Back to News Review
Week Ending: June 2nd , 2007
Alan Franciscus
Editor-in-Chief
To download pdf version click
here
This Issue:
May 26th, 2007
Stab gave hero hep C
http://www.abbynews.com
By SHEENA JACKSON
Abbotsford News
In 2000, Dave Woloshen risked his life to fight off a man savagely attacking a woman in Abbotsford.
The victim was beaten and stabbed multiple times in an apartment.
Woloshen confronted the attacker and was stabbed in the back.
A frantic scuffle ensued and he managed to fight off the attacker, break free and call for help.
The woman survived. The attacker was convicted and sentenced.
The Mission man sees the victim occasionally. He said she calls him “her guardian angel.”
Two months ago, Woloshen was diagnosed with hepatitis C, a potentially fatal liver condition.
He was devastated by the news and believes his actions from seven years ago have come back to haunt him in a cruel fashion.
“I saved that lady’s life and all I got in return was hepatitis C.”
The 31-year-old claims the only way he could have contracted the disease was from the stabbing.
“I’ve only been poked by nurses and doctors. I’ve never used needles.”
To add to his trauma, he said he is ineligible for treatment under PharmaCare because his enzyme levels, which show the levels of liver function, don’t meet the criteria set by PharmaCare.
“My liver is functioning and my doctor says I am a prime candidate for getting treatment. I have a 65 per cent chance of beating this.”
Woloshen’s situation is not isolated, according to Dr. John Farley, a specialist in infectious diseases treating patients in Abbotsford twice a week.
Farley spoke with the Abbotsford News a fortnight ago and how it affects a number of his patients diagnosed with hepatitis C.
“There are so many ridiculous bureacracies into getting the treatment approved that many people who are eligible for treatment are not able to get it,” he said in an interview.
PharmaCare’s eligibility criteria for hepatitis C treatment drugs such as pegetron and Pegasys RBV is based on several factors such as the patient’s level of liver function which shows enzymes levels.
However, Farley said the criteria has been shown time and again to be unreliable, with levels set too high.
But Ministry of Health spokesperson Sarah Plank told the News two weeks ago PharmaCare’s criteria is based on what has been shown by clinical trials and research studies to be the most effective.
In the meantime, Woloshen said his diagnosis rehashes the stabbing incident seven years ago but, still, he doesn’t regret what he did.
“I’m just that type of person. I will go out of my way for anybody.”
Woloshen is determined to beat the disease and hopes to get treatment.
“I feel not too bad, but I’m frustrated and angered I can’t get the treatment I need. If a doctor says it’s needed, it’s needed. It’s another thing I am willing to battle to ensure another few years of my life.”
Back to top
Hep C public inquiry gets go-ahead
http://www.stv.tv/
The new SNP-run Scottish Executive has given the go-ahead to a public inquiry into how people were infected with hepatitis C through contaminated blood products.
Hundreds of people in Scotland, including haemophilia sufferers and other patients, were given contaminated blood in the 1970s and 80s. Their calls for a public inquiry had been resisted by the previous administration.
Philip Dolan, from the Scottish Haemophilia Forum, said: "We would hope to try and get an answer. I myself am not necessarily saying that I want someone's head on a plate but we do need an explanation, we do need an answer and certainly why politicians, civil servants have failed to do this over these many years. This goes back years now and so many people have died."
Health Secretary, Nicola Sturgeon MSP, said: "The NHS is, and should be, open and transparent. People who got Hepatitis C or HIV from infected blood products in the NHS have a right to some answers and that's what an inquiry is about, not pointing fingers but giving them the answers that they are looking for. Now there's an inquiry taking place south of the border, so we'll look and see what it reports before deciding how to proceed, but I believe an inquiry in Scotland is the right way forward."
Back to top
Woman with hepatitis C hopes to educate: May is awareness month for the disease
http://www.news-journal.com
By MAGGIE SOUZA
Shortly after Pat Chaplinski gave birth to her first son in 1968, doctors told her she'd need a blood transfusion to survive. They didn't tell her that decades later, the procedure would dramatically alter her life.
In 2001, Chaplinski went to apply for more affordable health insurance. After taking the required blood test, she got the shock of her life: Chaplinski was positive for hepatitis C, a liver-attacking virus that can cause cirrhosis, liver cancer or liver failure.
The discovery explained the aching, fatigue and other flu-like symptoms she had lived with for the past 20 years — even so, Chaplinski said she was stunned.
"I was completely baffled as to how I would have contracted this dreadful disease," the 56-year-old said. Then she recalled the blood transfusion, and suddenly everything made sense.
In keeping with the theme of May being Hepatitis Awareness Month, Chaplinski wanted to share her story in the hopes of educating the public.
"You don't hear much about it, and it needs to be brought out into the open," she said.
Nobody had warned Chaplinski, now the mother of two, about contracting hepatitis C through a blood transfusion because it wasn't an identified virus until more than two decades later.
Before 1992, when blood screening became mandatory, recipients of blood transfusions and organ transplants were at much higher risk of contracting hepatitis C than now, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The risk has since declined to less than one in 1 million units of transfused blood, the CDC states.
"Never in a million years would I have thought that (could happen)," Chaplinski said. But there seemed to be no other explanation, since she'd never gotten a tattoo or body piercing, shared a needle or done anything else that might have put her in contact with the virus, she said.
An estimated 4 million Americans, or about one in 50, have hepatitis C. Eighty percent of them have no sign or symptoms, according to a variety of national health institutions.
Because of that, many people — including Chaplinski for a long time — are never aware of the problem.
"That's why it's called the silent epidemic," said Heather Guerrero, manager for the Texas Liver Coalition, a non-profit organization that educates the public about liver diseases.
According to statistics from the coalition, hepatitis C is the most common form of viral hepatitis, and affects four times more people than HIV.
As in Chaplinski's case, people often find out that they have hepatitis C when they aren't trying to.
"Many times they may try to give blood or they're going for health insurance or life insurance," said Patti Wittlif, executive director of the American Liver Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes liver health and disease prevention.
There is no vaccine for hepatitis C, and while there is a cure for hepatitis C, it only works for about half the patients.
It didn't work for Chaplinski.
"All I can do is wait for some better drugs to come along," Chaplinski said, adding that her case could be much worse. "There isn't any really bad physical pain — I just go around feeling like I have the flu. Some days are worse than others."
Chaplinski has learned not to make plans in advance, since she never knows how she'll feel, and she tries to keep a positive attitude about her situation.
