| Back
to News Review
Alan Franciscus
Editor-in-Chief
To download pdf version click here
In This Issue:
• Hepatitis C Linked
to Lymphoma
• New Doppler Ultrasound Signs Improve
Diagnosis of Cirrhosis or Severe Liver Fibrosis
• Hepatitis C Can Be Deceptive; One Does
Not Appear to Be Ill
• MBI-3253 (Celgosivir) Demonstrates Potent
Activity against Hepatitis C Virus Surrogate
• Gift of Life Michigan Announces State
Senate Support of Organ Donation Cause by Passing Senate Bill
817, The 'Organ and Tissue Donation Education Fund'
• No Trace of Infection Found Due to Faulty
Dialysis Machines
• Area Health Responds to the Need for
the Machine
• Infected Patient of Ex-Fremont Doctor
Dies
• Roche Molecular Systems Issues Nationwide
Recall of Cobas Taqman Analyzers and Cobas Taqman 48 Analyzers
• NEC Discovers New Peptide-Vaccine Candidates
for Hepatitis C Virus
Together with Kochi Medical School
• Roche Files SBLA for Pegasys
• 2,000 Cases of Hepatitis Misdiagnosis
• Experts Lament Poor Awareness of HBV
• Yale Scientists Visualize Details of
How Hepatitis C Unwinds RNA
• Columbus - Illegal Tattooing Investigation
• Convict with Life Sentence Gets Medical
Commutation
• Decades in Music World Earn Escovedo
Peer Admiration
July 19th, 2004
Hepatitis
C Linked to Lymphoma
Source:Reuters Health
NEW YORK--- Infection with hepatitis
C virus (HCV) nearly doubles the risk of developing non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma, a cancer involving the lymph nodes, new research
suggests.
Dr. Eric A. Engels of the National Cancer Institute, Rockville,
Maryland and colleagues note that studies have shown abnormally
high rates of hepatitis C among lymphoma patients, suggesting
that the infection raises the risk of lymphoma by chronically
stimulating the immune system.
To investigate further, the researchers conducted a study
involving almost 1500 subjects with and without lymphoma,
according to a report in the International Journal of
Cancer.
The rate of HCV infection among lymphoma patients was 3.9
percent, much higher than the 2.1 percent rate seen among
people without lymphoma. Moreover, this near doubling of the
risk held true even after accounting for patient age and injection
drug use.
The researchers conclude that there is an association between
HCV and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the US and that “HCV
infection may be cause of NHL.”
SOURCE: International Journal of Cancer, August 10, 2004.
Back to top
New
Doppler Ultrasound Signs Improve Diagnosis of Cirrhosis or
Severe Liver Fibrosis
Source: www.gastrohep.com
A high proportion of patients with compensated
liver disease can be accurately diagnosed with cirrhosis using
Doppler ultrasound signs, including the new hepatic vein spectrum,
reports an article in the European Journal of Gastroenterology
and Hepatology.
Christophe Aube and colleagues have determined whether ultrasound,
and particularly, new Doppler signs, increase the diagnostic
accuracy of the most accurate, currently available markers
for the diagnosis of cirrhosis or severe fibrosis.
They studied a total of 32 clinical (n = 4), biochemical (n
= 11) and Doppler ultrasound (n = 17) variables that were
recorded in 106 patients with compensated chronic liver disease.
In order to evaluate diagnostic accuracy, discriminant analysis
was used, first globally, and then using all variables by
variable analysis.
For diagnosis of cirrhosis using Doppler ultrasound, diagnostic
accuracy was 92% globally, and 89% with 3 variables (spleen
length, hepatic vein spectrum and maximum portal vein velocity).
Based upon clinical signs, diagnostic accuracy was 86% globally,
and 85% with one variable (firm liver).
When basing findings upon biochemical parameters these values
fell to 80% globally, and 81% with two variables (hyaluronate
and platelet count).
Based upon all parameters, diagnostic accuracy was 91% globally,
and 91% with four variables (firm liver, hyaluronate, platelet
and hepatic vein spectrum).
On an intention to diagnose basis, Doppler ultrasound provided
a lower independent contribution due to missing data.
In the diagnosis of severe fibrosis, diagnostic accuracy was
83% globally, and 77% with one variable.
The researchers, who have published their study in the August
issue of the journal, conclude that cirrhosis can be correctly
diagnosed in approximately 90% of patients with compensated
chronic liver disease using a few Doppler ultrasound signs
including a new sign, the hepatic vein spectrum.
They add that Doppler ultrasound could be used for the first
line diagnosis and biochemical markers, such as hyaluronate,
in patients with missing Doppler ultrasound data.
Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2004: 16 (8): 743 - 751
Back to top
Hepatitis
C Can Be Deceptive; One Does Not Appear to Be Ill
Kay Rudderow
Source: www.nj.com
HOPEWELL TWP.—Grace Peterson is only
a 12.
That’s not her age—she’s 58 -- but the number
represents her standing in the ever-growing line of people
needing liver transplants.
