Bester News

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) has published a new edition of its Status Report on Pharmaceutical Industry R&D for Diseases of the Developing World(1). The new report shows that the number of medicine and vaccine projects undertaken by companies with product development partnerships or on their own has increased 67, up from 58 in November 2007.

Long-term use of a macrolide antibiotic may reduce the frequency of exacerbations in patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by as much as 35 percent, according to a London-based study. "Our results show a significant effect of low-dose macrolide therapy, reducing exacerbation frequency and severity with moderate to severe COPD," wrote lead author of the paper, Terence A. R. Seemungal, Ph.D., and Jadwiga Wedzicha, M.D.

Scientists report the discovery of a new species of Ebola virus, provisionally named Bundibugyo ebolavirus, November 21 in the open-access journal PLoS Pathogens. The virus, which was responsible for a hemorrhagic fever outbreak in western Uganda in 2007, has been characterized by a team of researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia the Uganda Virus Research Institute; the Uganda Ministry of Health; and Columbia University.

A virus that causes cold-like symptoms in humans originated in birds and may have crossed the species barrier around 200 years ago, according to an article published in the December issue of the Journal of General Virology. Scientists hope their findings will help us understand how potentially deadly viruses emerge in humans. "Human metapneumovirus may be the second most common cause of lower respiratory infection in young children.

The Scandinavian-based drug development company Lytix Biopharma has announced results of studies on its lead antimicrobial candidate LTX-109. Presented at ICAAC in Washington, DC, the studies showed that the novel lytic peptidomimetic has an ultra-rapid bacteriocidal effect, significantly better towards killing Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes than marketed gold standard drugs.

Many adults are unaware of the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases, the need for booster doses to maintain maximum protection, and the availability of newer vaccines. The American College of Physicians (ACP) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) have released a joint statement on the importance of adult vaccination against an increasing number of vaccine-preventable diseases.

Microcapsules act as "roach motel" to kill harmful bacteria Researchers in New Mexico and Florida are reporting development of microscopic particles that act as chemical booby traps for bacteria. The traps attract and kill up to 95 percent of nearby bacteria, including microbes responsible for worrisome hospital-based infections. The scientists describe their discovery as micro-sized "roach motels" for harmful bacteria.

Imagine yourself swimming in a pool: It's the movement of your arms and legs, not the viscosity of the water, that mostly dictates the speed and direction that you swim. For tiny organisms, the situation is different. Microbes' speed and direction are subjected more to the physical vagaries of the fluid around them. "For bacteria to swim in water," explained Jay Tang, associate professor of physics at Brown University, "it's like us trying to swim through honey.

Targanta Therapeutics Corporation (Nasdaq: TARG) today announced that oritavancin, the Company's investigational antibiotic therapy for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI) caused by gram-positive pathogens, including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), received a mixed review from the United States Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Anti-Infective Drugs Advisory Committee.

The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), working with an international team of health and weather organizations, is launching a project this month to provide long-term weather forecasts to medical officials in Africa to help reduce outbreaks of meningitis. The forecasts will enable local health providers to target vaccination programs more effectively for this deadly disease, which is correlated with dry and dusty conditions.