Brazil and Paraguay have received 6 million doses of the Stamaril yellow fever vaccine from Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi-Aventis. About 30,000 people die every year from yellow fever in Africa and South America. Sanofi Pasteur is the only yellow fever vaccine supplier to the UNICEF.

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The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has given GenVec Inc. a Phase I Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) grant to support the development of adenovector-based vaccines for HSV-2 virus. This virus is responsible for a majority of the genital herpes cases.

New Phase III data released by Novartis Pharmaceuticals showed that its under-development vaccine against four types of meningococcal strains produces a better antibody response than a commonly used existing vaccine. New Phase III data for Menveo® (MenACWY-CRM) depicts that the vaccine produced a greater immune response against meningococcal strains A, C, W-135 and Y in adolescents aged between 11 and 18 years, as compared to Sanofi Pasteur’s Menactra®. Infection with any of these four vaccine-preventable serogroups (strains) can lead to bacterial meningitis, an infection of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord, or sepsis, a serious infection of the blood stream.

GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK) is the first company to get the go ahead from the European Commission (EC) for a wide spectrum vaccine to protect humans ahead of a possible future bird flu pandemic. The company will market its pre-pandemic vaccine Prepandrix in all 27 member states of the European Union (EU). Although Prepandrix has only just received its first regulatory approval, countries such as the US, Switzerland and Finland have already started stockpiling the vaccine, sales of which last year topped £102 million.

A new survey published in the June 1 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases shows that drugs commonly prescribed for patients suffering from immunological disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease may carry risks of serious infections. Among these drugs are agents that inhibit tumor necrosis factor-á (TNF), a cytokine receptor involved in cellular communication. Although patients using these immune-modulating therapies are known to susceptible to tuberculosis, the new survey indicates that there is probably greater risk for other serious infections, such as histoplasmosis, nontuberculosis mycobacterial infections and Staphylococcus aureus in these patients.

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New data from an extended follow-up study show that GlaxoSmithKline PLC.’s cervical cancer candidate vaccine, Cervarix, generates sustained high levels of neutralizing antibodies against the two most common cervical cancer-causing virus types for up to 6.4 years. This is the longest duration of sustained neutralising antibody levels reported against both virus types HPV 16 and 18 with a cervical cancer vaccine to date. Experts believe that neutralizing antibodies are essential for protection against cervical cancer.

According to an article published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, lower rates of asthma are found in children who live on tree-lined streets. The pattern held constant, even changes were made in sources of pollution, levels of affluence, and population density, all of which would be considered likely to influence the results. The authors note that asthma rates in children can thus be curbed by encouraging them to play outdoors more, or by improving the quality of the air.

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Grazax, the allergy immunotherapy developed by Schering-Plough and ALK-Abello, showed a 28% reduction in hay fever symptoms during its Phase III pediatric trial. According to Denmark-based ALK-Abello, the therapy led to a 64% reduction in the combined asthma symptom score as well. The previous European trial of Grazax displayed positive clinical effect. A Grazax pediatric registration application is currently under review in Europe.

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HumanZyme has developed HumaXpress™ to produce active recombinant human proteins in a human HEK-derivative cell line in serum-free and chemically defined media. Using this technology, the company’s scientists have produced a large number of active and authentic human cytokine and kinase reagents, designed to meet the needs of researchers for preclinical and clinical work. Comparative studies indicate that these recombinant human proteins from human cells are superior to those produced in non-human cell systems.

Iomai Corporation has announced positive interim results from its immunostimulant adjuvant patch phase 1/2 trial. The patch was used with the injected H5N1 influenza vaccine. A single 45-microgram dose of an H5N1 influenza vaccine with a single 50-microgram Iomai patch produced a sufficient protective response in 73% of tested patients. The figure showed substantial improvement over those who were administered the H5N1 influenza vaccine alone.