“(Medical professionals guided by MELD: Model for End
Stage Liver Disease) rate us in need from 1 to 35. I was a
13, now I am a 12,” she said.
To see her, it is nearly impossible to tell she is not in
good health. Then she tells her story.
She’s been waiting for more than seven years for the
transplant that will restore her health, which began deteriorating
eight years ago.
“Hepatitis C, or end-stage liver disease, doesn’t
mean you look like it, or need a wheelchair,” she said.
Ironically, her son Jerry’s accidental death in 1994
helped others to live, after his heart, eyes, kidneys and
liver were donated to others on waiting lists like his mother’s.
“I first realized I had a medical problem while being
counseled for depression after my son died,” she said.
“I was unusually tired, so they sent me for blood work,
and it showed I had Hepatitis C,” she said.
She had received a blood transfusion after the birth of a
daughter in 1975 and again after a hysterectomy in 1981, she
said.
And there have been five members of her family who died or
have been treated for the disease. A cousin had a transplant,
but suffered a blood clot that ended her life a day later,
Peterson said.
“I have a rare blood type, AB+, and if you have that
you can only donate to someone else with that type,”
she said.
Complicating her condition is a painful gallstone problem,
one which she can only treat with medications at this point
because surgery to remove it may leave scar tissue that would
jeopardize a future liver transplant.
She takes 12 pills a day, and tires easily, experiences the
development of large bruises for unknown reasons, and suffers
from mouth bleeding. A small cut could be disastrous as the
liver disease reduces dramatically the amount of platelets
her blood needs for clotting.
A year ago, she received a call from Thomas Jefferson Hospital
in Philadelphia, where her transplant will someday take place,
that she was second in line for a transplant, if the person
first in line was not found to be compatible.
Fortunately for that person, he or she was a match.
And Peterson was sent home to wait, unable to travel more
than a few miles from home, hoping the cell phone she carries
for that purpose will ring.
“I may have a couple of hours to get ready, and that’s
it,” she said. “I’m not complaining. I’m
prepared.”
She remains plucky and upbeat, determined to be strong while
she waits for that fateful call. She fears her age will hamper
the efforts for a transplant, but has been encouraged by her
physicians who assure her she will have her new liver in time.
Peterson has even been able to speak to groups to personally
encourage organ donations.
Having endured the loss of her son, she is buoyed by the realization
that part of him is still alive, through the lives of people
he never met.
“I will personally encourage anyone to sign their organ
donor cards,” she vows.
To obtain a card, or to learn more about organ and tissue
donations, call the Sharing Network at 1-800-SHARE-NJ (1-800-542-7365).
Back to top
July 20th, 2004
MBI-3253
(celgosivir) Demonstrates Potent Activity against Hepatitis
C Virus Surrogate
Source: PRNewswire
Antiviral activity synergistic in combination
with ribavirin or interferon-a
VANCOUVER,--- Micrologix Biotech Inc. (TSX:
MBI - News; OTC: MGIXF - News) announces the publication of
results demonstrating the potent efficacy of MBI-3253 (celgosivir)
against the widely accepted surrogate model of the Hepatitis
C Virus (“HCV”), bovine viral diarrhea virus (“BVDV”).
BVDV is closely related to HCV and is an in-vitro predictor
of the efficacy of anti- HCV drugs in humans. The studies
were carried out by Kevin Whitby, Ph.D and colleagues. The
paper, entitled: “Action of celgosivir (6 O-butanoyl
castanospermine) against the pestivirus BVDV: implications
for the treatment of hepatitis C” was published in a
recent issue of the peer-reviewed journal, Antiviral Chemistry
& Chemotherapy (Volume 15 Issue 3; Pages 141-151).
Jake Clement, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer
for Micrologix, stated, “This research represents important
scientific support in a well-recognized non- clinical model
for MBI-3253 as a potential treatment for chronic HCV infections.”
The data indicated the following:
• Potent antiviral activity in a BVDV culture system
considered to be predictive of anti-HCV activity
• Clear additive and synergistic effects of MBI-3253
in combination with ribavirin alone or interferon-a (ribavirin
and interferon-a are two of the most common HCV therapies
in use today)
• Confirmation of the mechanism of viral replication
inhibition
• Lack of cellular toxicity at high drug concentrations
in a variety of cell lines
About MBI-3253 & HCV Infections
MBI-3253 (celgosivir) is an orally-administered, unique antiviral
agent exerting its effects through the inhibition of the mammalian
cell enzyme, a-glucosidase I. Alpha-glucosidase I inhibitors
can inhibit the replication of a broad range of enveloped
viruses (including HCV) by preventing the correct folding
of their envelope glycoproteins. Micrologix plans to initiate
a Phase II clinical study of MBI-3253 in HCV patients during
the second half of calendar 2004.