"A part of me is angry that I have a disease I shouldn't have, but I thank God I'm OK," she said. "I'm very blessed. I'm lucky to be doing as well as I am."
Back to top
Volunteers Look to Educate During Hepatitis Awareness Month
http://www.khnl.com
HONOLULU (KHNL) - One of every 50 Hawaii residents carries hepatitis C.
But, less then half them actually know it.
Here in Hepatitis Awareness Month, volunteers are working hard to spread the word on this misunderstood disease -- as their Random Act of Kindness.
More than 20,000 people in Hawaii are infected with the deadly -- hepatitis C.
That's enough to fill the Stan Sheriff Center.
Twice.
''Hepatitis is such a big thing," says volunteer Marsha Rose Joyner. "People walk around and not know they've got it. So, it takes all of us, that you see volunteering to make people aware of what hepatitis is, what it does to the body and how we can affect some kind of a cure."
It turns out, many patients finally discover they it when their liver is damaged beyond repair.
In most cases, by then, it's too late.
There is no cure for hepatitis C.
That's why educating the public is all the more crucial.
''Hawaii doesn't have a lot of money when it comes to medical care," explains infectious disease specialist, Dr. Alan Tice. "But, we've recognized the disease and there's a phenomenal number of people who volunteer, contributing their efforts to try and help with this silent epidemic."
''My greatest hope is that we can reach as many people as we can, to get tested. If you don't get tested, then you don't know," says NovaLei Gonzales, who also lives with the deadly disease. "But, once you know, then there is help, and there is treatment."
And with treatment comes hope.
Back to top
Hepatitis C breakthrough yields treatment success
http://www.contracostatimes.com
By Bob Lamendola
SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL
Researchers present findings of drug cocktail that eliminates disease, although it can result in significant side effects
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Doctors and researchers almost never use the word "cure," but they came as close as they ever do Monday when describing a combination of two drugs used to treat the severe liver disease hepatitis C.
Among some patients, the drug cocktail of pegylated interferon and ribavirin completely kills the virus that causes hepatitis C and keeps it from coming back, doctors said in reporting their new study at a Digestive Disease Weekly conference in Washington, D.C.
The catch is, the drug combination does not work in about half of people with hepatitis C, and researchers are not sure why it works completely for some but fails in others. Also, the combination has difficult side effects.
"I call it a cure. It doesn't work for everyone, but it has the ability to eradicate this virus, and this study is the best evidence to prove that," said Eugene Schiff, director of the center for liver diseases at the University of Miami medical school, who was attending the conference but not involved in the study.
The findings of the six-nation study, headed in the United States by Virginia Commonwealth University, solidifies the drug combination as the top treatment for the virus, which has infected about 4 million Americans.
The virus spreads only via direct contact with infected blood. Most cases stem from blood transfusions before 1992 and intravenous needle use, but the virus also can occasionally be passed through sex.
Long-term infection of hepatitis C has caused a leap in the incidence of liver cancer and liver damage and is the leading cause of people needing liver transplants. The virus kills more people than HIV/AIDS.
The new study followed 997 patients who had cleared the virus from their systems while taking the drug combination for almost a year. Of those, 99 percent remained virus-free an average of four years after they stopped taking the drugs, and as long as seven years later.
That kind of success is not seen with other viruses, such as hepatitis B and HIV, which hide in the body and come back strong if the patient stops taking the medicine, said Dr. John Vierling, a Baylor College professor and past president of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
"This is a virus we can beat," said Vierling, who was not associated with the study.
But the drug mix defeats the virus in only about 40 percent of those infected with the most common strain of hepatitis C, which accounts for two-thirds of cases. African-Americans and those with serious cirrhosis of the liver are less likely than average to do well. The drugs succeed about 80 percent of the time against other strains of the virus.
The side effects from the drugs can be serious. Most people experience little more than flulike symptoms, but small numbers report hair loss, depression, moodiness, sharp anemia, and, in rare cases, heart and kidney failure, suicidal thoughts and even death.
"People don't like to take it if they don't have to," Schiff said.
Plantation, Fla., patient Andi Thomas, who founded the nationwide advocacy group Hep-C Alert, said she has been virus-free since taking the drugs in 2004, with only headaches as a side effect. The group is funded in part by Roche Inc., which makes the interferon drug.
"I would like to hope I am cured forever and ever," Thomas said. "I would like for them to have better drugs, but right now they don't. It's the best tool we have."
Back to top
May 27th, 2007
Magnetic resonance elastography enables noninvasive liver diagnoses
http://www.news-medical.net
Two recent Mayo Clinic studies have found that magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), a new imaging technique invented at Mayo Clinic, is an accurate tool for non-invasive diagnosis of liver diseases.
The findings will be presented this week at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine Annual Meeting in Berlin, Germany, and Digestive Disease Week 2007 in Washington, D.C.
The liver responds to many diseases that damage its cells by developing scar tissue or fibrosis. MRE uses a modified form of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to accurately measure the hardness or elasticity of the liver. By applying vibrations to the liver, MRE obtains pictures of the mechanical waves passing through the organ. The wave pictures are then processed to generate a quantitative image of tissue stiffness.
"Healthy liver tissue is very soft, while a liver with fibrosis is firmer, and a liver with cirrhosis is almost rock-hard," says Richard Ehman, M.D., lead researcher on the MRE project. "If detected early, fibrosis of the liver can be treated, but once the disease has progressed to cirrhosis, the condition is irreversible."
Dr. Ehman and his imaging research team collaborated with Mayo Clinic gastroenterologists to study whether MRE could provide reliable and accurate diagnoses in patients with varying degrees of liver disease.
One study involved MRE examinations of 57 individuals with chronic liver disease and 20 healthy volunteers. The researchers confirmed that MRE accurately detects fibrosis with high sensitivity and specificity. Researchers also found that steatosis, which is deposits of fatty acids and triglycerides in liver cells and a common condition in patients with liver disease, did not interfere with detection of fibrosis with MRE.
"Based on this research, we are now using MRE examinations in select patients to determine liver stiffness and assess the need for liver biopsies," says Jayant Talwalkar, M.D., a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and an investigator on the MRE studies. "More than 170 million people in the world are known to have hepatitis C, and nearly one-fourth of those will develop severe liver fibrosis. MRE can help us noninvasively identify fibrosis in this large patient population."
