Scientists Discover How/When Infection Triggers Autoimmune Disorders
A team of researchers at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia, have identified a weak link in the immune system and “the exact conditions under which an infection can trigger an autoantibody response.”
Brain Tumor Vaccine Shows Promise in Trials
A vaccine that jump-starts the immune system is showing promise in keeping patients diagnosed with glioblastoma, or malignant glioma, alive longer.
Study Confirms Breast Cancer and Autoimmune Arthritis Link
New research reveals that patients suffering from both breast cancer and arthritis have a more aggressive cancer, a finding that could suggest a possible treatment.
BRI and Novo Nordisk Collaborate on Autoimmune Disease Research
Novo Nordisk and Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason (BRI), Seattle,Wash., have entered into a three year collaborative agreement to potentially speed up translational research of the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and lupus.
Osteoporosis Drug May Help Kill Flu Viruses
Pamidronate may be effective in killing a range of influenza viruses, including ones that are very dangerous to people.
rIX-FP Protein Exhibits Prolonged Circulating Half-Life in Hemophilia B Patients
An investigational recombinant “fusion protein” linking coagulation factor IX and human albumin was developed by CSL Behring to facilitate extended intravascular half life of the clotting protein and thereby enable less frequent factor IX (FIX) dosing by persons with hemophilia B.
2010-2011 Trivalent Influenza Vaccine with All Three Vaccine Strains Was Moderately Effective
U.S. investigators assessed vaccine effectiveness during the 2010-2011 season in an attempt to characterize the relationship between antigenic characteristics of circulating viruses and effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccines.
IVIG Discontinued Much Less Frequently than Methylprednisolone for CIDP
A recent study showed that intravenous immunoglobulin therapy was less frequently discontinued due to inefficacy, adverse events or intolerance than intravenous methylprednisolone for the treatment of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy.
Gene Therapy May Reverse Hemophilia
In a recent study, researchers altered the DNA of a common virus so that it would instruct the bodies of hemophiliacs to make the Factor IX (FIX) protein, which helps blood clot.
New Possible Cause for Unexplained Miscarriages
Researchers have identified a potential new cause for unexplained miscarriages in mice and have identified two possible treatments to prevent these miscarriages.