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Week Ending: March 5th, 2005
Alan Franciscus
Editor-in-Chief
To download pdf version click here
This Issue:
• Tests Show Student Not Ill with Hepatitis C
• Glass Liver May Aid Disease Fight
• Life-Changing Improvements Just Six Weeks after Behavior Change
• Clinical Trial: Nadolol with Ligation as Prophylaxis for Rebleeding
• Hepatitis B Vaccine Affords 15 Year Protection against Infection
• C-ing the Light: People with Hepatitis C Fight the Stigma along with the Disease
• Corixa and Lorantis Announce Joint Collaboration to Develop Therapeutic Hepatitis B Vaccine
• Inmate Ordered to Be Tested for HIV, Hepatitis
• Girl Who Was Pricked by Needle Found at Bus Stop Undergoing Tests
• Original Beach Boy to Launch UK Government Hepatitis C Public Awareness Campaign
• Viral Hepatitis in Drug Discovery & Development Conference to Take Place March 22-23, 2005 in Princeton, NJ
February 26th, 2005
Tests Show Student Not Ill with Hepatitis C
SourceURL:http://www.nj.com
WASHINGTON -- Follow-up tests show a Warren Hills Regional Middle School student who initially tested positive for hepatitis C is not infected with the virus, school and health officials reported Friday.
The student is one of about 20 middle school children who were stuck by a pin during a Feb. 11 Valentine's dance at the school.
The initial positive result prompted concerns among school officials and parents that the disease could have been transmitted to the other students.
Police and school officials are continuing their investigation into the pin-sticking incident and no arrests have been reported.
The student or students who stuck the other children may have used a push pin or safety pin, school officials said.
Officials with the Warren County Health Department and the school renewed their call Friday for parents to make sure any children who were stuck by the pin get examined by their family physician.
Authorities believe one or more middle school students are responsible for the pin-sticking prank.
School officials have said no dances will be held at the middle school or the Warren Hills Regional High School until the pin-sticking incident is resolved.
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February 28th, 2005
Glass Liver May Aid Disease Fight
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk
Scientists are developing an artificial glass liver to improve understanding of how the organ works. The team, from the University of Leeds, hope their work will eventually lead to better treatments for people with liver disease.
They also hope that the lessons learned will be used to engineer liver tissue to replace that damaged by disease.
The first aim will be to replicate exactly the way the real organ is geometrically constructed.
Once this is achieved, it should then be possible to study how the cells function within that structure.
Lead researcher Dr Peter Walker said the liver was a very complex organ, which was still not fully understood.
He hoped his artificial creation would begin to help solve some of the mysteries.
"It may provide an alternative to animal testing for hepatic drugs and bring us one step closer to being able to engineer liver tissue."
The artificial organ - to be used like a dialysis machine - will be constructed of tiny hexagonal glass plates with channels running from their edges to the centre.
The minute channels - less than 1/200 of a millimetre wide - are lined with liver cells which reproduce the cleaning work of the organ.
The blood flows to the edge of each hexagon and down the channels, cleaned by cells as it goes, before exiting through a central "vein".
Unique situation
The liver is the only organ in the body where blood from veins and arteries is mixed together.
The arterial blood, fresh from the lungs, provides the cells with the oxygen they need to function, while venal blood contains the impurities for the liver to clean out.
Dr Walker said: "A major problem with artificial livers is that as the blood runs through, it loses too much oxygen, so cells at the end of the line are no longer effective.
"Reproducing the exact layout of the liver should overcome this problem, as cells will behave as they do in the natural liver, performing different cleaning functions dependent on their position and the level of oxygen they receive."
He is creating computer simulations to model the liver, so optimum channel size, flow rate and density of cells can be calculated as accurately as possible, before the artificial liver is constructed in the laboratory.
Professor Humphrey Hodgson, of the Royal Free Hospital, London, told BBC News Online that other researchers were working on similar projects around the world.
He said the theory was sound, but it would probably prove very difficult to develop a machine which could be of practical benefit to patients, not least because liver cells did not survive for very long outside the body.
"If it works it would be fantastic, so jolly good luck to them," he said.
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Life-Changing Improvements Just Six Weeks after Behavior Change
Source: Brigham Young University
Newswise - Basic changes in diet and exercise can lead to a dramatic drop in a person s risk for chronic illnesses like diabetes, cancer and heart disease in as little as six weeks, according to a study by Brigham Young University professor of exercise science Steven Aldana.
