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NewLink Says Ebola Vaccine Trial Could Start In Weeks

"It's figured out how to pick the locks and how to cut all the wires to the cameras." Blocking Access Chandran's research focuses on finding antibodies that can block the virus's access. A decade ago, there were few studies that suggested the antibodies were very effective, so follow-UNp efforts were rare, he said in a telephone interview. If media reports suggesting that the drug was given more than a week after the patients' infections occurred are true, that would have given the virus a fairly long time to replicate in the body, he said. "Assuming it did work, I'm a little surprised that it would be so effective so late," he said. Much more experience with patients is needed to show that the drug is useful, said Michael Diamond, an infectious disease researcher at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Almost half of the people who get Ebola virus recover on their own, and the two Americans who got the drug may fall into that category, Diamond said. Providing Protection Mapp's approach was already raising eyebrows before its use in the Ebola outbreak in Africa that, according to the World Health Organization, has infected 1,848 and killed 1,013, as of Aug. 9. In a 2012 study, the cocktail of three neutralizing antibodies protected monkeys as long as two days after they were infected with Ebola or Marburg virus, a related disease. Such results from antibody treatment were "once thought impossible," said Darryl Falzarano and Heinz Feldmann of the U.S.
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Using a word coding technique, researchers tracked how the European Commission's drafts on tobacco control policy changed markedly between 2010 and 2013, resembling tobacco industry submissions much more than those of health groups in the latter stages. The study concludes that the change in the drafts coincided with massive lobbying by the tobacco industry and was 'associated with significant policy shifts' towards the tobacco industry. The research in Tobacco Control, published by BMJ, was conducted by the University of Oxford, London School of Hygiene &Tropical Medicine and the University of Bath. The research team used a form of automated content analysis, Wordscores, to code the wording of three main drafts of the proposed revision to the European Tobacco Products Directive. They also coded 20 documents from 18 stakeholders (health groups and representatives from the tobacco industry) written between 2010 and 2013, in which the different positions on tobacco controls were expressed. This computer-based technique is widely used to code policy positions of party manifestos and lobbyists, but it is thought to be the first time it has been applied to measure the effects of different lobby groups on tobacco control. The research team scaled Wordscores from 0, reflecting the position of tobacco industry, to 1, reflecting the position of tobacco control advocates. They found that the European documents shifted from a near neutral position of 0.52 (slightly favouring the health groups) to 0.4 (a relative 10% shift towards the tobacco industry position). Initially, the European Commission's draft legislation from 2010 was closer to the position of health groups but as it passed through the Commission in 2013 and eventually EU Parliament and Council in 2014, the policy position moved significantly closer to that expressed by the tobacco industry, says the research. The research adds that this shift coincided with the tobacco industry employing over 170 full-time lobbyists and corresponded with a reduction in the proposed size of plain packaging labels, delays to proposed bans on menthol cigarettes, and a scaling back of proposed limits on where cigarettes could be sold.
For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-08/uoo-sie081214.php

Lone Star tick linked to red meat allergy and infections | TheCelebrityCafe.com

BioCryst said it would receive $4.1 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to advance development of an intramuscular formulation of its drug, BCX4430. "BCX4430 appears to be an ideal product candidate as the agency (NIAID) is intent on moving away from its historical 'one bug, one drug' approach toward more broad-based therapeutic agents," Needham & Co analyst Serge Belanger said in a note. Companies with potential Ebola therapies have captured the spotlight as developers face mounting pressure to expedite research on new medical interventions to combat the deadly outbreak. So far, no Ebola drugs or vaccines have entered mid-stage human trials, let alone been approved. The most advanced have been tested only in monkeys and a handful of humans. The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that people infected in the West African Ebola outbreak could be offered untested drugs, ushering in an opportunity for companies with potential Ebola drugs of their own. However, some analysts are skeptical of the speed at which these potential Ebola cures will be adopted. "Given that BCX4430 is a preclinical candidate and has yet to be tested in humans, it's unlikely it will be used during the current Ebola virus outbreak," Belanger added. Fragile health systems, significant deficits in resources and infrastructure, and the general inexperience in dealing with Ebola outbreaks could act as hurdles to the adoption of potential Ebola therapies, MLV & Co analyst Vernon Bernardino said. The NIAID funding is part of the up to $22 million contract awarded to BioCryst by the agency last September. NIAID is also supporting the development of GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Johnson & Johnson's experimental Ebola vaccines.
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New State 'Honor Roll' Reveals New Standards, New States and New Outlooks for... -- WASHINGTON, Aug. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