A second study looked at whether MRE can accurately measure portal hypertension, or high blood pressure in the portal vein that carries blood from the digestive track to the liver, usually as a result of cirrhosis of the liver. This study involved 35 individuals with varying degrees of chronic liver disease and 12 healthy volunteers. Researchers studied MRE examinations of liver and spleen stiffness and found that a highly significant correlation exists between liver and spleen stiffness in patients with portal hypertension. However, the validity of spleen stiffness as a noninvasive measure of portal venous pressure requires further study.
According to Dr. Ehman, many diseases cause the properties of tissue to change and will be likely candidates for diagnosis using MRE in the future. His research team is exploring the use of MRE in detecting breast cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/
Back to top
May 28th, 2007
Brother’s fury at contaminated blood revelations
http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk
By Jane Lavender
THE brother of a man who died from AIDS after being given contaminated blood products has said he has "never been so angry" after it was revealed the Government knew of the risks, but ruled against a ban.
David Fielding's brother Brian died in 1990 after he contracted the virus while being treated for haemophilia.
David, who also suffered from haemophilia, was infected with Hepatitis C after he too received the tainted blood in 1990.
His condition was diagnosed in 1998 when he was told he had just six months to live unless he received a liver transplant.
The new revelations concerning the blood came to light after the Guardian newspaper obtained minutes from a report produced by the Committee on Safety of Medicines, a government advisory group.
The report states that "patients who repeatedly receive blood clotting-factor concentrates appear to be at risk".
The revelations were contained in documents obtained by campaigners as part of the independent public inquiry into the tainted blood scandal, which Mr Fielding has already submitted evidence to.
Mr Fielding, aged 51, of Darley Avenue, Farnworth, said: "I'm more angry than I have ever been in my life. The more evidence that comes out, the more the jigsaw fits together.
"My brother's death was wholly avoidable and my family has been given a sentence without parole. There are so many people who have died because of this and there are so many more who are terminally ill."
Haemophilia is usually inherited and occurs when the blood cannot clot properly because it has low levels of clotting factors eight and nine, causing bruising and internal bleeding.
In the 1970s a method for replacing some of the missing factor was discovered. Plasma products were pooled from UK and US sources, but some came from paid American "Skid Row" donors who were more likely to be infected with HIV and Hepatitis C.
More than 1,500 people have died or are said to be terminally ill as a result of "the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS". Mr Fielding, a married father-of-three, was cured of his liver disease and haemophilia by his transplant.
Successive governments have refused to stage an inquiry into the events.
Mr Fielding said: "The only way that thousands of people and their families will have any closure is if the government launches an inquiry."
Back to top
Texas House Approves Amendment To Bill That Would Establish State's First Needle-Exchange Program
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
The Texas House recently voted 71-60 to approve a provision in a Medicaid bill (SB 10) that would establish the state's first needle-exchange program in Bexar County, Texas, which includes San Antonio, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. Rep. Ruth McClendon (D), who sponsored the provision, initially tried to add an amendment that would have created a statewide program. However, the program was limited to the San Antonio area after the broader program failed to gain support in the House. The details of the program have not been worked out, the Star-Telegram reports.
According to McClendon, needle-exchange programs help to curb the spread of bloodborne diseases, including HIV and hepatitis C, among injection drug users. Rep. Dianne White Delisi (R), who sponsored the Medicaid bill, did not dispute the potential public health benefits of an exchange program but said that Texas residents are concerned about whether "promoting the free exchange of needles for the illegal use of intravenous drugs is something the state should be doing" (Dyer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5/22). According to the Houston Chronicle, Texas is the only state that does not have a needle-exchange program (Elliott, Houston Chronicle, 5/22).
"Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
Back to top
New findings from University of Brescia describe advances in aplastic anemia
http://www.newsrx.com/
Fresh data on aplastic anemia are presented in the report "Immune-mediated hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia caused by the emergence of a mutant hepatitis B virus undetectable by standard assays." According to recent research from Brescia, Italy, "Hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia (HAA) is characterized by marrow failure developing after acute seronegative hepatitis. A patient with agammaglobulinemia developed HAA in association with HBsAg-negative, hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA-positive acute hepatitis."
"Sequence analysis showed several substitutions in the major antigenic determinant of HBsAg, potentially affecting the detection by diagnostic immunoassays. Viral mutants may therefore be implicated as etiologic agents of HBsAg-negative HAA," wrote E. Cariani and colleagues, University of Brescia.
The researchers concluded: "HBV DNA determination may be necessary to exclude mutant HBV as a cause of HAA, particularly in categories at high risk of mutant selection such as agammaglobulinemic and transplanted patients."
Cariani and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Hepatology (Immune-mediated hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia caused by the emergence of a mutant hepatitis B virus undetectable by standard assays. Journal of Hepatology, 2007;46(4):743-7).
For additional information, contact E. Cariani, University of Brescia, Dept. of Experimental and Applied Medicine, Section of Microbiology, AO Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy.
Back to top
May 29th, 2007
World Health Organization Issues Warning Against Hepatitis B Vaccine
http://www.vaccinerx.com
OJ Fagbire
Dr. Umar Ayub, president of SAARC Medical Association, along with his two colleagues Dr. Archad Rana and Dr. Zakaullah Warraich has expressed grave concern over the use of South Korean produced Hepatitis Vaccines. These vaccines, Euevax B are suspected to be linked to deaths in Vietnam, Philippine, Russia, Bangladesh and possibly Pakistan.
The World Health Organization, also known as WHO, has formed a committee to investigate LG, the manufactures of Euevax B.
Despite all this concern, the vaccine is still being sold to private and public sectors of Pakistan and the Ministry of Health isn't doing anything about it. In fact the Ministry has recently contracted another supply of Euevax B from LG. Dr. Umar demanded that this contract be cancelled to protect the public. He further threatened court action if the Ministry refused to pull all Euevax B stock from market shelves.
Dr. Umar went on to say that he, the SAARC Medical Association and the PMA are extremely concerned about the quality of the vaccines as well as Pakistan's storage and testing procedures. The ministry claims that the vaccine was received through UNICEF and the quality undeniable. This claim is questionable since UNICEF also supplied Euevax B to other countries where deaths have occurred.
Back to top
Start of US Phase II Clinical Trial for Lead product PYN17
http://www.phynova.com
Phynova Group plc (AIM: PYN), the developer of prescription pharmaceuticals derived from Chinese botanical medicines, today announced the commencement of a Phase IIa clinical trial with PYN17 in the United States.
