Phase I clinical trials for a West Nile virus vaccine developed by Hawaii Biotech -- and a planned test later this year for a Dengue fever vaccine that could see a $2 billion to $5 billion market -- have sparked the interest of Australia-based Avantogen, which sees great promise in the vaccine technology. Avantogen, already a substantial holder of the company's stock, hopes to become a majority shareholder, according to this article. The Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia)
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The American Red Cross today -- National Minority Donor Awareness Day -- is calling for more minority blood donors. Minority b lood donors play an important role in maintaining the blood supplies in their communities, and some ethnic minorities may have rare blood types that are distinctive to their communities. Vindy.com (Youngstown, Ohio)
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A two-year trial found that Aptivus, a protease inhibitor from Boehringer Ingelheim, was safe and effective in HIV-infected children and adolescents who took other treatments for the condition. The study, which covered 26 sites in the U.S., Europe and Latin America, showed that patients who received a combination of Aptivus and ritonavir, another HIV drug, had decreased virus levels. Bloomberg (8/4) , Forbes/Thomson Financial
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A North Dakota company has received a $46,000 grant to help it begin producing 30-pound, "high health" specialty pigs that would be raised for use as liver donors. Livers from the pigs would be used by Excorp Medical to help sustain patients with liver disease until they receive a transplant or regrow their own liver tissue. Grand Forks Herald (N.D.)
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A small section of the HIV protein gp120 is identical in all strains of the virus, and people make antibodies against it, but in most cases, they're ineffective in fighting off the infectio n. However, some people with long-standing HIV infection -- and others with lupus -- appear to make more antibodies and seem to be better protected. Researchers hope that those antibodies hold promise as a microbicide and eventual vaccine. The Washington Post Source: AABB smartbrief
Abacavir, an active ingredient in GlaxoSmithKline's HIV treatments Ziagen and Epzicom, is associated with a higher risk of heart attack in older patients, according to a Danish study. The findings support previous data that prompted GSK to add a warning to Ziagen's prescribing information last month. Bloomberg Source: AABB smartbrief
The Australian Red Cross prohibits blood donations from men who have sex with men, a policy that has recently been challenged as discriminatory before the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Tribunal. The blood agency said lifting the ban would amount to experimenting with the blood supply. The hearing on the matter is still in progress. The Age (Melbourne, Australia)
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