Remicade (infliximab): Side effects, dosage, cost, and more

Infectious Diseases News

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Aug. 19, 2024 — The avian influenza virus needs to mutate to cross the species barrier and to infect and replicate within mammalian cells. Scientists have now deciphered the structure of the avian influenza ...

Aug. 19, 2024 — Researchers have uncovered DNA markers associated with retroelements, remnants of ancient viral genetic material, in our genes that act as highly accurate epigenetic clocks predicting chronological ...

Aug. 16, 2024 — A research team has made a discovery in the fight against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for COVID-19. The team has uncovered new insights into ...

Aug. 15, 2024 — Scientists have discovered how the hospital superbug C.Diff rapidly evolves resistance to the frontline drug used for treatment in the ...

Aug. 15, 2024 — A unique influenza vaccine candidate that's inhaled appears safe and could bolster protection against seasonal and pandemic influenza for people vulnerable to severe disease when they receive it ...

Aug. 15, 2024 — Scientists have made a breakthrough which could help find new treatments for a deadly infection that can affect up to 40% of hospital patients using mechanical ...

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Aug. 9, 2024 — When COVID-19 booster vaccines are in short supply, prioritizing the elderly over other age groups for booster vaccination results in the lowest loss of life, researchers ...

Aug. 9, 2024 — A new, two-step flu vaccination strategy that pairs intramuscular injection of a viral vectored flu vaccine with nasal spray administration of a novel attenuated live flu virus appears to be safe and ...

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Aug. 8, 2024 — A saliva test can more accurately indicate the severity of recurrent respiratory infections in children than the standard blood test. If saliva contains too few broadly protective antibodies, a child ...

Aug. 6, 2024 — Researchers have discovered new ways of preventing and treating respiratory viruses. In two new papers, the team reports the development and validation of NanoSTING, a nasal spray, as a ...

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Aug. 2, 2024 — Researchers have developed a compound that is effective against common bacteria that can lead to rare, dangerous ...

Aug. 2, 2024 — A breakthrough lays the foundations for vaccine development and for testing new preventative measures against the neglected tropical disease ...

July 31, 2024 — A nasal COVID-19 vaccine blocks transmission of the virus, according to an animal study. The findings suggest that vaccines delivered directly to the nose or mouth could play a critical role in ...

July 31, 2024 — Researchers have succeeded in identifying and synthesizing a group of molecules that can act against the cause of tuberculosis in a new way. They describe that the so-called callyaerins act against ...

Optimal Concentration Of Clofazimine Achieves Culture Conversion With Less Side Effects In MAC-PD, Suggests Study

Researchers have found that safety and efficacy in the medical treatment of Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex pulmonary disease and Mycobacterium abscessus species pulmonary disease with Clofazimine (CFZ) are closely related to serum CFZ concentration. Authors have underlined the importance of monitoring CFZ levels concerning optimization of treatment outcomes regarding side effects like QT interval prolongation and pigmentation. A recent study was published in the Respiratory Medicine journal by Fumiya Watanabe and colleagues.

CFZ has recently emerged as an active treatment in patients with chronic and debilitating pulmonary diseases due to nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), Mycobacterium avium complex-pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) and Mycobacterium abscessus-pulmonary disease (MABS-PD). The optimal dose that provides the best balance between efficacy and safety has not been established. Given the risk of severe side effects, including QT interval prolongation, an established risk factor for cardiac arrhythmias and skin pigmentation, the relationship of CFZ serum concentration with these outcomes is an issue of paramount importance. This is a prospective observational study that aims to establish these relationships, as well as predictors of successful culture conversion-a marker for treatment success.

The study involved 64 patients (34 with MAC-PD and 30 with MABS-PD) who were being treated with CFZ. The main objective of the study was to investigate the relationship that exists between the steady-state concentration of CFZ and its safety and efficacy profile. The safety outcomes measured included the severity of pigmentation and QTc interval prolongation, while the efficacy outcome included culture conversion. Our study used Student's t-test for the analyses of pigmentation grades, a concentration-QTc model for QT interval assessment, and multivariable logistic regression to identify predictors of culture conversion.

Key Findings

Severity of Pigmentation and CFZ Concentration:

• There was a significantly higher CFZ concentration in patients with moderate-to-severe pigmentation compared to those with none-to-light pigmentation (P < 0.001).

