discovered in clinical strain in 1994. According to a study from the United States, "Quinolone resistance encoded by the qnr gene and mediated by plasmid...

Efficacy of amphotericin B or itraconazole in CNS Aspergillus infection.
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Efficacy of amphotericin B or itraconazole in CNS Aspergillus infection. "Given the greater than 90% lethality of clinical central nervous system (CNS) aspergillosis despite current therapies,...

Recommendation summary for antimicrobial prophylaxis against wound infections.
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Recommendation summary for antimicrobial prophylaxis against wound infections. According to a study from the United States, "Postoperative infection is a major cause of operative morbidity and...

Biological aspects of novel antistaphylococcal quinoline-indole agents studied.
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A new study investigated the antibacterial properties of novel antistaphylococcal quinoline-indole (QI) agents. According to B. Oliva and colleagues, University of Leeds, "QI agents demonstrated...

Antianaerobic agents have greatest effect on enterococci resistance.
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Antianaerobic agents may have the most pronounced effect on the developement of enterococci drug resistance. Researchers in the United States conducted a study to "assess the impact of restricting...

Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride gel effective against bacterial conjunctivitis.
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A ciprofloxacin hydrochloride gel shows promise for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis in an animal model. "Sol-to-gel systems of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride were prepared utilizing the...

Fluconazole has multiple antifungal effects.
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The antifungal agent fluconazole has several mechanisms of action. "Azole antifungals are widely used to treat infections with dermatophyte fungi," researchers in Austria explained. "Whereas it is...

Household antibiotic use has little impact on pneumococcal resistance.
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Household antibiotic use has a limited impact on the occupants' risk of developing drug-resistant infections. In a recent study from the United States, researchers used "microbiology and pharmacy...

S-3578 active against several resistant pathogens.
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - A novel broad-spectrum antibiotic is effective against a number of drug-resistant pathogens, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA),...

The bactericidal agent gentamicin enhances phagocytized bacterial killing.
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The bactericidal agent gentamicin enhances phagocytized bacterial killing. "We employed gentamicin sensitive and resistant Escherichia coli in a macrophage phagocytosis assay that compared lambda...

Trimetazidine has effect on acetic acid-induced colitis.
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Trimetazidine has effect on acetic acid-induced colitis. According to recent research from Turkey, "Induction of colitis by acetic acid (AA) in the rat is widely used experimental model of...