This is not a diet, not a trend, not a fad that will go away, said Aldana. It s adopting a nutritious way of eating and exercise that causes very important positive changes in your body s health in a short period of time.
To be published Feb. 28 in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, the study also explains that participants experienced significant reductions in body fat, cholesterol levels and blood pressure as they adopted a diet emphasizing unrefined food-as-grown, like grains, legumes and fresh fruits and vegetables and implemented a 30-minute-a-day cardiovascular exercise program.
Although the notion that proper nutrition and exercise is good for you is not revolutionary, it s important that people know that major health benefits can come quickly, says Aldana, the author of a new book, The Culprit and the Cure, that reiterates that there s no magic solution to the health problems in today s world. Best of all, by making similar changes you can enjoy similar benefits.
Tim Butler, a health management analyst for Intermountain Health Care s Health Plans division, says that the study s encouraging findings may motivate people to take more control over their lifestyles.
This research demonstrates that there is a tremendous gap between what we know and understand about human health, and what we do, said Butler. When we make a personal decision to change our habits and apply our health knowledge, we bridge that gap to improve our health.
The study, co-authored by BYU health sciences professor Ray Merrill, BYU graduate students and Illinois healthcare professionals, details the participation of 337 volunteers age 43 to 81 years from the Rockford, Ill., metropolitan area in a 40-hour educational course over four weeks.
Administered by the SwedishAmerican Health System, the Coronary Health Improvement Project lecture series touted the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices and how to make improvements in nutrition and physical activity.
But a person doesn t have to participate in CHIP specifically to enjoy its rapid benefits to overall health.
It really doesn t matter which lifestyle change program you go with, Aldana said, explaining that the CHIP diet is similar to others designed to reduce hypertension. This is about healthy living. Make a decision, get the right information and tools and involve people to show you how to change, and then great things can happen.
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Clinical Trial: Nadolol with Ligation as Prophylaxis for Rebleeding
Source: Gastrohep.com
The latest issue of Hepatology reports that nadolol plus ligation reduces the incidence of variceal rebleeding compared with ligation alone and that a combined treatment could lower the probability of variceal recurrence after eradication.
ß-Blockers and endoscopic variceal ligation have proven to be valuable methods in the prevention of variceal rebleeding. Dr de la Peña and colleagues from Spain aimed to compare the efficacy of endoscopic variceal ligation combined with nadolol versus endoscopic variceal ligation alone as secondary prophylaxis for variceal bleeding. The investigative team treated patients who were admitted for acute variceal bleeding during emergency endoscopy with endoscopic variceal ligation or sclerotherapy and received somatostatin for 5 days.The researchers randomized 80 patients with cirrhosis (alcoholic origin in 66%) to receive endoscopic variceal ligation plus nadolol or endoscopic variceal ligation with a median follow-up period of 16 months.
Adverse effects resulting from nadolol were observed in 11% of the patients - Hepatology
The investigators repeated endoscopic variceal ligation sessions every 10 to 12 days until the varices were eradicated.The researchers observed that the variceal bleeding recurrence rate was 14% in the endoscopic variceal ligation plus nadolol group and 38% in the endoscopic variceal ligation group. The research team observed that mortality was similar in both groups.5 patients (12%) died in the combined therapy group and 4 patients (11%) died in the endoscopic variceal ligation group. The team noted no significant differences in the number of endoscopic variceal ligation sessions to eradicate varices with 3.2 in the combined therapy group versus 3.5 in the endoscopic variceal ligation alone group. In addition, the researchers found that the actuarial probability of variceal recurrence at 1 year was lower in the endoscopic variceal ligation plus nadolol group (54%) than in the endoscopic variceal ligation group (77%). Adverse effects resulting from nadolol were observed in 11% of the patients. Dr de la Peña concluded, “Nadolol plus endoscopic variceal ligation reduces the incidence of variceal rebleeding compared with endoscopic variceal ligation alone.” A combined treatment could lower the probability of variceal recurrence after eradication.”
Hepatology 2005(3);41:572-578
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March 1st, 2005
Hepatitis B Vaccine Affords 15 Year Protection against Infection
SourceURL:http://www.gastrohep.com
This week's issue of Annals of Internal Medicine reports that Hepatitis B vaccination protects against infection for at least 15 years in all age groups and that antibody levels decreased the most among younger persons immunized.
