Tag:
cervical cancer
Latest Headlines
Latest Headlines
German diagnostics firm garners €22M
Germany's MTM Laboratories has raised €22 million in its third round of venture funding. The developer says that much of that money will go to the development and commercialization of its diagnostic and screening devices for cervical cancer. HBM BioVentures and HBM BioCapital led the round. "MTM Laboratories is taking a unique marker approach to the screening and diagnosis of cervical cancer, the largest existing screening market in oncology," said Dr. Erich Platzer, founding …
Scientists find that HIV drug attacks HPV virus
A team of researchers have concluded that the HIV drug lopinavir attacks the HPV virus that causes cervical cancer. The scientists say that the oral drug could be reconstituted as a cream that would help prevent surgery to remove early-stage cancer. They also note that the current vaccines being developed will not protect women who have already been exposed to the HPV virus. In the UK alone, some 50,000 women have surgery each year to remove the cancer.- here's the BBC report on lopinavir
Merck's Gardasil faces critical new hurdle
The FDA's approval of Gardasil as a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer faces a series of new critical hurdles. Chief among them is gaining the support of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice, which will be hugely influential in determining the states' attitude toward the new vaccine. Failure to gain ACIP's endorsement would slice into a market that may reach as high as $3 billion a year.- here's the report on Gardasil from TheStreet.com
ALSO NOTED: Panacos CEO dies; Alltracel touts cholesterol data; and much more...
> Chutes & Ladders: Panacos Pharmaceuticals says that CEO Samuel Ackerman died after suffering from a heart attack at a conference. Report > Alltracel Pharmaceuticals says a study of a combination therapy using Alltracel Bioactive demonstrated a successful reduction of LDL …
C&L: Jones to retire from Digene
In a move that caught most observers by surprise, Digene CEO and founder Evan Jones said he plans to retire after 16 years at the helm. Digene is profitable and has been developing a test that identifies the virus that causes cervical cancer. His successor will be recruited from outside the company. Isolagen has named Nicholas …
Merck's Gardasil OK'd for pricey rollout
In an expected win for Merck, the FDA has approved Gardasil as a vaccine against cervical cancer and genital warts caused by the human papilloma virus. Merck has already caused some controversy with its price for Gardasil. At $360 for a three-shot course, Gardasil will immediately join the list of some of the most expensive drugs on the market. Health officials are expected to make Gardasil a recommended therapy for all 11 and 12-year-old girls, a big market that may be somewhat inhibited …
Merck wins FDA, EMEA approval for Zostavax
Merck has won FDA and European approval for Zostavax, its vaccine against shingles. The agency called the vaccine an important tool in the fight against a chronic disease accompanied by great pain. In trials, Zostavax reduced the incidence of shingles among people aged 60 to 69 by 64 percent. The effectiveness of the vaccine dropped significantly past 70. The approval marks Merck's continuing success in the vaccine field. It recently won approval for the vaccine RotaTeq to protect infants …
Gardasil gets unanimous FDA panel support
Merck's Gardasil, billed as the first vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, is now just one step away from commercial approval after a unanimous vote in its favor by a federal advisory committee. Merck says that Gardasil can reduce deaths from cervical cancer by two-thirds and has already begun an early ad campaign aimed at generating buzz about the therapy. Dr. Monica Farley, the head of the committee, enthusiastically endorsed Gardasil, commending Merck for the impressive amount of data …
FDA staffers raise Gardasil questions
FDA staffers have raised concerns that Gardasil, the closely watched vaccine against cervical cancer, may actually increase the rates of a cancer precursor. Staffers have also asked an expert committee--which is meeting today to review Gardasil--to examine the potential impact on other infections related to HPV as well as a few birth defects among children born to women around the time they began to take the vaccine. Documents also underscore, though, that the FDA staffers see Gardasil as …
SPOTLIGHT: Merck not waiting on FDA
The FDA hasn't issued a decision on Merck's Gardasil to protect women from cervical cancer, but the drug maker has already begun an ad campaign aimed at generating some consumer buzz for the therapy. Report
