Latest News

Hep B Vaccine Recommended for Diabetics

Added: 6 January 2012

New US government guidelines recommend the hep B vaccine for all unvaccinated adults, aged 19 to 59, with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The immunization should be done as soon as possible after adults in this age group are diagnosed with diabetes. People with diabetes are at an increased risk for HBV [chronic] infection, which can occur through minute amounts of blood from an infected person who has shared a medical or glucose monitoring device. The new recommendations for hep B vaccination for diabetics is outlined in the Dec. 23 issue of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

Etta James Hospitalised

Added: 6 January 2012

Etta James was put on life support after years of battling leukemia, hepatitis C and dementia. The iconic singer, best known for the blues inspired ballad “At Last,” was deemed “terminally ill” by her live-in doctor, Dr Elaine James (no relation). According to USA Today, the main reason for her hospital admittance was her constant struggle to take in air on her own. Dr James also described to Reuters that her main form of communication the past few months was mainly head nods and simple words. "They took her to the hospital. She was having trouble breathing, so they intubated her. She is on a breathing machine and is resting," said Lupe De-Leon, the singer's manager for 30 years. Adding her frail state, the singer had also combated obesity and drug addition at the height of her career in the 1960s and 1970s. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>
Etta James is an American singer whose style spanned a variety of music genres including blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, gospel and jazz. Starting her career in the mid 1950s, she  is regarded as having bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll, and is the winner of six Grammys and seventeen Blues Music Awards. She faced a number of personal problems including drug addiction before making a musical resurgence in the late 1980s with the album, The Seven Year Itch. Rolling Stone ranked James number twenty-two on their list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time and number sixty-two on the list of the 100 Greatest Artists. CLICK HERE TO GO TO WIKIPEDIA>>

Newer Era of Hep C Treatment

Added: 3 January 2012

In an editorial appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine in March 2011, Jensen suggested that a new era of therapy for hep C was dawning with the development of two effective protease inhibitors: telaprevir and boceprevir. Now an even newer era may be on the horizon! Several investigational drug trials were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Two groups reported the apparently remarkable preliminary results of an investigational agent for the treatment of hep C. An interferon-free regimen of PSI-7977 plus ribavirin achieved strikingly high rates of sustained viral response; this drug offers the potential solution to a long sought after goal: the ability to delete interferon injections from treatment strategies. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

Chimps Free from Hep C

Added: 3 January 2012

Chimps are no longer needed for hep C research. After two decades of dwindling chimpanzee usefulness in infectious disease research, only one disease remained to justify experiments that in humans would be considered unconscionable: hepatitis C, which kills 340,000 people every year and infects no non-human animal except chimps. Hep C thus became the main battleground for debates over the ethics and morality of invasive chimp testing, which is permitted nowhere but Gabon and the United States. At least scientifically, that battle now appears settled. In May, the FDA approved two new hep C drugs, both far superior to the only existing treatment and both developed without chimp testing. In December 2011, the Institute of Medicine formally declared chimps unnecessary for hep C drug development, paving the way to treat the closest living relative to humans with humanity. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

PSI-938 Trial Drug Pulled 

Added: 3 January 2012

Pharmasset announced that they will amend the design of the QUANTUM Phase 2b trial of PSI-938 and discontinue all treatment arms with a regimen containing PSI-938. There are 235 individuals with hep C in the study who are receiving treatment with PSI-938 alone or in combination with PSI-7977 or PSI-7977 and ribavirin. During routine safety monitoring, the company detected laboratory abnormalities associated with liver function in subjects receiving PSI-938 300 mg once daily. These laboratory abnormalities have not been observed in patients receiving PSI-7977 and ribavirin in the QUANTUM study or in other trials evaluating PSI-7977. Both the 12 and 24-week PSI-7977 and ribavirin arms will continue unchanged, data from which will support NEUTRINO, an interferon free, 12-week Phase 3 study of PSI-7977 and ribavirin in patients with genotype 1. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

Liver Disease Risks

Added: 3 January 2012

A study published in Genes & Nutrition suggests that eating MSG, trans fat or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may boost risk of various liver diseases such as adiposity, hepatic steatosis, hepatic fibrosis and liver damage like cirrhosis. Previous studies show that a variety of dietary components such as fat, sugars, and neonatal treatment with MSG contribute to the development of liver disease. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