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a serious public
health concern affecting approximately 4.5 million people
in the United States. Worldwide, the disease affects as many
as 185 million people. HCV causes inflammation of the liver,
which may lead to fibrosis and cirrhosis, liver cancer, and
ultimately, liver failure. Cirrhosis of the liver resulting
from chronic HCV infection is the leading indication for liver
transplantation in the U.S. Due to the asymptomatic nature
of HCV infection, it often goes undetected for up to 20 years
following initial infection. Each year, 8,000 to 10,000 people
in the U.S. die from complications of HCV. Current therapies
for HCV infection have only limited effectiveness, especially
against genotype I, the most common strain of HCV in North
America. It is predicted that deaths from HCV will surpass
those of AIDS in the United States by 2010, at which time
the global HCV market is forecasted to be approximately $6
billion.
About Micrologix
Micrologix Biotech Inc. is engaged in the research, development,
and commercialization of drugs that advance therapy, improve
health, and enrich lives. The Company has four product candidates
in human clinical development, multiple product opportunities
in preclinical development, and several early- stage technologies
in various stages of research and evaluation. On April 15,
2004, Micrologix announced an agreement to acquire San Diego-based
MitoKor, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the research
and development of products for degenerative diseases such
as Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, and glaucoma.
James DeMesa, MD
President & CEO
Investor & Media Relations Contacts:
Jonathan Burke Gino DeJesus/ Dian Griesel, Ph.D
Micrologix Biotech Inc. The Investor Relations Group
Telephone: 604-221-9666 Extension 241 Telephone: 212-825-3210
Toll Free: 1-800-665-1968
Email: theproteam@aol.com
Email: jburke@mbiotech.com
Certain statements in this news release
constitute “forward-looking statements” within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties
and other factors that may cause our actual results to be
materially different from any future results, performance
or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Forward
looking statements in this news release include, but are not
limited to, Micrologix initiating a Phase II human clinical
study with MBI-3253 in HCV patients in the second half of
calendar 2004. These statements are only predictions and actual
events or results may differ materially. Factors that could
cause such actual events or results expressed or implied by
such forward-looking statements to differ materially from
any future results expressed or implied by such statements
include, but are not limited to: government regulation, dependence
on and management of current and future corporate collaborations,
early stage of development; technology and product development;
future capital needs; uncertainty of additional funding; no
assurance of market acceptance; dependence on proprietary
technology and uncertainty of patent protection; manufacturing
and market uncertainties; and intense competition. These and
other factors are described in detail in the Company’s
Annual Information Form and Annual Report on Form 20-F, forthcoming
news releases and other filings with the Canadian securities
regulatory authorities and the U.S. Securities & Exchange
Commission. Forward-looking statements are based on our current
expectations and Micrologix is not obligated to update such
information to reflect later events or developments.
The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Back to top
July 21st, 2004
Gift
of Life Michigan Announces State Senate Support of Organ Donation
Cause by Passing Senate Bill 817, the 'Organ and Tissue Donation
Education Fund'
Source: PRNewswire
Ann Arbor, Mich.-- Senate Bill 817 is the
favorite of at least 2,674 Michigan residents who are awaiting
an organ transplant. Unanimously passed by the Senate on July
1, 2004, the bill proposes a public education trust fund to
help encourage people to become registered organ donors. The
bill enables the Secretary of State to provide an opportunity
for individuals to make a minimum donation of $1 to the Education
Fund in conjunction with the issuance of a driver’s
license.
Educating people about the critical shortage of organs and
the importance of becoming a registered organ donor is paramount
to the cause. While national market research indicates that
over 85% of the general public approves of organ donation,
a meager 7% of Michigan residents are actually registered
donors. Sadly, this gap results in many needless deaths --
70 people have died waiting for an organ transplant in Michigan
so far this year.
Gift of Life Michigan, the state’s full-service organ
and tissue recovery organization, believes public education
is critical to increasing registered donors. The Gift of Life
Organ, Tissue & Eye Donor Registry is a confidential,
24-hours-a-day, computerized database that documents residents’
wishes regarding organ, tissue and eye donation. Since Gift
of Life is contacted upon every hospital death, signing the
Donor Registry is the best way to ensure a person’s
wishes are carried out. Unfortunately, most people are simply
unaware of the Registry’s existence. Gift of Life Michigan
is confident that an ongoing public awareness campaign showcasing
organ donation would inspire Michigan residents to sign the
Donor Registry.
“Michigan lags far behind in donor
registrants and rate of organ donation,” explains Tom
Beyersdorf, Executive Director for Gift of Life Michigan.
“We are optimistic that this legislation will pass and
permit the public education funding so desperately needed
in Michigan to strengthen the Donor Registry and ultimately
provide more people with the precious gift of life.”
If Senate Bill 817 gains approval by the
House of Representatives and the Governor this fall, Michigan
will join seventeen other states that have passed similar
legislation. These states have raised hundreds of thousands
of dollars every year for programs to encourage people to
become registered organ donors, resulting in an average registration
rate of 40%. More registered donors equals more saved lives,
which is the battle cry for this vital social cause.
To become a registered donor, sign up online
at http://giftoflifemichigan.org or request a donor registry
card by contacting the Gift of Life Public Education Department
at 800-482-4881.