PYN17 is Phynova´s lead candidate for the relief of inflammation and other symptoms suffered by patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. It is based on a novel formulation of extracts of four plants which individually have been used to treat liver diseases in Asia and Europe. There are no treatments currently available to effectively manage the debilitating disease symptoms suffered during chronic hepatitis C infection such as fatigue, muscle aches, anorexia and abdominal pain.
The randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled study in five sites in the USA will evaluate safety and efficacy in 36 patients suffering with chronic hepatitis C, for whom approved treatments such as pegylated interferon and ribavirin have either failed or are not appropriate. Patients will be dosed over a period of a month and symptoms monitored using a recognized and well validated assortment of quality of life (QoL) scores and liver function tests to evaluate patient response and alleviation of disease symptoms. Preliminary safety and efficacy results will be available by the end of the year and are expected to confirm and extend promising observations already made with PYN17 in a physician sponsored (DDX) safety and efficacy study carried out in the UK.
Robert Miller, Managing Director of Phynova, commented: "This news represents the achievement of an important goal in the development of PYN17 and in the quest to find the first effective treatment for the debilitating symptoms suffered by chronic hepatitis C patients. Establishing clinical activities in the US, one of the world´s largest prescription drug markets also represents a significant corporate milestone for Phynova."
About Phynova
Phynova is a UK company developing prescription pharmaceuticals derived from Chinese botanical medicines. Phynova is focused on viral and metabolic diseases and cancer. Phynova´s lead product for hepatitis C will enter Phase II trials in the first half of this year. Two further products, in fatty liver disease and post operative ileus are targeted for entry to the clinic in 2007 and there are a further four products in preclinical development.
About Hepatitis C and Phynova´s clinical candidate PYN17
Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus ("HCV"). Hepatitis C is usually transmitted by injections of illicit drugs, or through exposure to contaminated blood or blood products. Symptoms include fatigue, abdominal discomfort or tenderness, muscle and joint pain, nausea and loss of appetite. Symptoms may persist in patients, even after viral clearance following interferon-ribavirin therapy. Chronic hepatitis C can result in cirrhosis of the liver, which can lead to liver failure and other serious complications, and liver cancer.
Hepatitis C affects over 200 million people world wide, including over four million people in the US. Currently available treatments with pegylated interferon and ribavirin are only effective in approximately 50% of patients treated, often with significant associated toxicity and side effects. The market for treatments for hepatitis C is estimated to be US$9 billion by 2010.
Phynova believes that PYN17 is the only drug in clinical development specifically designed to treat the debilitating symptoms of chronic hepatitis C. It is based on a novel formulation of four plant extracts that have a long history of safe and efficacious use in the treatment of liver ailments in Asia and the West.
For further information, please contact:
Phynova Group PLC 07775 920 963
Robert Miller, Chief Executive Officer www.phynova.com
Nominated Adviser:
Nabarro Wells & Co. Limited 020 7710 7400
Marc Cramsie/John Wilkes
Broker:
J M Finn & Co. Limited 020 7628 9688
Sam Smith
Media enquiries:
Abchurch Communications 020 7398 7700
Peter Laing/Ashley Tapp/Stephanie Cuthbert
Stephanie.cuthbert@abchurch-group.com
www.abchurch-group.com
Back to top
May 30th, 2007
Bipartisan Hepatitis C Legislation Reintroduced in Both Houses of Congress
http://www.marketwire.com
WASHINGTON, DC -- (MARKET WIRE) -- May 30, 2007 -- The Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act [SB-1445, HR-2552] has been reintroduced into both Houses of the 110th Congress by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Representative Edolphus Towns (D-NY). The Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act mandates a comprehensive federal hepatitis C program to include counseling and testing, early detection, surveillance, education, training, and research. Originally introduced but not voted upon in 2003, the reintroduction of The Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act has been a bipartisan effort. The original cosponsors of the legislation are Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and Representative Heather Wilson (R-NM).
Hepatitis C is the most common blood-borne viral infection in the United States. An estimated 5 million Americans are infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), the most common cause of chronic liver disease and adult liver transplantation in the U.S. Approximately 30,000 new HCV cases are reported each year. Hepatitis C currently kills an estimated 15,000 Americans annually, a number that is expected to triple by 2010 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Increased testing and treatment will curb this dire prediction.
The Hepatitis C Caring Ambassadors Program (HCCAP), a national hepatitis C nonprofit organization, lauds the reintroduction stating that this legislation provides the necessary foundation for an effective federal response to the current hepatitis C crisis. HCCAP Program Director Lorren Sandt commented, "We are at a critical juncture in the hepatitis C epidemic. The hardest hit population is in the prime of their lives. It is essential to diagnose those infected with HCV as soon as possible to change the long-term effects of this disease on individuals and society. HCCAP congratulates and thanks the sponsors and cosponsors of this legislation for taking the lead to turn the tide on the hepatitis C crisis."
The timing of the reintroduction of The Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act coincides with Hepatitis Awareness Month 2007. Events have been conducted across the United States throughout the month of May including Congressional briefings and awareness days in state capitals to inform public officials and raise awareness of the magnitude and severity of the hepatitis C crisis. The World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO) spearheaded the global observance of World Digestive Health Day, Focus: Viral Hepatitis on May 29th. Events were hosted throughout the world to call attention to plight of the estimated 600 million people chronically infected with hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
About Hepatitis C Caring Ambassadors Program
The Hepatitis C Caring Ambassadors Program (HCCAP) is a division of the national nonprofit public charity, the Caring Ambassadors Program, Inc. HCCAP is committed to improving the health and longevity of those living with chronic hepatitis C through information, awareness, and public advocacy.
Contact:
Lorren Sandt
503-632-9032
SOURCE: Hepatitis C Caring Ambassadors Program
Back to top
Many Yemeni blood donors carry disease
http://www.yobserver.com
Written By: Thuria Ghaleb
Blood transfusions are meant to be lifesaving operations. But in Yemen, all too often these transfusions actually spread dangerous or even fatal diseases from patient to patient, says a new study. In fact, blood transfusions are one of the most common ways that patients are infected with diseases such as HIV, the retrovirus that causes AIDS, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, and syphilis, said researchers. The new study, titled Blood Donor Screening for Hepatitis-B and C, HIV and Treponema Pallidum in Sana’a City, was conducted by researchers in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Sana’a University. An estimated 8 to 20 percent of Yemeni populations overall are carriers of hepatitis B; 2,025 people have HIV; and about 2 percent of blood donors are carriers of hepatitis C.