Android Hep C App

Added: 3 January 2012

The Android experience has just become better with the new Android applications developed by Niche Tech Solutions Company. The new applications are built for the Android platform with the purpose of enhancing the functionality of Android smart phones and improving the end user experience. The three applications recently developed by Niche Tech include; MyPocketSearch, HCV-edge and Cinemark. HCV-Edge is an Android application developed with Android tools and remote access web service that is used in management of hep C. The application monitors treatments and maintains notifications and schedules regarding hep C. This helps people living with hep C cope better. The application is compatible with all Android devices in the market. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

iPhone App For Hep C Treatment

Added: 15 December 2011

The University of Liverpool, UK, has launched an iphone app, HEP i-chart, that provides hep C patients with quick and easy access to the latest information about drug interactions. HEP i-chart is based on the website developed at the University by Professor David Back and Professor Saye Khoo which provides a comprehensive online guide to the interactions between anti-hepatitis drugs and other drugs. It is a tool that provides hep C patients and healthcare professionals with immediate access to up-to-date information on potential drug interactions between HCV drugs, and other drugs that the patient may be prescribed as well as over-the-counter, recreational or herbal medications. Professor Graham Foster, President of the British Association for the Study of the Liver said: “This new app, HEP i-chart, is a timely and much-needed resource for HCV patients as the number of new drugs which are available to treat Hepatitis C increases.” CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

OraSure Hep C Test Popular

Added: 15 December 2011

OraSure Technologies received approval to sell its test for the hep C virus to a wider range of clinics and doctors' offices in the United States, sending shares of the company up nearly 9 percent. The company said the Food and Drug Administration expanded approval for the OraQuick HCV test, allowing more than 180,000 facilities to use it for detecting the serious liver disease in patients. The FDA approved the test in February, but initially limited its use to clinically trained staff. The test for the virus can be done via blood samples taken from a vein, or with a finger-stick test, which draws a tiny amount of blood by pricking the finger. OraSure, based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, said patients can get a diagnosis in 20 minutes. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

Potential Liver Cancer Cure

Added: 15 December 2011

For the first time, researchers have discovered a special type of molecular regulator called miR-124 that could be used someday as a treatment for liver cancer. The same team also found a mechanism in mice that ultimately causes normal liver cells to transform into cancerous ones. Worldwide, liver cancer is the third cause of death caused by cancer. Among the most common causes of and risk factors for liver cancer are hep B infection, which is common in Asia (where it is a childhood disease), hep C (more common in Japan, Europe, and North America), alcohol abuse, and exposure to environmental toxins (including aflatoxin B1, which is the most potent liver cancer-causing chemical known). In the new study, Iliopoulos and his team expressed the hope that “miR-124 potentially could be used as a preventive in patients at high risk of liver cancer because they have chronic hepatitis C or as a therapeutic agent in patients with liver cancer.” The authors plan to begin a phase I clinical trial to explore this possible new liver cancer treatment in 2012. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

Hep C: Pharma's Daytona 500

Liver Biopsy Requirement Removed for Hep B Treatment

Added: 22 November 2011

The federal government today announced that liver biopsy would no longer be a mandatory prerequisite to commence government-funded treatment. Simple blood tests (ALT and HBV DNA) are now considered sufficient to assess whether treatment is appropriate or not. This is good news for people with chronic hepatitis B living in rural and remote Australia where access to liver biopsy is very limited and also good news for those reluctant to undergo this invasive test for cultural or other reasons. Fibroscans (similar to an ultrasound) are available in some hospitals and can be used to assess liver damage, however, in certain circumstances, a liver biopsy may still be advisable. In these cases the client would need to provide their consent for this invasive procedure, having been fully informed by their treating doctor of the risks and benefits of the test over other options. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

3D Imagery Fights Liver Cancer

Added: 22 November 2011

Holoxica, an Edinburgh-based 3D holographic imaging company, has furthered the boundaries of biomedical imaging by creating the world’s first 3D, full colour hologram of a human liver, paving the way for a breakthrough in the way surgeons plan liver operations to remove tumours. The human liver hologram will enable surgeons and oncologists to ‘look around’ the ‘virtual’ organ and marks a breakthrough for medical science which until now, has had to rely on two-dimensional screens to view three-dimensional information from CT, MRI and ultrasound scanning techniques. 3D models based on actual patient data can be used for training and simulation by surgeons, enabling the surgeon to visualise the intricacies of navigation within the organ. It means that specialists can now find new ways of visualising the complete structure of a human liver in greater detail and to better understand tumour behaviour within the liver than would be the case from 2D images they currently use. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

Non-interferon Drug Shows Promise

Added: 22 November 2011

An interferon-free regimen for the treatment of hep C might soon be available, according to data from the ELECTRON trial, presented at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases 62nd Annual Meeting. In the ELECTRON study, an interferon-free regimen of PSI-7977 plus ribavirin achieved a 100% sustained viral response at 12 weeks in all study subjects. The aim of the ELECTRON trial was to determine the shortest duration of interferon, if any, required to achieve SVR when PSI-7977 plus ribavirin are administered for 12 weeks. Results after treatment initiation were dramatic. All patients achieved a rapid virologic response, with over 80% being nondetectable at 2 weeks. All patients had undetectable HCV at 3 weeks; furthermore, all patients achieved end-of-treatment response. No cases of treatment resistance were observed. "These data clearly demonstrate that PSI-7977 exhibits high potency and has a high barrier to resistance," said Dr Ed Gane, lead study investigator from Auckland City Hospital in New Zealand. He reported that the drug is being advanced in phase 3 investigations in all HCV genotypes. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

Expressions of Interest: Joining the Hepatitis Australia Board

Added: 8 November 2011

We are seeking applications from people interested in joining the Hepatitis Australia Board as a Community Board Member commencing in February 2012.