Source: Gift of Life Michigan
Web Site: http://giftoflifemichigan.org
Back to top
No
Trace of Infection Found Due To Faulty Dialysis Machines
Source: Vancouver Sun - www.canada.com
Blood tests on 300 people have turned up
no evidence of transmission of blood-borne illnesses through
dialysis machines in Victoria hospitals.
Tests were ordered after the Vancouver Island Health Authority
became aware of internal leakage and potential cross-contamination.
A spokesman says the HIV and hepatitis C tests have all come
back negative, although they will have to be repeated twice
over the next six months.
Back to top
Area
Health Responds to the Need for the Machine
Source: www.laurieton.yourguide.com.au
"People who use drugs come from all
walks of life. From one time users and experimental users
to regular users and recreational users. They don't always
fit a stereotype. They are people who have jobs, people who
have families, and people who contribute to our society.
"Injecting drug use is already something
that occurs in your community. The Needle and Syringe program
is a health response to try and minimise the harm that those
people suffer," said Jana Van der Jagt, area coordinator
of Hepatitis C and Harm Reduction Programs with the MNCAHS.
Ms Van der Jagt gave facts and figures
to concerned residents at the public forum last Thursday on
needle and syringe vending machines.
Some 430 needles have been dispensed by
the Laurieton needle and syringe vending machine since its
installation in April this year.
The needles come in a package, called a
Fit Pack. This contains five needles, sterile water and equipment
for safe, sterile injecting, various safety messages and health
information and, importantly, a tamper-proof, one-way disposal
unit for sharps.
"Needle and syringe programs save
lives," said Ms Van der Jagt.
"They reduce the harm to people that
inject drugs because we know that despite being aware of the
risks some people will chose to inject illicit drugs. They
need the knowledge and skills to make informed choices and
the risk to the whole community from blood borne viruses is
much greater than the risk of drug use itself."
Ms Van der Jagt also highlighted a startling
fact that one person every 30 minutes contracts the blood-borne
virus Hepatitis C and the Mid North Coast, along with Northern
Rivers, has the highest rate of infection in NSW, with 90
per cent of transmissions through sharing injecting equipment.
There are currently a number of people
in the Camden Haven receiving specialist treatment for Hepatitis
C and HIV and AIDS, she said.
The aim with the needle vending machine
is to reduce the spread of those viruses.
"There are 12 machines in operation from Woolgoolga to
Forster," Ms Van der Jagt said.
"Each is trialled for 6 months and
then an evaluation is done and a community meeting is held
to discuss the findings of that evaluation. So far those evaluations
have shown that these vending machines have been a positive
strategy that has been really trouble-free."
Back to top
Infected
Patient of Ex-Fremont Doctor Dies
Kamahria Hopkins
Souce: www.omaha.com
An 84-year-old woman infected with hepatitis
C during treatment at a Fremont, Neb., cancer clinic has died.
Rachel Cordes of Scribner, Neb., died last
month, said one of her sons, Randy Cordes. It's unclear if
her death was caused by the liver disease.
Cordes said his mother, who had colon cancer,
received chemotherapy at the clinic run by Dr. Tahir Javed
during the spring of 2000. She stopped treatment for a short
while and then resumed from June 2000 to September 2000.
Nebraska health officials have linked 99
cases of hepatitis C - believed to be the largest outbreak
of its kind in the United States - to poor infection control
practices at the clinic.
Cheryl Gentry died in March 2003 from liver
complications after contracting hepatitis C at the clinic.
Rachel Cordes may have contracted hepatitis
C during her treatment, her son said, or during regular cleanings
of her port - used to administer the chemotherapy - after
her treatment ended in September.
Randy Cordes said his mother, who had also
suffered from breast cancer and most recently from cancer
of the lower spine, was notified in October 2002 that she
may have been infected. Her first test came back positive
about a month later, and was confirmed with a second positive
test in January 2003.
"Like all of us, she felt the medical
professionals that you trust didn't follow sound medical practices,"
Randy Cordes said. "She was wronged just like the other
98 were wronged."
Rachel Cordes, who lived alone and died
at home, was not receiving treatment for her hepatitis C,
her son said. He said doctors decided to focus on her cancer
treatment.
Rachel Cordes was one of 90 who filed medical
malpractice lawsuits against Javed. The first of those trials
will begin Jan. 10.
Back to top
July 22nd, 2004
Roche
Molecular Systems Issues Nationwide Recall of Cobas Taqman
Analyzers and Cobas Taqman 48 Analyzers
Source: Company Press Release
Pleasanton, CA --- Roche Molecular Systems,
Inc. (RMS), Pleasanton, California, has initiated a nationwide
recall of COBAS TaqMan Analyzers and COBAS TaqMan 48 Analyzers
that are used by laboratories to run tests for hepatitis B
and hepatitis C viruses and for other in-house diagnostic
testing. A few Analyzers have been found to have an improperly
seated fiber optic cable, which potentially could result in
falsely elevated patient test results. Falsely elevated results
would suggest that the patient is not responding to treatment
and the physician may stop or change therapy. In some cases
this could result in progression of the disease and, due to
the disease progression, ultimately lead to death. In extreme
cases, the misalignment of the fiber optic cable could result
in a mismatch of patient test results. RMS will continue to
monitor instruments in the field to assess that fiber optic
cables are correctly seated.
