Circassia Extends Its Clinical-Stage Portfolio With Phase II Trials Of T-Cell Vaccines Against House Dust Mite And Cat Allergies
Circassia Ltd, a specialty biopharmaceutical company focused on allergy, announced that it has initiated phase II clinical trials of its T-cell vaccines targeting house dust mite and cat allergies. With the start of these studies, and the ongoing trial of Circassia's ragweed allergy ( hay fever ) T-cell vaccine, the company now has three clinical development programmes in phase II. Each of these builds on earlier successful phase II results with the company's ToleroMune(R) technology, which scientifically validated the novel use of T-cell vaccines in the treatment of allergy, and identified the optimal dosing regimens to progress into late-stage development.
New Biological Models Of Homeopathy Published In Special Issues
The journal Homeopathy has published a two part special issue focusing on biological models of homeopathy. The special issue highlights experiments on homeopathic treatments in biological models, ranging from whole animals and plants to cell cultures and enzymes, showing a remarkable range of findings. Homeopathy is a form of complementary medicine which is controversial because of its use of extremely dilute medicines. Although there is considerable clinical research, homeopathy remains the subject of a heated debate. The special issue makes an important contribution to this debate, by reviewing laboratory experiments with high dilutions. It includes reviews and new findings in biosystems, ranging from whole animal behavioral, intoxication and inflammation models through diseased and healthy plant models, to test tube experiments using isolated cells, cell cultures or enzymes.
Scientists Crack Peanut Code In Children
Clinicians and scientists at UHSM (University Hospital South Manchester), the University of Manchester, and Phadia AB in Uppsala, Sweden have developed a new and significantly more accurate blood test for peanut allergy, which predicts whether an allergic reaction to peanuts will develop with more than 95 per cent certainty. Peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies in children, with recent reports suggesting that it is on the increase. It can be severe - and in extreme cases fatal. Unlike other food allergies, which appear early in life and are usually outgrown by school age (e.g. cows milk or egg), peanut allergy tends to be lifelong. Professor Adnan Custovic led the research team which examined the prevalence of peanut allergy in almost 1, 000 eight year olds who belong to the Manchester Asthma and Allergy Study.
Sciele Introduces Adrenaclick trade; epinephrine Injection, USP Auto-Injector For The Emergency Treatment Of Anaphylaxis
Sciele Pharma, Inc., a Shionogi company, today announced the U.S. availability of Adrenaclick™ , a single-dose, epinephrine auto-injector for the emergency treatment for severe allergic reactions (Type I) such as anaphylaxis. Adrenaclick™ will be available as a single unit or a convenient Two-Pack. It is also available in two dosing options (0.15 mg and 0.3 mg). Adrenaclick™ delivers epinephrine, the drug of choice for anaphylactic reactions, with the use of an auto-injector. The Adrenaclick™ auto-injector is designed to ensure accurate delivery of epinephrine in the thigh through a "press-and-hold" administration technique.
Allergy Vaccinations Reduce Children's Health Care Costs By One-Third
Allergy immunotherapy, generally referred to as allergy vaccinations or shots, reduce total health care costs in children with allergic rhinitis (hay fever) by one-third, and prescription costs by 16 percent, according to a study published this month in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). "This large-scale, comparative effectiveness study of health outcomes clearly demonstrates the benefits of allergen immunotherapy for children with allergic rhinitis, " said Cheryl Hankin, Ph.D., president and chief scientific officer of BioMedEcon, and lead author of the study.
Osteopontin Contributes To Allergic Contact Dermatitis
Dr. Johannes M. Weiss and colleagues at the University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany have discovered that osteopontin (OPN) contributes to allergic contact dermatitis. They present these findings in the January 2010 issue of the American Journal of Pathology. Allergic contact dermatitis is a hyperreaction of the immune system to either allergens or irritants on the skin, such as poison ivy, nickel, or latex. Contact dermatitis results in large, burning, and itchy rashes, which can take anywhere from several days to weeks to heal. Once allergic contact dermatitis occurs, only strict avoidance can prevent a recurrence, and there is no method to resist persistent sensitization.
Imaging Tests Identify Role Of Allergies In Chronic Sinus Disease
Exposing patients with chronic sinus disease to allergens and then obtaining repeated images by X-ray or ultrasound reveals that nasal allergies may be involved in some cases of chronic sinus disease, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Chronic disease of the maxillary sinus (the sinus cavity located in the mid-face beneath the cheeks, on either side of the nose) is common and affects a wide population of adults and children, according to background information in the article. "Although the involvement of hypersensitivity mechanisms, and especially of nasal allergy, in chronic disease of the maxillary sinuses has been recognized, the diagnostic procedures for this disorder and the relationship vary, " the author writes.
What Is Wheat Allergy? What Causes A Wheat Allergy?
People with a wheat allergy have an abnormal immune system response to at least one of the proteins that exist in wheat. It is one of the most common childhood food allergies, but may affect adults as well. The person with a wheat allergy has developed a specific antibody to a wheat protein, and sometimes more than one. People with wheat allergies can respond with a variety of possible signs and symptoms, including breathing difficulties, nausea, hives, bloated stomach and an inability to focus. With some people the consumption of wheat and wheat products may result in anaphylaxis - a life-threatening allergic response. The allergic reaction involves IgE (immunoglobulin) antibodies to at least one of the following proteins found in wheat: Albumin Globulin Gliadin Glutenin (gluten) Most allergic reactions involve albumin and globulin.
Your New Year's Celebration Can Cause More Than A Hangover
Toasting the New Year is a tradition that can cause more than a headache the next day. For some people, drinking may also trigger allergy and asthma symptoms, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). "It is usually not the alcohol itself that produces the reaction. It is most likely ingredients, such as sulfur dioxide (metabisulfite), yeast and additives. Common allergic reactions include hives, skin rashes, flushing and warmth of the skin, bronchospasm or shortness of breath, especially in those with asthma, " according to Clifford W. Bassett, MD, FAAAAI, Chair of the Public Education Committee of the AAAAI. The key preservative in wine is sulfur dioxide.
Physicians Knowledge Of Childhood Food Allergies Lacking
With an estimated four to six percent of children in the U.S. suffering from food allergies, a new study shows that pediatricians and family physicians aren't always confident they have the ability to diagnose or treat food allergies. A study published in the January 2010 issue of Pediatrics and headed by Dr. Ruchi Gupta, M.D., M.P.H., a researcher at Children's Memorial Hospital and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, brought attention to current knowledge gaps among primary care physicians in the diagnosis and management of food allergy. Researchers at Children's Memorial used the Chicago Food Allergy Research Survey for Pediatricians and Family Physicians to analyze physicians' knowledge and perceptions of food-related allergies in children.