Articles by Suzanne Hodsden
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Korea Scales Up Vaccine Production
8/25/2014
One of the greatest signs of a country’s prosperity is its ability to self-sufficiently vaccinate its citizens against potentially fatal disease. Currently, Korean vaccine production is low but expanding, and according to a report in Business Korea, the Korean government plans to make Korea the fifth largest producer of vaccines by 2020.
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Are Two Polio Vaccines Better Than One? Research Says Yes
8/25/2014
After hotly contesting the efficacy of two types of polio vaccine, researchers have reached the conclusion that a combination of both types is the best solution to stopping the spread of Polio.
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NewLink Genetics Fast-Tracks Ebola Vaccine To Human Trials
8/18/2014
In an exclusive Reuters report, NewLink Genetics announced they were ready to launch human safety trials of an Ebola vaccine developed by Canadian government scientists later this summer.
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Yabao and Changzhou Le Sun Partner in Cancer Drug Research
8/8/2014
Two Chinese pharma companies, Yabao and Changzhou Le Sun, announced plans to co-develop a new oncology compound PLK/PI3K dual inhibitor LS-008, currently in the pre-clinical stage of development. Both companies expressed their hopes that this new collaboration would accelerate the development of the drug and its distribution in a global market.
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New Draft Guidance Aims To Accelerate Cure, Improve Drug Development for DMD
8/7/2014
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) accounts for over half of all cases of the disease. This variety progresses quickly and while treatments exist to slow the rate of muscle deterioration and boost cardiovascular and respiratory function, there is currently no cure. Parents of children suffering from this disease, along with drug company executives, scientists, and clinicians, drafted a guidance aimed to encourage pharmaceutical companies to change the scope of their research with hopes that the FDA will accelerate drug development for this fatal illness.
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FDA Stands Ready For Ebola Treatments, But Research Still Underdeveloped
8/4/2014
Due to the unpredictability of the disease and its limited market, Ebola research has been, until now, under-represented. The most recent outbreak in West Africa, termed the largest in history, has infected 1,323 people and is responsible for 729 deaths since February, and that number is growing. While West African leaders scramble to contain the disease, the FDA announced this week that it ‘stands ready’ to work with drug-makers to fast-track Ebola drugs.
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Drug-makers Skittish About Social Media’s Role In Clinical Trials
8/1/2014
Drug-makers and researchers are growing increasingly concerned about the potential effects social media might have on the structure of clinical trials, the Wall Street Journal reported this week. As more patients begin openly sharing reactions to medicines online and giving tips to others on how to be recruited for trials, researchers worry that trial results could be jeopardized and that patients’ safety could be threatened.