• This result shows that the degree of pigmentation, considered one of the significant side effects of the drug, is directly influenced by CFZ concentration.

QT Interval Prolongation:

• The study also identified that for every 1 mg/L increase in CFZ concentration, the QTc interval increased by an average of 17.3 ms (95% CI, 3.9–25.4) above baseline; therefore, the prolongation represents increased cardiac risk at higher concentrations of CFZ.

Culture Conversion Rates:

• Among the 64 patients, culture conversion-that is, successful treatment-was achieved in 33 patients, or 51.6%.

• In this study, isolated surgery was identified as the only significant predictor of culture conversion (adjusted odds ratio of 5.4, 95% CI 1.3-38.0).

• CFZ concentration and an MIC of CFZ less than 0.25 mg/L were not associated with culture conversion.

Results from this study underline the fragile balance that needs to be achieved with CFZ therapy in patients with MAC-PD and MABS-PD. While higher concentrations of CFZ may be beneficial in their fight against the mycobacterial infection, higher concentrations also present increased risks of pigmentation and QT interval prolongation. The findings indicate that careful monitoring and dosage adjustment of CFZ based on serum concentration could minimize adverse effects with minimal compromise in efficacy. Interestingly, the absence of association between the concentration of CFZ and culture conversion suggests that the highest exposure does not translate into higher clinical benefits, underpinning the concept of individualized dosing strategies.

Reference:

Watanabe, F., Fujiwara, K., Furuuchi, K., Ito, M., Hanada, K., Kodama, T., Aono, A., Mitarai, S., Yoshiyama, T., Kurashima, A., Ohta, K., & Morimoto, K. (2024). Clofazimine serum concentration and safety/efficacy in nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease treatment. Respiratory Medicine, 231(107718), 107718. Https://doi.Org/10.1016/j.Rmed.2024.107718

Evercore ISI Remains A Buy On Insmed (INSM)

In a report released today, Liisa Bayko from Evercore ISI maintained a Buy rating on Insmed (INSM – Research Report), with a price target of $75.00. The company's shares closed yesterday at $71.57.

Bayko covers the Healthcare sector, focusing on stocks such as Insmed, Alnylam Pharma, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. According to TipRanks, Bayko has an average return of 9.0% and a 45.10% success rate on recommended stocks.

Insmed has an analyst consensus of Strong Buy, with a price target consensus of $87.62, implying a 22.43% upside from current levels. In a report released today, Barclays also assigned a Buy rating to the stock with a $90.00 price target.

Based on Insmed's latest earnings release for the quarter ending June 30, the company reported a quarterly revenue of $90.34 million and a GAAP net loss of $300.61 million. In comparison, last year the company earned a revenue of $77.23 million and had a GAAP net loss of $244.81 million

Based on the recent corporate insider activity of 84 insiders, corporate insider sentiment is negative on the stock. This means that over the past quarter there has been an increase of insiders selling their shares of INSM in relation to earlier this year. Last month, Michael Alexander Smith, the CLO of INSM sold 88,070.00 shares for a total of $6,425,466.00.

TipRanks tracks over 100,000 company insiders, identifying the select few who excel in timing their transactions. By upgrading to TipRanks Premium, you will gain access to this exclusive data and discover crucial insights to guide your investment decisions. Begin your TipRanks Premium journey today.

Insmed (INSM) Company Description:

Insmed, Inc. Is a biopharmaceutical company on a mission to transform the lives of patients with serious and rare diseases. Its first commercial product is ARIKAYCE (amikacin liposome inhalation suspension), which is approved in the United States for the treatment of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease as part of a combination antibacterial drug regimen for adult patients with limited or no alternative treatment options. The MAC lung disease is a rare and often chronic infection that can cause irreversible lung damage and can be fatal. Its earlier-stage clinical pipeline includes INS1007, a novel oral reversible inhibitor of dipeptidyl peptidase 1 with therapeutic potential in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis and other inflammatory diseases, and INS1009, an inhaled formulation of a treprostinil prodrug that may offer a differentiated product profile for rare pulmonary disorders, including pulmonary arterial hypertension. The company was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Bridgewater, NJ.

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