CSL rejects scientists' side effect findings; Pharmacies try to grow flu vax demand;

Vaccine Research

After three months of contact between the FDA and CSL over adverse side effects from the company's flu vaccine, researchers believe deoxycholate caused the problem. Few vaccine makers use the chemical, and it has previously been linked to similar adverse reactions, Pharmalot reports. CSL sees no significance in the findings. Item

Baltimore-based Profectus BioSciences in-licensed patents for various infectious diseases and cancers, including Ebola. The patents will help further Profectus' work on its recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus vaccine. Profectus release

NovaDigm Therapeutics's vulvovaginal candidiasis vaccine, NDV-3, stimulated good immune responses in a preclinical study, causing a decrease in vaginal fungus. Story

GlycoVaxyn has developed a vaccine that protects mice against Staphylococcus aureus using a recombinant DNA technology. GlycoVaxyn release

Scientific American features Antigen Express's HER-2/neu-targeted vaccine AE37 in an October 2011 article. The vaccine is able to harness the immune system in its efforts to fight breast cancer. Release | Article

Vaccine Market

After low flu vaccine uptake last year, pharmacies are determined to stimulate demand through promotions and slashing prices. Article

And Finally... After Republican presidential candidate Michelle Bachmann claimed that the HPV vaccine Gardasil caused mental retardation in a young girl, a University of Pennsylvania bioethicist, Art Caplan, said he will donate $10,000 to a charity of Bachmann's choosing if she can procure such a patient. Other bioethicists have joined with their own pledges. More