Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and International AIDS Vaccine Initiative are now gearing up to carry out the phase-I study of a combination vaccine for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the country. The combination vaccine is ADAX and TBC-M4. The trials will be undertaken at the National AIDS Research Institute, Pune and at TB Research Centre, Chennai.

Biogen Idec and Elan Corporation, plc announced five-times as many multiple sclerosis (MS) patients taking Tysabri (natalizumab) were free from disease activity versus placebo in the overall patient population. Results from this retrospective analysis showed that two years after beginning treatment with Tysabri, 37 per cent of patients remained free of disease activity, compared to seven per cent of placebo-treated patients. Sixty-four per cent of patients showed no sign of relapse or sustained disability progression and 58 per cent were free of radiological disease activity. Both of these measures were used to define freedom from disease activity in this analysis of the AFFIRM clinical trial. These data were published online today and in the March 2009 issue of The Lancet Neurology.

Osiris (OSIR) was founded on the basis of technology that promised development of stem cell treatments. More precisely that meant Dr. Caplan (one of the founders) first described cells that were stuck to the plate, after culturing cells isolated from the bone marrow. Not only did he notice their capacity to adhere but also their ability to differentiate into different types of cells. Today, decades after the discovery and further research efforts, we know a little bit more about these cells.

Merck KGaA and its Merck Serono division together with partner Newron Pharmaceuticals SpA announced that the first phase III trial of investigational agent safinamide as adjunctive therapy to levodopa (study 016) met its primary endpoint by increasing daily "ON" time in mid- to late-stage Parkinson's disease patients with motor fluctuations by 1.3 hours. "ON" time represents periods when Parkinson's patients experience their best level of motor functioning.