Tropical diseases

New Report Reveals that R&D Partnerships Serving Neglected Communities have Produced Dozens of Life-Saving Innovations Since 2010

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 28, 2021

However, the effectiveness of public-private partnerships in fighting global health threats had emerged long before this pandemic hit.

Key Points: 
  • However, the effectiveness of public-private partnerships in fighting global health threats had emerged long before this pandemic hit.
  • The report notes the stark contrast between the neglected disease product development space before and after the ascent of PDPs around the turn of the century.
  • Currently, the cumulative pipeline of the PDPs behind the report contains more than 375 new innovations, 25 percent of them now in late-stage development.
  • 1 Grace C. Product Development Partnerships (PDPs): Lessons from PDPs established to develop new health technologies for neglected diseases.

MRIGlobal Scientist Co-authors Research That Looks At New Approach To Treating Virus Outbreaks

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 27, 2021

The research showed that repurposing combinations of orally administered drugs provides effective suppression of arenaviruses by blocking virus entry.

Key Points: 
  • The research showed that repurposing combinations of orally administered drugs provides effective suppression of arenaviruses by blocking virus entry.
  • "This approach could lead to a proactive strategy with which to prepare for and control known and new arenavirus outbreaks," said Dr. Olinger.
  • One member of the arenavirus family, the Lassa virus, is estimated to cause up to 300,000 human infections and 5,000 deaths annually.
  • Advantages to this approach include ready availability, relative low cost, room temperature stability, delivery by mouth and utility in non-hospital settings.

Valneva and Instituto Butantan Sign Final Agreement on Single-Shot Chikungunya Vaccine for Low and Middle Income Countries

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 25, 2021

Under the collaboration, Valneva will transfer its chikungunya vaccine technology to Instituto Butantan, who will develop, manufacture and commercialize the vaccine in LMICs.

Key Points: 
  • Under the collaboration, Valneva will transfer its chikungunya vaccine technology to Instituto Butantan, who will develop, manufacture and commercialize the vaccine in LMICs.
  • In addition, Instituto Butantan will provide certain clinical and Phase 4 observational studies that Valneva will use to meet regulatory requirements.
  • Chikungunya outbreaks have impacted over 120 countries and affected millions, yet no vaccine or treatment is currently available to prevent this debilitating disease.
  • Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a Togaviridae virus, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes.

Broad Coalition of Health and Technology Industry Leaders Announce Vaccination Credential Initiative to Accelerate Digital Access to COVID-19 Vaccination Records

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 14, 2021

A broad coalition of health and technology leaders today announced the creation of the Vaccination Credential Initiative (VCI), committed to empowering individuals with digital access to their vaccination records based on open, interoperable standards.

Key Points: 
  • A broad coalition of health and technology leaders today announced the creation of the Vaccination Credential Initiative (VCI), committed to empowering individuals with digital access to their vaccination records based on open, interoperable standards.
  • The current vaccination record system does not readily support convenient access, control and sharing of verifiable vaccination records.
  • VCI coalition members are working to enable digital access to vaccination records using the open, interoperable SMART Health Cards specification , based on W3C Verifiable Credential and HL7 FHIR standards.
  • Just as COVID-19 does not discriminate based on socio-economic status, we must ensure that convenient access to records crosses the digital divide.

Oyagen, Inc. Publishes Study On Its OYA1 As A "Highly Effective" Experimental Drug Candidate For Treating Infections By The Ebola Virus

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 7, 2021

This Study identified OYA1 as a "highly effective" antiviral against several viruses including Ebola and Lassa viruses.

Key Points: 
  • This Study identified OYA1 as a "highly effective" antiviral against several viruses including Ebola and Lassa viruses.
  • The published study results showed that OYA1 was "highly effective" in reducing the spread of Ebola Virus infection in laboratory tests with the live Ebola virus carried out by NIAID.
  • OYA1 proved equally effective in stopping Ebola infectivity when it was added at the time of infection or 24 hours after an infection.
  • OYA1 was abandoned as a drug candidate for cancer because it had no effect in reducing tumor burden.

