Recent News

By Category: Research

Development of Self-Powered Chemical and Biological Sensors

GlobalBiodefense: New types of smart materials that can respond to selective stimuli hold promise in the development of novel platforms for self-powered chemical and biological (CB) sensors that can sense and destroy threat agents.

September 11, 2014
| Filed under North America, Biological Weapons, Biosafety, Biotechnology, Countermeasures, and Research
Share

New Compound Inhibits Enzyme Crucial to MERS and SARS

GlobalBiodefense: Scientists at the University of Illinois, Chicago, have identified a compound that effectively inhibits an enzyme crucial to the viruses that cause Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

September 11, 2014
| Filed under North America, Countermeasures, Public Health, and Research
Share

First Vaccine for Dengue Fever Shows Promise in 2nd Big Trial

(New York Times) An experimental vaccine against dengue fever being developed by Sanofi proved about 60 percent effective in its second large clinical trial. The results could clear the way for the introduction of the world’s first inoculation against the disease, which is mosquito-borne and becoming an increasing threat.

September 4, 2014
| Filed under Europe, Agents & Toxins, Countermeasures, Public Health, and Research
Share

Ricin Vaccine Effective Against Aerosolized Toxin

(Global Biodefense) Soligenix, Inc. today announced promising preliminary results from a preclinical study with its ricin toxin vaccine RiVax, in a non-human primate (NHP) lethal aerosol exposure model. The study demonstrated that NHPs vaccinated with RiVax were completely protected against a lethal aerosol of ricin toxin with a highly significant survival benefit

September 4, 2014
| Filed under North America, Agents & Toxins, Biosafety, Countermeasures, Public Health, and Research
Share

Ebola virus has mutated during course of outbreak

(Washington Post) The Ebola virus sweeping through West Africa has mutated repeatedly during the current outbreak, a fact that could hinder diagnosis and treatment of the devastating disease, according to scientists who have genetically sequenced the virus in scores of victims.