Roche began this investigation upon the
receipt of one customer complaint. Based on this complaint,
no patient was inappropriately treated as a result of this
situation.
Customers who have COBAS TaqMan Analyzers
or COBAS TaqMan 48 Analyzers have been notified by Roche Diagnostics
and have had their instruments inspected by a Roche Field
Service Engineer to assure proper alignment of the fiber optic
cable.
The firm voluntarily initiated this field
correction after learning that false positive results generated
in a laboratory were caused by a misalignment of the fiber
optic cable to one of the thermal cycler blocks contained
in the instrument. FDA has been apprised of this action.
Based on customer feedback and ongoing
investigation, Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. has confirmed
the possibility of falsely elevated control and patient values
on the COBAS TaqMan and COBAS TaqMan 48 Analyzers. It has
been determined that if a fiber optic cable is incorrectly
seated in the emission module of a thermal cycler, the emission
signals may overlap those of neighboring wells resulting in
cross-talk that could lead to falsely elevated results. Extreme
misalignment could result in a sample-to-result mismatch.
Analyzers have been distributed to laboratories in the United
States, Canada, and Europe. They can be identified by brand
name COBAS TaqMan and COBAS TaqMan 48 Analyzer.
Roche Molecular Systems notified its distributors
and customers by letter in May of this year. Field Service
Engineers have inspected all Analyzers for correct seating
of the cable.
Laboratories with questions may contact
the company at 1-800-526-1247.
Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.
4300 Hacienda Drive
Pleasanton, CA, US
Communications & PR
www.roche-diagnostics.com
Back to top
NEC
Discovers New Peptide-Vaccine Candidates for Hepatitis C Virus
Together with Kochi Medical School
Source: www.japancorp.net
Tokyo, Japan, July 22, 2004 -- NEC Corporation
(TSE: 6701) and Kochi Medical School today announced the discovery
of new peptide-vaccine candidates for the Hepatitis C Virus
(HCV). The discovery was enabled by a jointly developed system
that predicts human antigen-presenting HLA (Human Leukocyte
Antigen) molecule-binding peptides, which possess a high binding
accuracy of 70 - 80%. These peptide-vaccine candidates are
now being applied in verification experiments, such as in
vitro immunological activation experiments and clinical trials
in the near future. NEC expects that these candidates will
contribute greatly to the recognition of genuine drugs exerting
prevention and treatment effectiveness in HCV.
NEC, together with Kochi Medical School, has applied for a
patent regarding the HCV-derived peptide vaccine candidates
at the Japan Patent Office. It is presently being verified
via experiments that these peptides actually induce immune
system activation. After immunological activation and toxicological
safety has been confirmed, clinical trials are planned at
Ehime Medical School Hospital.
Through the combination with the research results of peptide-HLA
molecule binding experiments at Kochi Medical School (Prof.
Udaka, Department of Immunology), NEC initiated the development
of a prediction system of human HLA molecule-binding peptides
from last year. NEC succeeded in developing the prediction
systems for HLA-A*2402 and HLA-A*0201 molecules, and future
plans exist for developing the prediction system for other
HLA subtypes.
In 2001, NEC developed a unique bio-informatics technique;
“Active-learning method”(*1) for extremely high
prediction accuracy of binding peptide to mouse antigen-presenting
molecules MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex). This technique
can predict binding peptides for more than 500 billion variations
of 9-amino acid sequences by only applying several hundred
experimental binding data.
NEC subsequently succeeded to predict human HCV poly-protein
originated 9-amino acid peptides, which bind to HLA-A*2402
molecules, a HLA subtype that over 50% of the Japanese population
carry. These peptide-vaccine candidates have huge potential
of being developed into new drugs that may contribute to the
prevention and treatment of HCV.
NEC, together with Kochi Medical School, has applied for a
patent regarding the HCV-derived peptide vaccine candidates
at the Japan Patent Office. It is presently being verified
via experiments that these peptides actually induce immune
system activation. After immunological activation and toxicological
safety has been confirmed, clinical trials are planned at
Ehime Medical School Hospital.
NEC anticipates that this system will contribute vastly to
the recognition of peptide-vaccines, and plans to collaborate
with various pharmaceutical companies. NEC has also started
prediction of HCV poly-protein originated HLA-A*0201-binding
peptides, (this is a HLA molecule subtype that a large number
of U.S. and European people have) and is focusing on selecting
target representatives of infectious diseases, such as SARS
(Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), influenza viruses, cancer
antigens, and allergic diseases such as pollinosis (hay fever).
In the near future, the development of prediction systems
for other HLA-A subtypes is also planned. In due course, prediction
systems will contribute to personalized medicine by selection
of the most suitable peptide combinations based on pre-inspection
of HLA-subtypes of individual patients.