To be eligible for one of these positions you must be a financial member of one of the State and Territory Hepatitis Organisations and

a) Be living with or were living with hepatitis B or C
b) Be a member of a priority population for hepatitis B or C*

The A to Z of Hepatitis (Live Broadcast Online)

Added: 31 October 2011

The Rural Health Education Foundation will be webcasting and simultaneously broadcasting across its satellite network a live program on hepatitis at 8pm AEDT on 8^th November 2011 (see below for times in other states). Join Dr Norman Swan as he chairs a live panel discussion around the current knowledge and research on hepatitis; the range of hepatitis variants with a specific focus on hepatitis B and C; prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment; the national hepatitis strategies and their key recommendations and specifically the issues for rural, remote and Indigenous communities. A free copy of the DVD is available to order. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE>>>

Abbott Combo may be a Blockbuster

Added: 25 October 2011

Abbott Laboratories said that it could have a shorter duration combination therapy for hep C on the market in 2015 with annual sales potential of about $2 billion. Significantly, its combination therapy does not include tough-to-tolerate interferon, which causes flu-like symptoms that lead many patients with the serious liver disease to stop or delay treatment. Abbott said that in very small mid-stage trials, a combination of two of its experimental medicines and two other drugs were showing the potential for cure rates as high as 90% with as little as 12 weeks of therapy. The shortest duration current patients can hope for is 24 weeks. Abbott discussed its hep C trials and other experimental medicines at a meeting with investors and analysts in New York just two days after announcing it would spin off its prescription drugs business into a separate company. While early, these results are unprecedented in that very high cure rates are being achieved ... with only 12 weeks of interferon-free therapy," said Richard Gonzalez, who will head the new company. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

Is this the Future for Hep B Treatment?

Added: 24 October 2011

Neuherberg - Scientists have developed a new treatment approach for chronic hepatitis-B infections that is set to improve the prospects of eliminating the infection and curing the disease. With the aid of modified short RNAs, researchers participating in a collaborative venture between Helmholtz Zentrum München, the Technical University of Munich and the University of Bonn have succeeded in blocking hepatitis B virus replication while simultaneously stimulating an immune response. The study has been published in the renowned medical journal Gastroenterology. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

Sterile Syringes Can Stop the Spread of Disease in Prisons

Added: 19 October 2011

It’s no secret that prisoners inject drugs. And because they don’t have access to sterile needles, inmates not only share needles – they share infectious diseases as well. The ACT government is currently deciding whether to trial a program to distribute sterile needles and syringes to prisoners. But the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), which represents prison guards, is fighting the introduction of such a program, saying it doesn’t want to facilitate illicit drug use and expose officers to potential needle stick injuries. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

Telaprevir Available in Canada

Added: 14 October 2011

Vertex announced INCIVEK (telaprevir) tablets are now available in Canada for people with genotype 1 chronic hep C with compensated liver disease (some level of damage to the liver, but the liver still functions), including cirrhosis (scarring of the liver). INCIVEK was approved by Health Canada in August 2011 for use in combination with pegylated-interferon and ribavirin, and is indicated for people who are new to treatment, and for all three major groups of people (relapsers, partial responders and null responders) who were treated previously but who did not achieve a sustained viral response (SVR, or viral cure). INCIVEK will be the first medicine marketed by Vertex in Canada. Vertex has established its Canadian headquarters in Laval, Quebec where the company currently employs approximately 40 scientists focused on drug discovery and development activities. The company is also building medical and commercial teams to support the use of INCIVEK in Canada, and with the launch of INCIVEK, Vertex plans to continue the expansion of its Canadian workforce, both in Laval and in field-based positions throughout Canada. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

Boceprevir Now in Scotland

Added: 14 October 2011

The Scottish Medicines Consortium, which advises NHS Scotland on prescribing new treatments, announced today that Victrelis (boceprevir) is accepted for use within NHS Scotland. Boceprevir was reviewed for the treatment of CHC genotype 1 infection, in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin, in adult patients with compensated liver disease who have failed previous therapy or who are previously untreated. In the pivotal phase III randomised studies, addition of boceprevir to current standard of care in patients with CHC genotype 1 infection, who had failed previous therapy or who were previously untreated, increased the proportion of patients who achieved a sustained virologic response. Professor Clifford Leen, Consultant Physician Infectious Diseases, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh commented "The SMC's positive advice on the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of boceprevir in Scotland is very important for patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 1. It supports the use of a more effective treatment compared to standard therapy alone (peginterferon and ribavirin), which improves SVR1A and will allow some patients to have a 6 month course of treatment rather than the current 12 months.1B Improved SVR has been shown to reduce mortality in patients with hepatitis C."CLICK HERE TO GO TO ORIGINAL NEWS SOURCE>>

Page last updated: Tuesday 10 July, 2012