Vaccine Research
Researchers have begun a late-stage trial of Copaxone--currently used for MS patients--to test its ability to guard against the nerve damage caused by glaucoma. Report
Intercell says it has launched a Phase I clinical trial of its IC47 vaccine candidate to prevent disease caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae. Release
Researchers in Taiwan say they will be ready to begin clinical trials of an emergency bird flu vaccine in the second half of this year. The vaccine was developed at the National Health Research Institute. Report
The FDA has provided orphan drug status to two experimental cancer vaccines developed at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and licensed to Gliknik. Report
Vaccine market
The CDC says that the flu season has begun to wind down, noting that this has been one of the mildest in years. One big reason why the flu has not hit hard, adds the CDC, is that this year's seasonal vaccine was more closely targeted at the viruses in circulation. Report
The FDA has approved a rapid test to detect bird flu in humans. Report
Officials at the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency say that patients who received the Engerix B hepatitis vaccine between March 9 and April 6 need to be re-vaccinated. One batch of the vax was evidently made ineffective after it was accidentally frozen. Story
A low-risk strain of bird flu has been found at a poultry farm in Kentucky. Report