NAPWA

Melbourne-based biotech Avexa has announced the closure of its lead HIV program for apricitabine after failing to attract a licensing partner for the Phase IIIA large clinical trialA clinical trial is a research study to answer specific questions about vaccines or new therapies or new ways of using known treatments. Clinical trials are used to determine whether new drugs or treatments are both safe and effective. Carefully conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find treatments that work in people. Trials are in four phases: Phase I tests a new drug or treatment in a small group; Phase II expands the study to a larger group of people; Phase III expands the study to an even larger group of people; and Phase IV takes place after the drug or treatment has been licensed and marketed. designed to establish whether a drug is effective and safe enough for widespread use. Phase III studies include expanded controlled and uncontrolled trials after preliminary evidence suggesting effectiveness(Of a drug or treatment). The maximum ability of a drug or treatment to produce a result regardless of dosage. A drug passes efficacy trials if it is effective at the dose tested and against the illness for which it is prescribed. In the standard procedure, Phase II clinical trials gauge efficacy, and Phase III trials confirm it. of the drug has been obtained, and are intended to gather additional information to evaluate the overall benefit-risk relationship of the drug and provide and adequate basis for physician labeling. drug. read more »

People who fail current hepatitis C treatment have few other options except trying the same drugs again, but an experimental(Of a drug) Not licensed for use in humans, or as a treatment for a particular condition. Experimental drugs are studied in clinical trials to determine their safety and efficacy(Of a drug or treatment). The maximum ability of a drug or treatment to produce a result regardless of dosage. A drug passes efficacy trials if it is effective at the dose tested and against the illness for which it is prescribed. In the standard procedure, Phase II clinical trials gauge efficacy, and Phase III trials confirm it., and are sometimes made available via Special Access Schemes prior to their approval. antiviralA medication or substance which is active against one or more virusesA small infective organism which is incapable of reproducing outside a host cell.. May include anti-HIV drugs, but these are more accurately termed antiretroviralsA medication or other substance which is active against retroviruses such as HIV.. drug is poised to change all that. read more »

Mathematical modelling suggests that HIV incidence could be halved if circumcision were adopted in developing countries, however the impact would not be fully felt for many decades. read more »

Peter Piot, the Executive Director of UNAIDSJoint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. UNAIDS is the main advocate for accelerated, comprehensive and coordinated global action on the epidemic. for the past 13 years, is stepping down at the end of this year. read more »

Harvard Medical School researchers have identified a geneThe most basic unit of genetic information. in Asian macaque monkeys may have evolved as protection against a group of virusesA small infective organism which is incapable of reproducing outside a host cell. that includes HIV, suggesting that the current AIDS epidemic is not unique to humans and that similar epidemics may have affected our primate ancestors. read more »

A new survey for gay, bisexual or same-sex- attracted men is now underway and inviting participants to join the online study and provide information which is investigating how internet use relates to different aspects of men's social and sexual lives. read more »

Fears that increased movement of people from PNGPapua New Guinea into the Torres Strait Protection Zone will lead to increased HIV transmission and STIs[Sexually Transmissible (or Transmitted) Infection] Infections spread by the transfer of organisms from person to person during sexual contact. Also called venereal disease (VD) (an older public health term) or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). is the subject of ongoing discussion between high level officials from PNG and Australia. read more »

HIV-related news in brief from the March 2007 edition of Positive Living. read more »

HIV-related news in brief from the December 2006 edition of Positive Living. read more »

HIV-related news in brief from the April 2006 edition of Positive Living. read more »

HIV-related news in brief from the October-November 2005 edition of Positive Living. read more »

HIV-related news in brief from the August-September 2005 edition of Positive Living. read more »

HIV-related news in brief from the June-July 2005 edition of Positive Living. read more »

HIV-related news in brief from the April-May 2005 edition of Positive Living. read more »

HIV-related news in brief from the Feb-Mar 2004 edition of Positive Living. read more »

HIV-related news in brief from the Dec 2003-Jan 2004 edition of Positive Living. read more »

HIV-related news in brief from the Oct-Nov 2003 edition of Positive Living. read more »

HIV-related news in brief from the August-September 2003 edition of Positive Living. read more »

HIV-related news in brief from the June-July 2003 edition of Positive Living. read more »

Selected brief news items from the pages of Positive Living. read more »