The duration of protection afforded by hepatitis B vaccination is unknown.
Dr McMahon and colleagues conducted a prospective cohort study of 15 villages in southwest Alaska in1578 Alaska Natives vaccinated at age 6 months or older to determine antibody persistence and protection from Hepatitis B virus infection.
During 1981 - 1982, participants received 3 doses of plasma-derived Hepatitis B vaccine.
Vaccination at age 6 months to 4 years afforded the lowest antibody to Hepatitis B surface antigen levels - Annals of Internal Medicine
The researchers followed up this cohort annually over the first 11 years, and tested 841 (53%) persons at 15 years.
The team tested antibody to Hepatitis B surface antigen, markers of Hepatitis B infection, and testing to identify Hepatitis B variants.
The research team observed that levels of antibodies to Hepatitis B surface antigen in the cohort decreased from a geometric mean concentration of 822 mIU/mL after vaccination to 27 mIU/mL at 15 years.
Initial levels of antibody to Hepatitis B surface antigen, older age at vaccination, and male sex were found to be associated with persistence of higher antibody levels at 15 years when analyzed by a longitudinal linear mixed model by the researchers.
After adjustment for initial antibody levels and sex, those vaccinated at age 6 months to 4 years had the lowest antibody to Hepatitis B surface antigen levels at 15 years.
The researchers detected asymptomatic breakthrough infections in 16 participants and that these occurred more frequently in persons who did not respond to vaccination than those who responded.
In addition, the investigators noted that among infected persons with viremia, 2 were infected with wild-type Hepatitis B virus and 4 had Hepatitis B surface glycoprotein variants, generally accompanied by wild-type Hepatitis B.
The researchers reported a 47% loss of participants to follow-up at 15 years was but that characteristics of persons tested were similar to those of persons lost to follow-up.
Dr McMahon concludes, "Hepatitis B vaccination strongly protected against infection for at least 15 years in all age groups."
"Antibody levels decreased the most among persons immunized at 4 years of age or younger."
Annals of Internal Medicine 2005: 142(5): 333-341
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March 3rd, 2005
C-ing the Light: People with Hepatitis C Fight the Stigma along with the Disease
SourceURL:http://www.jg-tc.com/
By BETHANY CARSON, Staff Writer
Bob Moody is one of many middle-aged adults realizing the effect of an illness he most likely contracted 30 years ago, but he doesn't know exactly when or how he got it.
He called it a silent illness. Communities often don't know what it is. People infected might not know they have it. Even those who know they have it might seal their lips because of a stigma associated with the disease.
It's hepatitis C, an inflammation of the liver caused by certain viruses. It can lead to chronic liver disease or cancer, but it's difficult to detect and diagnose, according to one Decatur specialist.
"The majority of people have no signs or symptoms," said Dr. Venkat Minnaganti, infectious disease specialist. "At some point in the illness, they might feel some abdominal pains. Fatigue is one of the most common."
A liver functioning test also can reveal the infection. Others discover their infection when trying to donate blood because blood banks screen for hepatitis C and HIV.
When the infection started, however, is another common unknown.
Those who received a blood transfusion or an organ transplant before 1992 should be tested, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
And about 80 percent of the people who share needles to inject drugs are infected with hepatitis C.
Otoniel "Tony" Delgado of Decatur hates drugs, alcohol and cigarettes for that reason.
"I hate that stuff with a passion," he said. "I hate what it does to people. I hate what it did to me. I hate what it does to the young kids running around. They don't know."
He abused injection drugs as a 20-year-old in Chicago. Now, the 55-year-old has a completely new life and, recently, a new liver.
He has also joined a group of infected adults to spread knowledge, not fear.
Detecting the disease
Delgado was diagnosed at a time when even the medical community did not have a high level of awareness about hepatitis C, in the early 1990s.
"I was having some medical problems, and my doctor didn't know exactly what it was," he said. "You don't feel anything. There was no pain involved."
A biopsy and blood tests revealed he had Type 1, the most difficult to treat.
Minnaganti said the level of awareness has increased since hepatitis C became a reportable disease in 2001.
The disease is only transmitted from blood contact, not casual contact.
"It's not airborne," said Dianna Heyer, nursing services coordinator for the Macon County Health Department. "It's not hugging. It's not kissing."
Sexual intercourse poses a 4 percent to 5 percent risk, as does breastfeeding.
Blood from a toothbrush, needle or even nail clippers, on the other hand, can pose a greater risk.
