Vivaldi Biosciences has signed an agreement with the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for co-research and development of live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) candidates against the H7N9 strain of influenza A. The company says that it and NIAID will work together to create LAIVs using H7N9 genes inserted into Vivaldi's master … [Read more...] about Vivaldi and NIAID sign agreement on intranasal flu vaccine
Medical
More approvals for AirFluSal Forspiro
Sandoz has announced that it received marketing authorization for the AirFluSal Forspiro salmeterol/fluticasone DPI for the treatment of asthma and COPD from Sweden and Hungary. The company's version of Advair has also been approved by Denmark and Germany in the past month. Sweden approved both the 50-500µg and 50-250µg dosage forms, while Hungary approved only … [Read more...] about More approvals for AirFluSal Forspiro
Iliad Biotechnologies to collaborate with French organizations on intranasal pertussis vaccine
Iliad Biotechnologies has licensed technology from Institut Pasteur de Lille, Inserm, National University of Singapore, and National University of Ireland Maynooth related to a live attenuated Bordetella pertussis vaccine, and the company says that it will work with the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research's subsidiary Inserm Transfert and Institut … [Read more...] about Iliad Biotechnologies to collaborate with French organizations on intranasal pertussis vaccine
Study links obesity to immune changes leading to asthma
A study published online December 15, 2013 in Nature Medicine shows that mice allowed to become obese develop specific immune system changes leading to airway hyper-reactivity. Researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital found that mice fed a high fat diet to the point of obesity experienced increases in IL-1β, interleukin 17A, ILC3 cells, and NLRP3 in lung cells, all … [Read more...] about Study links obesity to immune changes leading to asthma
Fresenius Kabi announces availability of acetylcysteine inhalation solution
Fresenius Kabi USA has announced the availability of 10 ml vials of 20% acetylcysteine inhalation solution. Acetylcysteine inhalation solution has been on the FDA’s drug shortage lists since 2011, in part due to a shutdown of a Luitpold facility. Fresenius Kabi launched 30 ml vials of the product in 2012. According to the current FDA drug shortage list, 10 ml vials … [Read more...] about Fresenius Kabi announces availability of acetylcysteine inhalation solution
Asmacure reports on Phase 2 trials of ASM-024 inhalation powder
Asmacure has started enrolling patients for a Phase 2 trial of its ASM-024 inhalation powder in patients with moderate and severe COPD, the company has announced. The company said that it has also completed dosing in a Phase 2 study of ASM-024 for the treatment of asthma and expects to report data early in 2014. ASM-024 has both nicotinic and muscarinic effects. … [Read more...] about Asmacure reports on Phase 2 trials of ASM-024 inhalation powder
Study shows diazepam nasal spray administered during seizure comparable to dosing after seizure
Acorda Therapeutics has presented data from a PK study of its diazepam nasal spray showing that dosing during seizure produces comparable pharmacokinetics to dosing immediately following a seizure. The company recently submitted an NDA for intranasal diazepam for the treatment of epilepsy and has said that it expects to market the product as early as 2014 if it is … [Read more...] about Study shows diazepam nasal spray administered during seizure comparable to dosing after seizure
Study shows nasal spray reduces duration of common cold symptoms
Marinomed Biotechnologie has announced that a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study of more than 200 patients suffering from the common cold found that patients who received a Carragelose-based nasal spray reduced the duration of symptoms by 2.1 days. Data also showed that patients' viral load was significantly reduced. The study was published in … [Read more...] about Study shows nasal spray reduces duration of common cold symptoms
Positive results for Phase 3 study of FF/VI for asthma
GlaxoSmithKline and Theravance have announced that a 12-week double-blind, parallel group Phase 3 study of their fluticasone furoate (FF)/vilanterol (VI) DPI (Breo/Relvar Ellipta) in almost 1,000 patients with moderate to severe asthma met its primary endpoint. According to the companies, both the 100/25mcg FF/VI and 200/25mcg FF/VI showed statistically significant … [Read more...] about Positive results for Phase 3 study of FF/VI for asthma
Study finds modest benefit of intranasal corticosteroids for acute sinusitis
A study by the Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group examined data from four studies involving almost 2,000 patients with acute sinusitis and determined that the benefits of intranasal corticosteroids (INCS) are "modest but clinically important." According to the authors, the evidence is limited but "supports the use of INCS as a monotherapy or as an adjuvant … [Read more...] about Study finds modest benefit of intranasal corticosteroids for acute sinusitis