Amgen Licenses AMG 634, An Investigational Treatment For Tuberculosis And Leprosy, To Medicines Development for Global Health

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Amgen had acquired AMG 634 (formerly CC-11050) as part of its acquisition of Otezla(apremilast) from Celgene in 2019.

Key Points: 
  • Amgen had acquired AMG 634 (formerly CC-11050) as part of its acquisition of Otezla(apremilast) from Celgene in 2019.
  • Under the terms of the agreement, MDGH will assume full responsibility for the further development and commercialization of AMG 634.
  • "MDGH's track record and experience in product development, global health, and neglected infectious diseases makes them an ideal company to further develop AMG 634 for the benefit of patients."
  • "MDGH is dedicated to developing and delivering medicines for diseases that disproportionally affect people in low- and middle-income countries.

UMD Researchers Find Higher Rates of West Nile Virus-Infected Mosquitoes in Lower-Income Neighborhoods in Urban Baltimore

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, December 17, 2020

COLLEGE PARK, Md., Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --In a new study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, researchers at the University of Maryland (UMD) found higher rates of West Nile virus-infected mosquitoes in lower-income neighborhoods in urban areas of Baltimore, Maryland.

Key Points: 
  • COLLEGE PARK, Md., Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --In a new study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, researchers at the University of Maryland (UMD) found higher rates of West Nile virus-infected mosquitoes in lower-income neighborhoods in urban areas of Baltimore, Maryland.
  • "A higher infection rate was shown in two species of mosquito, the invasive tiger mosquito and the northern house mosquito.
  • Since it's hard to track the prevalence of West Nile virus in people, we suggest additional sampling of the virus in mosquitoes.
  • This paper, entitled "Higher West Nile virus infection in Aedes albopictus and Culex mosquitoes from lower income neighborhoods in urban Baltimore, Maryland," is published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjaa262.

Sanofi renews partnership with the WHO to fight Neglected Tropical Diseases and eliminate sleeping sickness before 2030

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Sanofi has been collaborating for 20 years with the World Health Organization in the fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

Key Points: 
  • Sanofi has been collaborating for 20 years with the World Health Organization in the fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
  • The renewal of this collaboration today speaks volumes about our longstanding engagement in global health indicated Paul Hudson, CEO Sanofi.
  • Sanofi is committed to further contribute to the elimination of sleeping sickness, including advancing research and development for vulnerable communities exposed to the disease.
  • Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) refer to a group of parasitic, bacterial, fungal and viral diseases that affect or threaten over one billion people worldwide.

Early Home Treatment for COVID-19 Needed NOW, States Physicians for Civil Defense

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, December 9, 2020

It was serendipitously found to benefit nursing home patients exposed to COVID, who were being treated for scabies.

Key Points: 
  • It was serendipitously found to benefit nursing home patients exposed to COVID, who were being treated for scabies.
  • A meta-analysis of 21 studies has shown ivermectin to be beneficial in early disease, late disease, and both pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis.
  • The federal response to this deadly disease, which she described as "therapeutic nihilism," is "shocking and unprecedented," stated Physicians for Civil Defense president Jane M. Orient, M.D.
  • Physicians for Civil Defense provides information to help save lives in the event of natural or man-made disasters.

Outbreak declared over: 11th Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, November 21, 2020

On 18 November 2020, the Minister of Health for the DRC, Eteni Longondo, followed by the World Health Organization (WHO), declared the 11th outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the DRC over.

Key Points: 
  • On 18 November 2020, the Minister of Health for the DRC, Eteni Longondo, followed by the World Health Organization (WHO), declared the 11th outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the DRC over.
  • However, the 9th Ebola outbreak occurred between May and July 2018, in the same part of the country as this most recent outbreak, and led to a total of 54 cases and 33 deaths.
  • Therefore, a combination of active and passive surveillance must be maintained for six months after the declared end of the outbreak.
  • The virus remains endemic in the region as it is present in animal reservoirs in many parts of the country.