"Anything that can transmit blood can transmit hepatitis C," Heyer said.
The most important thing now, however, is not how each patient got it but how to give them support and understanding, she said.
Fighting the stigma
Moody of Decatur was diagnosed almost three years ago.
"I didn't know what it was," he said.
He immediately told his plant manager and co-workers at Archer Daniels Midland Co. in Decatur that if he cut himself, they should not touch his blood.
That was after his physician told him he didn't have to disclose his diagnosis.
"I thought the adult thing to do was to tell them about something that could affect them," he said. "The most unfortunate thing with the disease is people are afraid to be known that they have it because of the stigma."
He compared the stigma to that of pregnant teenagers in the 1960s, as "something dirty" or the result of doing "something wrong."
Moody said that attitude needs to change.
"There is no shame in having the disease and fighting it," he said. "The only shame is that people may die of this disease because they're afraid to seek treatment because of the stigma and how they would be viewed by their peers."
He faced his diagnosis with an "I'm here, come and get me" attitude, but it was still difficult to accept.
"When you're faced with a terminal disease, and you don't know if there's any way out of it, and you don't know when it'll kill you, but it can, it (forces you to make) some real important decisions," he said.
For him, the important decision was he wanted to live rather than die.
Treating the disease
Deciding whether to undergo drug therapy is another of those important decisions.
"The treatment for hepatitis C is very complex," said Minnaganti. "It's still evolving."
Although he said the treatment is better than what it was a few years ago, the response to the drug therapy greatly varies. It's effective in less than half of the patients, according to the state health department.
The side effects are another consideration.
Moody was diagnosed with a more treatable genotype, Type 2B. His was told he could die of old age before he died of complications from hepatitis C.
But at 48 years old, he thought he "better go for the gusto."
He took the treatment, knowing there's no cure.
"At best, you can knock it back to the point it's not going to change your lifestyle," he said.
He called his treatment "ugly," initially feeling as though he had the flu.
Then, his eyes felt more sensitive to light. He sat in a dark room reading every "Harry Potter" book with his son's pit bull in his lap.
He sometimes felt sorry for himself.
"Here I am. I'm stuck. Where do I go from here?"
He experienced mood swings, felt things became insurmountable and was short-tempered with his wife of 30 years, Kathy.
The side effects also included feeling suicidal, homicidal and depressed. Physically, his red and white blood cell count dropped.
"It's so uncertain," he said. "You have to keep your eyes on the prize."
Contact Bethany Carson at bcarson@herald-review.com or 421-6968
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Corixa and Lorantis Announce Joint Collaboration to Develop Therapeutic Hepatitis B Vaccine
SourceURL:http://biz.yahoo.com
SEATTLE and CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 3, 2005--Corixa Corporation (Nasdaq:CRXA - News), a developer of immunotherapeutics, and Lorantis, a Cambridge, U.K.-based immunotherapy company, today announced a joint collaboration in which the companies will continue the development of a therapeutic hepatitis B vaccine, containing Corixa's RC-529(TM) adjuvant and Lorantis' CV-1831, a hepatitis B core antigen that was previously owned by Apovia, Inc.
This collaboration builds on the initial research and development conducted by Corixa and Apovia for the development of a therapeutic vaccine for the treatment of hepatitis B. Lorantis has acquired all of Apovia's interest in the hepatitis B vaccine technology and under the terms of the new agreement, Lorantis will assume many of Apovia's development responsibilities. The collaboration is managed by a joint management team where Corixa will take the lead for the regulatory applications and management of all clinical trials. Lorantis will lead the completion of preclinical studies and supply the hepatitis B core antigen. The companies will share equally in all costs and potential revenues associated with the development of the vaccine. Following proof-of-principle clinical trials, the companies intend to partner the vaccine to a late-stage development and commercialization organization.
"We are pleased to partner with Lorantis to build on the progress we have made under our original agreement with Apovia," said Steven Gillis, Ph.D., chairman and chief executive officer of Corixa. "Our collaboration with Lorantis will allow us to pursue clinical development of a therapeutic hepatitis vaccine powered by our RC-529 adjuvant."
"This partnership with Corixa should ensure that CV-1831 will be competitively developed," said Stefan Fischer, chief executive officer of Lorantis. "Our investment in this therapeutic hepatitis B vaccine is the first step to transform Lorantis from a research driven company into a development focused company as we build our immunology portfolio."
About Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is the most common serious liver infection in the world. It is caused by the hepatitis B virus that attacks the liver. The virus is transmitted through blood and infected bodily fluids. This can occur through direct blood-to-blood contact, unprotected sex, use of unsterile needles, and from an infected woman to her newborn during the delivery process. According to the hepatitis B Foundation, hepatitis B can be 100 times more infectious than the AIDS virus. More information is available at http://www.hepb.org.
About Corixa's Adjuvant Business
Corixa's adjuvant technology is based on the fact that certain microbial products have long been recognized as potent immune system regulators and have been shown to induce a broad range of known cytokines, a class of substances that are produced by cells of the immune system and can affect the immune response. Modifications of these microbial products and their physical and biological delivery to the immune system can influence the way cytokines are expressed, as well as the recipient's own physiological responses. Such responses mimic the normal, protective responses that are initiated during microbial infection or injury. RC-529 is Corixa's lead synthetic adjuvant that can be formulated for a variety of applications including intranasal and pulmonary vaccines.
About Corixa
Corixa is a biopharmaceutical company developing vaccine adjuvants and immunology based products that manage human diseases. Corixa's products are currently in multiple clinical development programs, including several that have advanced to and through late stage clinical trials. The company partners with numerous developers and marketers of pharmaceuticals, targeting products that are Powered by Corixa(TM) technology with the goal of making its potential products available to patients around the world. Corixa was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Seattle, with additional operations in Hamilton, Montana. For more information, please visit Corixa's Web site at www.corixa.com.
About Lorantis
Lorantis is pursuing immunology drug discovery and development through a unique molecular mechanism, Notch, that can be targeted to enhance or suppress antigen-specific immune responses. The company has two broad platforms to generate multiple products in areas of high unmet medical need. Antigen-specific immune suppressors are being developed for the treatment of allergy, asthma, autoimmune diseases and transplant rejection. By enhancing the immune response, Lorantis is addressing cancer and infectious diseases. The company has received venture backing from Apax Partners, Abingworth Management, Schroder Ventures Life Sciences, JP Morgan Partners, Quester, The Wellcome Trust and Northern Venture Managers. Lorantis was established in 1998 and is based in Cambridge, U.K. For more information, please visit Lorantis Web site at www.lorantis.com.
Corixa Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the potential development of a hepatitis B vaccine, and other statements regarding our plans, objectives, intentions and expectations. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the time the statements are made. They are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Factors that could affect Corixa's actual results include, but are not limited to, the "Factors Affecting Our Operating Results, Our Business and Our Stock Price," described in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2004, copies of which are available from our investor relations department. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release.
Contact:
Corixa Corporation
Jim DeNike, 206-366-3720 (Investor Relations)
jim.denike@corixa.com
or
Waggener Edstrom Bioscience
Colleen Beauregard, 503-443-7000 (Media Relations)
colleenb@wagged.com
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Inmate Ordered to Be Tested for HIV, Hepatitis
SourceURL:http://www.pittsburghlive.com
By David Hunt
Tribune-Review News Service
An inmate accused of spitting in the face of a corrections officer at the state prison in Fayette County has been ordered by a judge to be tested for HIV and hepatitis.
In court documents, both the inmate and officer are identified as "John Doe." Judge Steve Leskinen ordered that a blood sample be taken from the inmate. Test results for HIV and hepatitis A, B and C are to be used to assist in medical treatment for the officer.
According to the civil action filed last month in Fayette County court, the inmate spit in the officer's face, "causing a substantial amount of sputum to enter Officer Doe's eyes, mouth and nose."
The officer was attempting to restrain the inmate during a shift in the prison's Long Term Segregation Unit, an area reserved for inmates deemed to be too unruly to be placed elsewhere within the state corrections system. The inmate had damaged two prison cells in the unit that day, according to court documents.
A doctor examining the officer at Brownsville General Hospital determined that the officer's chance of exposure to viruses was significant.
Prison officials requested the inmate be tested for HIV and hepatitis. He refused, and he also would not let medical staff release information from his records to assist in the officer's treatment.
"Such considerations have been considered to present a compelling need which outweighs the source's privacy interest in his medical status," according to court documents filed on behalf of the prison.
In his order, Leskinen said the test results would be disclosed only to the inmate, the officer and their doctors.