“These diseases are considered the most dangerous, and lead to serious complications and high mortality,” said Arwa al-Washali, one of the researchers. “Blood transfusion is an important mode of transmission for these diseases. Despite the fact that syphilis is not common in Yemen, it is also a serious blood transmitted disease.” The study was conducted during the period from June 2004 to June 2005 by a team of six female researchers, who carried out their research in the al-Thawra Hospital, the Central Blood Bank, and the al-Ahli and German-Yemeni hospitals. “We discovered a lot of unexpected things during the period of this study.
We were surprised to discover that there was a high number of blood donors who have AIDS. So the rate of people infected with AIDS in Yemen is increasing,” said Amal al-Khawlani, another researcher. The study included a cross-section of 21,244 blood donors who came to blood donation units in Sana’a hospitals. About 93 percent of the donors were in public hospitals while 7 percent came to private hospitals. Blood donors ranged in age from 21 to 41 years old, and most blood donors were 21 to 30 years old.
Males make up 99 percent of donors, while females represent just 1 percent. The main goal of this study, supervised by Prof. Ahmed al-Haddad, who is the head of the community medicine department in Sana’a University, was to identify the prevalence of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV and syphilis carriers among blood donors. Hepatitis B was the most common disease found in donors’ blood, the study found. And syphilis was the least common. Hepatitis C and syphilis were nearly equally distributed in all governorates. People around age 41 or older were the most likely to have blood infected with one of the diseases.
And because almost all of the donors were male, so were most of the carriers. The study revealed that 742, or 4 percent, of blood donors were carriers of hepatitis B; 227 or 1 percent carried hepatits C; 93 were HIV carriers; and 44 were syphilis carriers. Hepatitis B was twice as common in blood donated to public hospitals than in blood donated to private hospitals. The study found some geographic differences. About 10 percent of people in Mareb carried hepatitis B; 6 percent of people in Shabwah carried it; and 6 percent of people in al-Jawf carried it. The higher prevalence in these areas could be attributed to Bedouin behaviors, such as ear piercing or tattooing, which can increase risks of infection.
In Raimah, 7 percent were infected, perhaps because of the use of non-disposable razors by some barbers. Al-Hodeidah may owe its 5 percent infection rate simply to being a large city with tourism, high numbers of refugees from neighboring countries, and increased homosexual activity. Only 3 percent of people living in Sana’a were infected with hepatitis B. People over 41 were particularly likely to be infected, making up nearly 5 percent of carriers. This result may be due to lifestyle and behavioral factors, said researchers. People of this age in Mareb, al-Dhal’ei, Lahij, and Amran were most likely to be infected, while again Sana’a had very few infected people of that age.
Hepatitis B is a serious global public health problem. It is preventable with safe and effective vaccines that have been available since 1982. Of the 2 billion people who have been infected with the hepatitis B virus, more than 350,000,000 have chronic (lifelong) infections. Approximately 15 to 40 percent of infected patients will develop cirrhosis, liver failure, or cancer. Some 1.1 percent of all donors had hepatitis C. Prevalence of Hepatitis C overall in Yemen, based on data submitted to the WHO as of June 1999, was 2.5 to 4.9 percent, while in the developed countries it was 1.5 percent. The percentage within public hospitals and private hospitals was the same, 1.1 percent.
All governorates have approximately the same proportion of hepatitis C carriers, 0.6 to 1.5 percent. Again, the disease was mostly found in people 41 or older. People of this age were mostly likely to be infected in Hadhramout, Ibb, al-Baida, and al-Hodeidah. Hepatitis C is a blood-borne liver disease, caused by the hepatitis C virus. It spreads primarily through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected individuals. Hepatitis C infection is a leading cause of chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis of the liver. With an estimated 3 percent of the world’s population currently infected with hepatitis C, and 3 to 4 million persons newly infected each year, hepatitis C is a global health problem. The high prevalence of the disease, and the need to understand its epidemiology, warrants global surveillance in order to determine specific health care measures for disease prevention and control.
HIV carriers made up 0.4 percent of blood donors. The prevalence of HIV in Yemen is based on data submitted to the WHO in 2003, which was about 0.2 percent. But it is significant, because it is considered to be an indicator of the increasing number of carriers. The percentage within the public hospital and private hospitals was the same, 0.4 percent. Hodeidah had the highest prevalence of HIV carriers, at 0.8 percent of donors. This could be a result of the large numbers of refugees from countries with higher AIDS rates. Taiz was right behind Hodeidah, with 0.7 percent of donors infected with HIV.
Dhamar had an infection rate of 0.7, and the Capital Secretariat had a rate of only 0.2 percent. People infected with HIV in Hodeidah were most likely to be between the ages of 31 to 40 years old. In Taiz, those infected with HIV were most likely to be between the ages of 21 and 30. That same age group was most affected in Dhamar and Sana’a. Over time, infection with HIV can weaken the immune system to the point that the system has difficulty fighting off certain infections. These types of infections are known as opportunistic infections. Many of the infections that cause problems or that can be life-threatening for people with AIDS are usually controlled by a healthy immune system.
The immune system of a person with AIDS has weakened to the point that medical intervention may be necessary to prevent or treat serious illness, and full-blown AIDS results in death. Syphilis infected 0.2 percent of blood donors, the study found. The percentage within public hospitals was 0.2 percent, and 0.3 percent in the private hospitals. All governorates have approximately the same proportion of syphilis carriers, and most were 41 or older. Syphilis is a chronic sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum. Shortly after its inception, the disease is capable of involving any organ of the body. If left untreated, it may progress through several stages, eventually causing serious complication several years after acquisition.
Syphilis is characterized by a wide variety of symptoms as well as periods of asymptomatic latency. Untreated mothers may infect their fetuses. Identifying the people at the highest risk of these diseases could help in the early detection and treatment of them, and prevent transmission to further people, researchers said. Of the 14 research projects conducted by the students in the Facultu of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2007, this particular study, conducted by Arwa al-Washali, Amal al-Khwlani, Ameenah Hassan, Majeda al-Khateb, Manal al-Kataberi and Yassamen Asda, was ranked number one.
Researchers recommended increasing community awareness about the transmission of these diseases, clinical pictures of these diseases, and ways to prevent infection. They also recommended that research centers and hospitals strictly monitor all blood for disease. The study also calls for more studies on hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, syphilis and other blood-transmitted diseases, in order to identify the risk factors in the high-risk governorates, and the behaviors that predispose people to these diseases.