Note:
*1: “Active-learning method”
This is one of the machine learning methods, which can select
experimental data from a large amount of candidates. After
this approach is carried out several hundred times, highly
informative experimental data is gathered, and based on this
highly accurate prediction is achieved.
About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation (NASDAQ: NIPNY) (FTSE: 6701q.l) is one of
the world’s leading providers of Internet, broadband
network and enterprise business solutions dedicated to meeting
the specialized needs of its diverse and global base of customers.
Ranked as one of the world’s top patent-producing companies,
NEC delivers tailored solutions in the key fields of computer,
networking and electron devices, by integrating its technical
strengths in IT and Networks, and by providing advanced semiconductor
solutions through NEC Electronics Corporation. The NEC Group
employs more than 140,000 people worldwide and had net sales
of 4,906 billion yen (approx. $47 billion) in the fiscal year
ended March 2004.
For further information, about NEC Corporation see their company
profile here
Contact:
In Japan
Diane Foley
NEC Corporation
d-foley@ax.jp.nec.com
+81-3-3798-6511
Back to top
Roche
Files SBLA for Pegasys
Source: www.pharmexec.com
F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd. filed a supplemental
Biologics License Application with the Food and Drug Administration
for Pegasys (peginterferon alfa-2a), seeking an indication
to treat chronic hepatitis B.
The SBLA was based on Pegasys data from
a comprehensive clinical development program in hepatitis
B. More than 1,500 patients with chronic hepatitis B were
evaluated in three separate studies.
In a Phase II trial, Pegasys was compared
with standard interferon in patients with HBeAg-positive disease.
In addition, two Phase III studies compared Pegasys against
GlaxoSmithKline Plc’s Epivir (lamivudine) in patients
with HBeAg-positive disease and in patients with HBeAg-negative
disease, respectively.
HBeAg-negative disease is a more difficult-to-treat
mutation of the hepatitis B virus. Roche noted that both Phase
III trials were the largest of their kind to examine patient
populations with either variation of hepatitis B.
“Each year, an estimated 5,000 to
6,000 people die in the United States because of chronic hepatitis
B liver disease,” said Alan Brownstein, chief executive
of the American Liver Foundation in a Roche press release.
The Food and Drug Administration originally approved Pegasys
in October 2002 for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C.
Back to top
2,000
Cases of Hepatitis Misdiagnosis
Kim Dong-seup, dskim dskim@chosun.com
Source: http://english.chosun.com/national/
Shock is following revelations that Korean
Red Cross staff misdiagnosed about 2,000 cases of hepatitis
in the last 10 years, and of those misdiagnosed, some who
were hepatitis B or C positive were diagnosed negative and
allowed to donate blood to hospitals. As this is the first
time it has been revealed that the blood of hepatitis-infected
individuals was used for transfusions or to make medical supplies
due to Red Cross staff carelessness or mistakes, the fallout
is expected to grow.
Accordingly, there will be mass reprimands
of Red Cross staff and questions of responsibility with the
Ministry of Human Welfare, which supervises the Red Cross.
Moreover, controversy will likely surround the investigations
and compensation to be given to those who received blood infected
with hepatitis. According to the Health and Human Welfare
Ministry on Thursday, a review of blood donation conditions
since 1994 yielded seven blood donation centers nationwide
where tainted blood was received.
The Human Welfare Ministry and Red Cross
apologized to the citizens for using hepatitis-infected blood
for transfusions due to diagnosis errors and promised measures
to ensure it never happens again. Along with this, prosecutors
are investigating the Korean Red Cross and National Institute
of Health, and an announcement on their poor maintenance of
blood supplies is expected soon. An expert on blood supply
management said that Red Cross's conducting of its own investigation
into misdiagnoses was an expression of the willingness to
make this an opportunity to get everything out into the open
and allow the body to be reborn as institution worthy of public
trust.
The 2,000 misdiagnosis cases included both
those in which those who were infected tested negative and
those who were not tested positive, and it seems there were
more than a few cases in which infected blood was sent to
hospitals for use. The Welfare Ministry said at a certain
blood bank in 2002, there were 13 cases in which hepatitis-positive
blood was diagnosed as negative, and 16 in which hepatitis-negative
blood was initially diagnosed as positive. If the ministry
confirms that some of the blood was supplied to hospitals
for use, it will track down who received the blood and provide
compensation to those who were infected.
Back to top
July 23rd, 2004
Experts
Lament Poor Awareness of HBV
Godwin Haruna- Lagos
Source: This Day (Lagos) News
As the world's attention shifted to the
HIV/AIDS pandemic at the just concluded international summit
in Bangkok, Thailand, experts have decried the neglect by
Nigeria of hepatitis B virus (HBV), another deadly disease
said to be more virulent and common among Nigerians than HIV.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the
national workshop on hepatitis B virus held last week by the
Association for the Study of the Liver (ASLIN) in collaboration
with GlaxoSmithKline recently, the President Prof. Segun Ojo
lamented that awareness on HBV infection in the country has
remained very poor despite the fact that disease is as deadly
HIV.