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Girl Who Was Pricked by Needle Found at Bus Stop Undergoing Tests
SourceURL:http://kutv.com/
A mother and her eight-year-old daughter are waiting in fear for test results after the child was pricked by a hypodermic needle she found on her way to school.
“You tell them don't talk to strangers, watch for cars, stay with brother, come straight home, go straight to the bus stop –you don't say step over the hypodermic needle,” said Tiffany, the child’s mother.
The incident happened Tuesday when her eight-year-old daughter found a syringe in the flower bed next to the bus stop near their home at the Cherry Creek Apartments in Riverdale. The girl picked it up and took it to school.
Officials say the girl was showing other children the syringe before school started.
“She was playing with it, the cap fell off, poked herself in finger, that's when we were notified,” said Lieutenant Kevin Burns.
The Weber County Sheriff's Office took the syringe and will test it.
“The biggest concern is not knowing what's there,” said Lieutenant Burns.
Tiffany had to take her daughter to the emergency room.
“They did HIV and hepatitis testing and started her on a medication for next four weeks,” said Tiffany.
Tiffany says the medicine will likely make her daughter sick. She’s not even sure how much she'll be going to school. There will also be blood tests taken for the next year. Tiffany says they have to endure all this because someone has a problem or is just inconsiderate.
“Just giving themselves an insulin shot or using drugs, (they) tossed it out there, and she happened to stumble on it because it was at a children's bus stop,” Tiffany said.
The principal at the school sent a letter home with kids who live at Cherry Creek Apartments. They also had conversations with kids at school on the dangers of used needles.
Meanwhile, Tiffany and her daughter wait for the tests results.
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March 4th, 2005
Original Beach Boy to Launch UK Government Hepatitis C Public Awareness Campaign
SourceURL:http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
In support of the Department of Health's hepatitis C awareness campaign, former Beach Boy David Marks - who himself is living with hepatitis C - will be unveiling a unique display of large-scale portraits of people with hepatitis C from across England.
The event is taking place on the north terrace of Leicester Square on 16th March 2005 at 9.00am, meeting at the Marquee Club on the north side of Leicester Square (between the Empire Cinema and MTV's new Total Request Live Studio).
Media are invited to a photo call and an opportunity to interview former Beach Boy David Marks. Interviews will also be available with the photographer Michele Martinoli who herself has been living with hepatitis C, as well as case studies of other people with hepatitis C.
After the Leicester Square event (running for two days), the photography exhibition will be staged in other major cities across England later in the year.
For further information or to set up advance interviews or to receive pictures by email, please contact Joanna York, Chris Duncan or Victoria Smith on 020 7815 3900 or email joanna.york@munroforster.com
http://www.hepc.nhs.uk
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Viral Hepatitis in Drug Discovery & Development Conference to Take Place March 22-23, 2005 in Princeton, NJ
SourceURL:http://biz.yahoo.com/
Press Release Source: Strategic Research Institute
PRINCETON, N.J., March 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Chronic hepatitis C (HCV) and B (HBV) are the most common causes of chronic viral hepatitis in the United States, posing serious risks for long-term medical complications, especially if left untreated. HBV affects over 2 billion people in the world today while HCV affects approximately 4 million people each year. With this in mind, Strategic Research Institute announces the "Annual Viral Hepatitis in Drug Discovery & Development Summit" scheduled to take place March 22-23, 2005 in Princeton, NJ.
By attending this industrial and networking conference you will be able to interact with many of the leading research scientists and decision-makers from the pharmaceutical/biotech industry, public health, and academic communities working in the area of viral hepatitis of North America and internationally. Some of the topics covered at the event include interferon mechanisms, HCV protease inhibitors, HCV polymerase inhibitors, novel advances in HBV therapeutics and other HCV targets/agents.
Some of the participating companies include Anadys Pharmaceuticals which is the conference lead sponsor, Merck, Schering-Plough, Pfizer, Gilead, Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Rigel, Roche, Medivir, Innogenetics, Valeant Pharmaceuticals and many more.
To request a copy of the conference agenda in PDF format, please contact the conference organizer Glenn Pascual of Strategic Research Institute at gpascual@srinstitute.com or 212.967.0095, ext. 245. Please include full contact information
To become a media partner, please contact Cheryl-Kahan Radhuber at ckahan-radhuber@srinstitute.com
For more information on sponsorship & exhibition opportunities, please contact Bernard Cohen at bcohen@srinstitute.com
Source: Strategic Research Institute
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