Back to top
Many hepatitis B patients stop taking meds
http://www.earthtimes.org/
WASHINGTON, May 30 Many patients with chronic hepatitis B do not understand it is a lifelong disease and do not comply with necessary drug regimens, says a U.S. survey.
The national survey, funded by Idenix Pharmaceuticals and Novartis Pharma AG, found many patients were not involved in disease management decisions.
The study, based on responses from 301 adult chronic hepatitis B patients on anti-viral therapy, found 24 percent were on interferon treatment. Most of these patients were males between the ages of 31 and 50, with about half being of Asian descent.
The survey also found:
- 36 percent of respondents mistakenly thought the virus could be spread through sharing utensils.
- 80 percent were aware of the long-term consequences of the hepatitis B virus.
- Half of the respondents erroneously believed a cure existed for the chronic virus, though about 60 percent had been in treatment for about a year.
- 31 percent said they knew specific names of hepatitis B virus tests, but only half knew what the tests measured.
- 85 percent felt that measuring virus levels was important, though 27 percent didn't know if their physicians took those measurements.
The findings were presented during the annual Digestive Diseases Week conference in Washington.
Back to top
Injecting and Hepatitis C
http://www.ssonet.com.au
by Paul Dillon
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Inflammation is the body’s normal response to an injury, regardless of the cause of the injury. Hepatitis can be caused by infections, chemicals and many other diseases. The liver is a large organ of the gastrointestinal system in the upper abdomen and has many functions. One of the main roles is the removal of toxic substances from the body by the liver cells, including bile, a yellow substance that is a normal breakdown product of red blood cells. One effect of an inflamed liver can be bile leaking from the liver cells. If severe enough, this can cause jaundice, a yellow discolouration of the skin, eyes and urine.
Hepatitis C was not discovered until 1989 and was found using modern genetic engineering techniques. The hepatitis C virus has never been seen or cultured.
Transmission of hepatitis C is by blood to blood transmission. Sharing of any injecting equipment is the most common way of becoming infected. All injecting equipment – syringes, spoons, filters, water, tourniquet and swabs are high risks.
Although it would appear that the majority of crystal users smoke their drug of choice, there is evidence to indicate that injecting is also popular. Why so many people are concerned about the injecting of crystal within the gay community is that there is so much we don’t know about how this virus is transmitted. What little we know about the injecting of crystal is that many of the users are naïve injectors and tend to binge on the drug. They feel invincible and may take risks they normally would not consider. Injectors need to be extremely careful with injecting equipment when it comes to transmission of hepatitis C.
There is very little conclusive information currently about sexual transmission, but it appears that sexual transmission is more likely to occur in the presence of acute hepatitis C infection, and that the total risk of sexual transmission of the hepatitis C virus appears to be very low. Currently there is no vaccine available for hepatitis C. Treatments consist of avoiding any further damage to the liver and for some people the drug interferon, in conjunction with riboviron, is used.
So what does contracting hepatitis C really mean? What we know about hepatitis C is constantly changing but currently we believe 20-25 percent of adults recover completely. The virus leaves their system and they are no longer infectious. Seventy-five to 80 percent retain the virus, remaining infectious for life. It is believed that possibly 10 percent of chronic carriers are at risk of developing liver cirrhosis or liver cancer.
There are many risks around the use of illicit drugs, and many of these risks are increased if you choose to inject. Friends may tell you that the rush is greater and the peak is more intense – but there are downsides. You need to be aware of both the positives and negatives before you make the decision to inject – hepatitis C is a real risk.
Remember: if you do not want any negative consequences, do not use the drug and, no matter how many times you have used a substance, never be blasé.
Back to top
May 31st, 2007
CytoPharm to Conduct Hepatitis C Trial and Seek Regulatory Approval for Amarillo Biosciences' Low Dose Oral Interferon
http://www.marketwire.com
AMARILLO, TX -- (MARKET WIRE) -- May 31, 2007 -- Amarillo Biosciences, Inc. (ABI) (OTCBB: AMAR) today announced that CytoPharm Inc., ABI's partner in Taiwan and China, has engaged a Clinical Research Organization (CRO) to conduct a clinical trial of 152 chronic hepatitis C patients. The patients, 38 per group, will receive one of three different dosages of oral human interferon alpha or placebo. The patients must have failed to respond to injectable interferon, or relapsed after initially responding to injectable interferon. The standard of care for chronic hepatitis C is high dose (millions of IU) of human interferon alpha injected alone or in combination with Ribavirin. Typically, only about 50% of hepatitis C patients respond to the standard of care. The trial is expected to start in the 4th quarter of 2007.
Approximately 170 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus worldwide. The incidence of cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis C patients is 10% to 20% and 1% to 5% develop liver cancer. Infections are transmitted primarily by direct contact with blood through transfusions not screened for hepatitis C virus, inadequately sterilized needles and syringes, sexual and perinatal transmission. There is no effective vaccine against hepatitis C virus.
In addition to studies on hepatitis C, under the terms of the License and Supply Agreement, CytoPharm will be testing oral interferon in human studies of chronic active hepatitis B patients and of influenza patients.
About Amarillo Biosciences, Inc.
Amarillo Biosciences, Inc. is a U.S. biotechnology firm operating in global partnership with the Hayashibara Group, which also holds 12% of Amarillo Biosciences shares and has provided over $12.9 million in loans, grants and equity investments. The Company's primary focus is extensive and ongoing R&D into the use of low-dose, orally administered interferon as a treatment for a variety of conditions, including Sjogren's syndrome, Behcet's disease, and opportunistic infections in patients who are HIV positive. In its 23-year history, ABI has invested nearly $38 million to establish oral interferon as a therapeutic agent. The majority of those funds were invested in clinical trials in an effort to achieve FDA approval for interferon. Additional information is available on the ABI web site at http://www.amarbio.com/.
About CytoPharm
CytoPharm is a closely held company focusing on the development of biopharmaceuticals for virus-infected diseases and cancers. It was founded in 2002 by Ho Tung Chemical, Vita Genomics, and banks and venture capital firms. It acquired core technologies from Gene Trol Therapeutics, Inc., a California-based company through M&A. Its product pipelines contain a series of cytokines induced by its proprietary technologies, used for hepatitis, and cancers. Currently, its product is under clinical trials in China. Both CytoPharm and Vita Genomics are affiliates of Ho Tung Chemical Inc., one of the largest petrochemical companies in Taiwan, and a publicly traded company whose 2005 revenues exceeded NTD 35 billion.
Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including uncertainties related to product development, uncertainties related to the need for regulatory and other government approvals, dependence on proprietary technology, uncertainty of market acceptance of oral interferon or the Company's other product candidates and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see "Item 1. Description of Business" of the Company's Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 2006.
Investor Relations:
Philippe Niemetz
PAN Consultants, Ltd.
e-mail: Email Contact
Tel: 800-477-7570; 212-344-6464
Fax: 212-618-1276
Joseph M. Cummins, DVM, PhD
Amarillo Biosciences, Inc.
e-mail: Email Contact
Tel: 806-376-1741 x 13
Fax: 806-376-9301
SOURCE: Amarillo Biosciences, Inc.
Back to top
Hepatitis C Can Be Treated, But Many Don't Know They Have It
http://www.ksdk.com
Hepatitis C is a preventable and treatable virus, but the number of cases is on the rise.
And it's the leading cause for liver transplantation in the United States. Advertisement
When left untreated, it can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer, and even death.
George Santana was one of the 80% of people with no signs or symptoms. The diagnosis came as a shock last year.
George Santana says, "I had a little fungus in my toe. My doctor had to do some blood work. He wanted to give me this medication. And that's when I found out that I had antibodies for Hepatitis C."
It's a viral infection, transmitted through bodily fluids, that causes inflammation and damage to the liver.
Santana is not alone. He's one of more than 4 million Americans infected.
Dr. Henry Bodenheimer, a Gastroenterologist, says the symptoms include "a feeling of tiredness, a lack of energy is common. As Hepatitis C progresses there can be other symptoms: joint aches. Late in the disease, your eyes may turn yellow or your skin may turn yellow as a sign of jaundice."
Santana doesn't know when and where he was infected.
There were many opportunities, including snorting cocaine, getting a blood transfusion before blood was routinely screened for the virus, and getting a tattoo in prison.
George Santana says, "I've lived a very rough lifestyle. I was a former homeless person. I lived on the street, I've been in gangs. I've used drugs. I've lived very risky behavior."
An estimated 2/3 of those infected don't know it, so they aren't getting treatment and they could be putting others at risk.
Which could be why the number of cases is rising.
Dr. Henry Bodenheimer says, "What we are seeing now is people that have been infected before that are just becoming aware that they have Hepatitis C. The majority of the cases that we are discovering are not new cases infected this month, but cases that were infected 20 or 30 or 40 years ago."
And while there's no vaccine, there is a treatment.
Dr. Henry Bodenheimer says, "About half the time we can eliminate Hepatitis C infection, so it's important for people who have been exposed to know if they have hepatitis."
Santana gave himself weekly injections of interferon and took ribavirin pills daily for 8 months. Now he says he's doing great.
Back to top
DiaSorin Provides Hepatitis Training for Laboratory and Healthcare Workers
http://www.genengnews.com
Business Wire
DiaSorin Inc. and the National Laboratory Training Network (NLTN) are scheduled to provide the final in a series of three hepatitis web conferences on hepatitis A, B and C. "Hepatitis C, Understanding the Virus, Serology and Testing Algorithms" will be presented on June 6, 2007 by D. Robert Dufour, M.D., Emeritus Professor of Pathology at George Washington University and Consultant Pathologist at the Department of Veterans Affairs, in Washington, D.C. The training is offered via audio or web conference.
Infection with hepatitis viruses continues to be a health threat in the United States. Any person with a hepatitis virus infection is a potential source of infection to others. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in the United States it is estimated that more than three million people are currently infected with the Hepatitis C virus. That is 1.9% of the total population. Patients with chronic Hepatitis C may develop cirrhosis of the liver over time, now the 9th leading cause of death in the United States.
Hepatitis testing is performed to prevent further transmission to others and to defend communities against hepatitis outbreaks, and to identify those who require vaccination or to confirm immune status. "It is imperative that laboratory professionals understand new methods in place for testing to detect and defend the public against life-threatening infectious diseases such as hepatitis. We are pleased that DiaSorin, with their many years of experience in research, development and manufacturing of in-vitro diagnostic testing for hepatitis A, B and C, is partnering with the NLTN to provide these hepatitis training programs," said Karen Breckenridge, Knowledge Manager for APHL's NLTN program.
The DiaSorin and NLTN co-sponsored training conference for Hepatitis C will be presented on June 6, 2007. Contact NTLN via e-mail at nltnmarketingmgr@nltn.org , or visit www.nltn.org/courses or call 1-800-536-NLTN (6586) to register for any of the training sessions.
About DiaSorin
With corporate headquarters in Saluggia, Italy, and U.S. operations located in Stillwater, Minnesota, DiaSorin develops and manufactures over 300 disease state assays including infectious disease, blood virus, autoimmune, and bone and mineral metabolism. Please visit our website at www.diasorin.com for additional information.
Back to top
Interferon Following Surgery May Improve Survival in Advanced Liver Cancer
http://patient.cancerconsultants.com
According to an article recently published in the Annals of Surgery, administration of the immune stimulating agent interferon following surgery may improve survival among patients with advanced hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
The liver is the largest organ in the body and is responsible for more than 500 functions. These include the secretion of glucose, proteins, vitamins, and fats; the production of bile; the processing of hemoglobin; and the detoxification of numerous substances. Individuals with hepatitis infections have an increased risk of developing cancer of the liver.
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer; it is named for the type of cell within the liver where the cancer originated. Standard treatment options for HCC are determined by the stage, or extent of spread, of the cancer and by the patient’s overall health. A preferred treatment approach is the surgical removal of the cancer. Unfortunately, cancer recurrences following surgical removal are common. Researchers continue to evaluate ways to reduce these recurrences.
Researchers recently conducted a clinical trial to evaluate the use of interferon following surgery in patients with HCC. Interferon is an agent that stimulates the immune system to fight cancer cells. This trial included 80 patients with hepatitis B and HCC that had been surgically removed. One group of patients then received interferon while the other group received no further treatment (control group). The group treated with interferon experienced better survival rates:
- At one year survival rates were 97% for the group treated with interferon compared with 85% for the control group.
- At five years survival rates were 79% for the group treated with interferon compared with 61% for the control group.
- Among patients with more advanced cancers (Stages III and IV), survival at five years was 68% for the group treated with interferon compared with only 24% for the control group.