According to him, the mode of transmission
of HBV is similar to that of HIV as it is also transmitted
through sexual contact, contact with the blood or body fluids
of an infected person, unsafe injections and transfusion.
Ojo further disclosed that HBV is 50 to
100 times more infectious than HIV and can even be transmitted
from child to child. The major difference between the two
infections, according to him is that HBV can be easily transmitted.
In a keynote address, former Chief Medical
Director of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Prof.
Sadiq Wali disclosed that Hepatitis B virus is the 10th leading
causes of adult death in the world , with over 33 per cent
of the world population or about 350 million people around
the world currently infected.
According to him, the virus also claims
one to two million lives every year while over 90 per cent
of infants are infected prematurely, stressing that the hepatitis
B virus is spread through the same route just like HIV.
Wali listed the clinical features of hepatitis
B. These included gastro-intestinal symptoms such as anorexia,
flatulence, vomiting, fever, arthralgia, upper abdominal pain,
dark urine, jaundice, pruritus, vascultic rash, cirrhosis,
fulminate hepatic (liver) failure and liver cancer.
He reviewed the various management methods
of liver diseases and concluded that various complicated procedures
required, including liver transplantation, could be performed
in Nigeria with adequate planning.
He however stressed the need for good prevention
strategies as a way out of the problem posed by HBV in Nigeria.
Such strategies include public education on the disease, screening
of blood products and immunisation.
Back to top
Yale
Scientists Visualize Details of How Hepatitis C Unwinds RNA
Source: Yale University
New Haven, Conn. -- Research led by Anna
Marie Pyle, professor of molecular biophysics and biochemistry
at Yale University reveals how a protein from Hepatitis C
(HCV) unwinds RNA, potentially allowing it to be copied.
The work published in the journal Nature
focuses on an enzyme, helicase NS3, that unwinds the RNA virus
for replication inside cells. NS3 is one member of an extensive
family of helicases and is used as a model for studying unwinding
activities of motor proteins.
Their findings are particularly important
because NS3 is a major drug target against HCV and understanding
the helicase function will aid in the development of HCV inhibitors.
Pyle's results contradict the idea that
helicases move smoothly with the continuous action of a snow
plow. Instead, NS3 moves with a discontinuous stepping motion
that alternates rapid translocation with pausing. "We
observe that the helicase proceeds through discreet spatial
and kinetic microstates," Pyle said. "We actually
track the speed and processivity of the helicase as it passes
through each base pair of its substrate."
"While this report is the first of
its kind, and has produced highly significant results, it
is only the beginning of a new understanding in HCV enzymology,"
said Pyle. "In the future, our approaches will be used
to understand the composition of the HCV replication complex
and the interplay between its constituent proteins. Comparative
studies will be done on other viruses and in other systems
where helicase function is critical."
These novel features were revealed using
a new type of combinatorial enzymology that allows the behavior
of helicase enzymes to be directly compared on a sequence
panel. This is the first time that the behavior of a nucleic
acid remodeling protein has been monitored at this high resolution,
as it acts upon or passes each subunit of its target, according
to Pyle. Since the work was conducted on RNA, it helps to
bring RNA helicases to the forefront of motor research.
"By visualizing one of the key steps
in how hepatitis C makes copies of itself, Dr. Pyle unexpectedly
discovered that the molecular motor that unzips the virus'
genetic material looks a lot like the motor that drives muscles,"
said Dr. Richard Ikeda, a chemist at the National Institute
of General Medical Sciences, which funded the work. "This
is a perfect example of how a basic investigation revealed
surprise insights into the similarities among widely different
organisms.'
Back to top
Columbus
- Illegal Tattooing Investigation
Source: www.wishtv.com
Columbus police are searching for a second
suspect in a series of illegal tattooing that is leaving several
people sick.
Police say James Skaggs, 38, is spreading
more than just his art. They fear that he is transmitting
highly infectious hepatitis to customers. Skaggs is known
for giving tattoos by using guitar wire.
"We have people developing hepatitis
and other contagious diseases, so it's a danger to all the
people in the city of Columbus ,” said Columbus City
Prosecutor Bill Hedrick, "We're just hoping we shut him
down. This is ridiculous."
Skaggs is scheduled to appear in court
Friday on an unrelated charge. The officers who busted him
previously could be tested for exposure to hepatitis.
Back to top
Convict
with Life Sentence Gets Medical Commutation
Source: www.wishtv.com
(Jackson, Michigan) - Maurice Carter says
he never gave up hope. The 60-year-old native of Gary, Indiana,
is scheduled to be released from a Jackson prison on Saturday.
Carter has spent more than 28 years behind
bars after receiving a life sentence. A jury convicted him
in 1976 of shooting and wounding of an off-duty Benton Harbor
police officer. Carter always has maintained his innocence.