Cary Sennett, AAFA's President & CEO. "It's a blueprint for all the other states to see where progress is being made around the US and how to create and enact policies that save lives." Asthma and allergic diseases are serious and shouldn't be taken lightly. With 14 million missed school days annually, schools should at least ensure the safety of students and staff when under their care. The 8 million children with asthma should have quick access to their medications. The 3 million students with diagnosed food allergies and the many others with undiagnosed food allergies should have immediate access to life-saving epinephrine. Furthermore, the millions of adults who have asthma and allergies should have access as well. About the Study For AAFA's State Honor Roll report, three categories of policies were assessed: Medication & Treatment policies, Awareness policies and School Environment policies. Within these categories AAFA research and policy experts, in consultation with leaders in the fields of medicine, education and advocacy, identified 23 core policy standards relating to asthma and allergies in schools. Policy areas included school nurse-to-student ratios, laws allowing students to carry and administer their asthma and anaphylaxis medications, indoor air quality policies for school buildings, smoking bans and cessation programs, and more. The full report, methodology, tables, detailed state profiles, maps, as well as back-to-school tips and tools, are available at www.StateHonorRoll.org . The 2014 report is sponsored by Mylan Specialty L.P., with additional support from Genentech and individual donations to AAFA from patients, families and supporters. About AAFA The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with asthma, allergies and related conditions through education, advocacy and research.
For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-state-honor-roll-reveals-new-standards-new-states-and-new-outlooks-for-asthma--allergy-school-policies-271048061.html

Study identifies EU policy shift on tobacco control after massive industry lobbying

The largest Ebola outbreak in history, which has killed more than 1,000 people in West Africa, has lent an unprecedented urgency to efforts to develop vaccines and treatments, which for years had largely languished. Last week, the Ames, Iowa-based company's wholly owned subsidiary, BioProtection Systems Corp, received $1 million from the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) for more pre-clinical toxicology studies, including stepped-up manufacturing, to allow human trials to begin quickly. The vaccine was developed by scientists at the Public Health Agency of Canada. "DTRA said, 'we want this to move quickly,'" Link said. "Before that, I'd have said it would take eight to 10 months before we could launch human studies, but now it's a matter of weeks." Only one treatment, made by Tekmira Pharmaceuticals, had even begun human safety trials, while the others had been tested only in non-human primates. In addition to NewLink, pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline is awaiting approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin a human safety trial of an experimental vaccine, possibly as soon as next month. The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that two experimental Ebola vaccines were set to enter clinical trials in the coming weeks and that there could be enough early-stage data to consider their emergency use late this year. "There is a way to fast-track clinical trials," WHO Assistant Director-General Marie-Paule Kieny said. WHO's interest has acted like a starter's pistol in the race to get Ebola drugs or vaccines into the field.
For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.ibtimes.com/newlink-says-ebola-vaccine-trial-could-start-weeks-1658148

U.S. government advances development of BioCryst's potential Ebola drug - Yahoo News

According to WTHR , the tiny ticks share the sugar alpha-gal with red meat products. The sugar is not found in humans and when the bug bites a person it transfers the alpha-gal into the bloodstream. Therefore, if you been bitten by the tick and eat red meat, you could have a terrible reaction even if you have been eating red meat your whole life with no problems. TODAY noted that the reaction could be severe and has landed some people in the hospital. Classically three to six hours after eating red meat [a person with the allergy] can get hives, swelling and problems breathing, said Dr. Robert Valet, an assistant professor of allergy and immunology at Vanderbilt University. They may even have a full anaphylactic reaction in which their airways close. More bad news is that the Lone Star tick, once thought only to be in the southeastern and south central states, has been making its way up to the populated east coast. These ticks can also spread serious infections including ehrlichiosis and the potentially fatal tularemia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reminds everyone that when outdoors be sure to use insect repellent and avoid tick habitat such as dense woods and brushy areas.
For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://thecelebritycafe.com/feature/2014/08/lone-star-tick-linked-red-meat-allergy-and-infections