The researchers concluded that treatment with interferon following the complete surgical removal of HCC among patients with hepatitis B appears to significantly improve survival, particularly among patients with more advanced disease. Patients with HCC may wish to speak with their physician regarding their individual risks and benefits of participating in a clinical trial further evaluating treatment with interferon or other novel therapeutic agents. Two sources of information regarding ongoing clinical trials include the National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov) and www.eCancerTrials.com.
Reference: Lo C, Liu C, Chan S, et al. A Randomized, controlled trial of postoperative adjuvant interferon therapy after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma. Annals of Surgery. 2007;245:831-842.
Back to top
Cytheris phase I/IIa clinical trials of CYT107, new Interleukin-7, in HCV & oncology
http://www.pipelinereview.com//
Cytheris today announced it will start two phaseI/IIa clinical trials of its CYT107 recombinant interleukin in Hepatitis C and oncology.
PARIS, France | May 31, 2007 | Cytheris, a product-oriented biopharmaceutical company focused on the research and development of new and critical agents for immune modulation, today announced it will start two phaseI/IIa clinical trials of its CYT107 recombinant interleukin in Hepatitis C and oncology. These follow the successful completion of four phase I studies. The company expects these new trials to confirm IL-7's potential in building immune system response.
The Hepatitis C trial (CYT107-05) will concern HCV infected patients that are non-responders to the reference treatment (12 weeks of PEG-Interferon + Ribavirin). This multicentric dose escalation study(France, Switzerland) will include 12-18 patients. They will receiveC YT107 (rh-IL-7) injected weekly over 4 weeks in addition to their reference treatment. More than one third of the patients do not respond to the reference treatment because they are unable to mountan efficient immune response against the virus. Cytheris expects theaddition of CYT107 treatment to restore appropriate T cell function and help these patients cope better with the virus.
The oncology trial (CYT107-04) targets patients with metastatic melanoma or advanced renal cell carcinoma. It will include 18 to 30 patients, both lymphopenic and non-lymphopenic in a dose escalationmode. It will be conducted at NCI (Bethesda, MD USA) in collaborationwith Prof. Steve Rosenberg. Most recent clinical data demonstrate how critical the immunological status of cancer patients is for theirclinical outcome. CYT107 is expected to boost patients' immuneresponses against their tumor. This will be important in thetreatment of post-chemotherapy residual diseases and/or to supportefficacy of various cancer vaccine approaches.
"These two new trials should help confirm the strong potential ofIL-7 in reconstituting the immune system and enhancing the specificimmune response against various fatal infectious or malignant diseases," said Michel Morre, CEO of Cytheris. "These two studiesform part of Cytheris's ambitious phase I/II program. Four phase onestudies of recombinant human IL-7 have already been completed inoncology and HIV in both France and the US. As of today, more than 60 patients have been treated, with encouraging results which we have presented in many international meetings such as AACR and ASCO US2006, ASH 2006 and CROI 2007.
"Although the primary objectives of these trials consist inestablishing the safety and pharmacokinetic profiles of CYT107, biologically active doses will be sought based on the measures of afull set of immunological surrogate markers together with the controlof the viral load in the HCV study and tumor growth and extension inthe oncology study.
Main results for both studies should be available in the secondquarter of 2008, opening the door to larger phase II studies.
About Cytheris
Cytheris, Paris, is a product-oriented biopharmaceutical company focused on the research and development of new and critical agentsfor immune modulation. These drugs aim at reconstituting and enhancing the immune system of patients suffering from cancer,chronic viral or bacterial infections (such as HIV and HCV) or lympho-depleting treatments (e.g. post-chemo,-BMT and -HCT).The company's lead compound, recombinant Interleukin-7 (rIL-7) is a critical growth factor for immune T Cell recovery and enhancement.Clinical trials conducted on more than 60 patients in France and USA have already demonstrated the impressive ability of rIL-7 to expand and protect CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. A second family of products is based on highly potent NKT/dendritic cell ligands, in-licensed from several New York universities. The product family strengthens innate and adaptive immunity connections and will provide new immuno-therapeutic adjuvants for cancer and chronic infectious diseases.
The company, founded in 1999, operates from Issy les Moulineaux, Paris and its US subsidiary in Rockville (MD). It has a network ofstrong and active collaborations with world-leading academic and clinical teams. Today Cytheris employs 22 experienced people in Europe and USA. Its investors include AXA Private Equity, BioamGestion, Credit Agricole Private Equity and CDC Innovation (Paris), T2C2 Bio2000 and CDPQ (Montreal), Forbion Capital Partners(Amsterdam). Website: www.cytheris.com.
SOURCE: Cytheris
Back to top
June 1st, 2007
Investigational Agent Effectively Attacks Hepatitis C Virus From New Angle: Presented at DDW
http://www.docguide.com
By Em Brown
WASHINGTON, DC -- May 28, 2007 -- Celgozivir a novel agent that inhibits the alpha-glucosidase I enzyme, prevents the hepatitis C virus (HCV) from proper assembly and replication, and phase 2 results show the drug has efficacy in HCV genotype-1-infected patients.
Celgosivir also appears to act synergistically with standard antiviral treatment, said principal investigator Kelly D. Kaita, MD, director, Viral Hepatitis Investigative Unit (VHIU), Health Sciences Centre, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Dr. Kaita presented the study findings here at Digestive Disease Week (DDW).
Dr. Kaita and colleagues randomized 57 patients with chronic HCV that was refractory to previous anti-HCV agents to treatment with 1 of 3 treatment drug combinations: celgosivir 400 mg a day plus peg-interferon and ribavirin, celgosivir 400 mg plus peg-interferon alone, or placebo plus peg-interferon and ribavirin daily for 12 weeks.
Ribavirin and peg-interferon-alfa-2b doses were calculated according to standard weight-based algorithms.
For patients who did not respond to previous therapy, triple-drug therapy was associated with a reduction of 1.2 log10 in HCV RNA compared with a decrease of 0.4 log10 among patients on peginterferon and ribavirin.
Early viral response was achieved by 33% in patients on triple therapy and in 10% of patients on any 2-drug regimen.
"This study is the first demonstration that celgosivir in combination with peginterferon alfa-2b and ribavirin results in a clinically significant decrease in HCV viral loads in patients highly resistant to current standard treatment," Dr. Kaita said.
Celgozivir is sold by Migenix, Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
[Presentation title: Phase II Study of Celgosivir in Combination with Peginterferon Alfa-2b and Ribavirin in Chronic Hepatitis C Genotype-1 Non-Responder Patients. Abstract 442]
Back to top
Back to News Review
|