He has hepatitis-C and his doctors say
he needs a liver transplant. Governor Granholm granted Carter
a medical commutation last month.
Carter told The Grand Rapids Press in an
interview from the prison's hospital that after he gets healthier,
he wants to start rebuilding relationships with his loved
ones.
Back to top
July 24th, 2004
Decades
in Music World Earn Escovedo Peer Admiration
Kelley Shammon
Source: Associated Press
AUSTIN - Musician Alejandro Escovedo has
spent a lifetime doing what he loves.
"Just the joy of traveling and playing
guitar, I mean, that's a beautiful thing, to see the world
as a guitar player," the 53-year-old Austin music veteran
said. "It's almost like in the tradition of being a troubadour
... you're spreading the news."
After three decades, though, those days
are over for Escovedo - at least for now.
Sidelined with a life-threatening illness,
Escovedo is on hiatus from performing. But a CD collection
of his music, "Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro
Escovedo," is being released Tuesday to honor Escovedo
and raise money to assist him as he battles hepatitis C.
Artists performing on the CD include Lucinda
Williams, John Cale, Los Lonely Boys, Jennifer Warnes, Steve
Earle, the Cowboy Junkies and Son Volt. Some of Escovedo's
musician relatives, brothers Javier and Pete Escovedo and
niece Sheila E., also recorded for the album.
"It's all people that I have so much
respect for," Escovedo said. "To me, it sounds like
there's a lot of love put into every track."
The CD includes one new song by Escovedo,
called "Break This Time," a fast-paced tune with
distinctive guitar passages, recorded before his latest severe
bout with illness. "So whisper so softly, tell me you
love me," Escovedo sings. "But I just might break
this time."
Escovedo's music is an array of styles,
from hard-driving rock to emotion-filled ballads that sometimes
incorporate cellos and violins.
He got his start in music in the 1970s
as a member of the quasi-punk band The Nuns. That was followed
by his work in the bands Rank and File and the True Believers.
In the 1990s, even though he played in the band Buick MacKane
on the side, his critically acclaimed solo albums and his
live performances dominated his career.
He credits his late father, Pedro, who
died in February at 97, and his mother, Evita, with encouraging
his and his siblings' love of music. His father's stories
and life experiences as an immigrant from Saltillo, Mexico,
also had a major impact on his songwriting, Escovedo said.
Over the past few years, Escovedo, who
was born in San Antonio and later grew up in southern California,
has explored his Mexican-American roots. He has brought traditional
Latin music sounds into his songs, written lyrics about the
plight of immigrants and created a play titled "By the
Hand of the Father," which features Escovedo's music
and tells a story of Mexican-Americans.
Along with generating money for Escovedo's
living and medical expenses, "Por Vida" aims to
call attention to hepatitis C and ultimately help other musicians
who have the disease, said Heinz Geissler, Escovedo's manager
and an executive producer of the CD.
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that can be contracted
through a contaminated needle or sexual intercourse, and can
lead to cirrhosis or liver failure. An infected person may
not know for years that he or she has the virus.
Escovedo speculates he may have gotten
the virus in the 1970s, but doesn't know for sure and doesn't
offer details. He acknowledges that drinking, drugs and women
are some of the temptations of touring.
When he was diagnosed eight years ago,
Escovedo maintained a grueling touring schedule and admittedly
didn't take good care of himself; he even continued drinking
alcohol. Then he fell seriously ill during a performance in
Arizona and was hospitalized in April 2003.
He spent the next few weeks recuperating
in Arizona with his companion Kim Christoff and their baby
daughter Amala, who is now 20 months old, he said. Escovedo
has six older children from previous relationships, ranging
in age from 5 to 34 years old.
"Suddenly, I was faced with the kind
of distant thought that I wouldn't see my children again,"
Escovedo said.
Back in Texas, he saw several doctors and
settled on a specialist in Dallas. He recently finished a
difficult period of taking the drug interferon, which caused
weakness, mood swings and some hair loss.
With Escovedo unable to work, and no health
insurance, Geissler stepped in, organizing benefit concerts
and helping to lead the CD project.
"We went back to Alejandro. We said,
'OK, give us your dream list of who you'd like to see do your
songs,' " Geissler said. The list was long, he said.
As word spread, more artists wanted to take part.
Most of the musicians' arrangements of
his songs came as a surprise to Escovedo, who typically wasn't
involved in the recordings. He did produce the Los Lonely
Boys' version of "Castanets," from Escovedo's 2001
album "Man Under the Influence."
Working with Escovedo was like working
with a brother or cousin or uncle, said Los Lonely Boys singer
and guitarist Henry Garza.
"We are proud to be able to play music
in tribute to a man we admire and has been recognized by others
as a true artist," Garza said, through a publicist.
Escovedo said he hopes the album keeps
his work before the public. His plans remain indefinite.
"Whether I play music again
really doesn't matter," he said. "What matters is
that I survive this, number one. I told this doctor, I said,
'I don't care about touring. I care about watching my children
grow up.' That's all I want."
Back to top
Back to News
Review |
