Infection

HHS appeals federal injunction ruling on vaccine changes

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has appealed a recent federal ruling that put on hold several changes to the childhood vaccine schedule and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices as reconstituted by HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy.

Aventera raises funding for streptococcal infection program

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Aventera Antibodies AB has successfully raised SEK14.5 million (US$15.6 million) in a funding round to support the preclinical development of the company’s lead drug candidate for life-threatening streptococcal infections.

Criminal charges filed against top Fauci aide

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400

An alleged coverup of NIH-funded gain-of-function research at China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology has led to criminal charges against a former career scientist and top aide to Tony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

CARB-X award supports Adjane’s gonorrhea vaccine

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

CARB-X (Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator) is awarding US$2.6 million to Adjane Holding BV to advance the development of a vaccine candidate to prevent infections caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Kp-OMV4 elicits strong immunity against K. pneumoniae

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae is a major health problem globally, with relevant infection-related mortality reported. Researchers from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III in Spain and their collaborators recently presented data regarding an outer membrane vesicle (OMV) vaccine for the management of K. pneumoniae infection, Kp-OMV4.

AI opens the way to systematic risk assessment of zoonotic potential of viruses

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:00:00 -0400

Researchers in the U.K. have developed an AI-driven method of identifying viruses in wild animals with the potential to spillover into humans. The technique makes it possible to use the genome sequences of the spike proteins by which viruses enter host cells to assess the potential to infect humans without having to isolate an individual virus and tests its infectivity in the lab.

GHIT Fund supports malaria projects

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

The Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund has invested in a number of R&D projects for the development of drugs for malaria, including a global partnership led by Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), Tanabe Pharma Corp. and the University of Georgia.

K-Vax shows broad protection across circulating K. pneumoniae strains

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii are both major contributors to the global antimicrobial resistance crisis, causing rapidly progressive and often severe infections. Researchers from Vaxdyn SL and collaborators presented efficacy data for K-Vax, an inactivated, LPS-null whole-cell A. baumannii-based vaccine engineered to display conserved K. pneumoniae outer-membrane proteins on the bacterial cell surface.

Merck wins US FDA nod for Idvynso, a two-drug HIV regimen

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400

Arriving a week ahead of April 28 PDUFA date, the U.S. FDA approval of Merck & Co. Inc.’s Idvynso (doravirine/islatravir) brings a new treatment option to adults with HIV-1 infection who are virologically suppressed. The approval is for those with no history of virologic treatment failure and no known substitutions associated with resistance to doravirine.

Orthogon Therapeutics raises funds to advance anti-BK virus drug

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Orthogon Therapeutics LLC has closed an $11 million follow-on financing, bringing its total capital raised to $36 million.

New nominee may need a charm at the CDC

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400

As U.S. President Donald Trump’s third nominee for CDC director, Erica Schwartz will soon find out if three times really is a charm. Trump announced the nomination on social media April 16, touting Schwartz’s credentials for the job. Calling her “incredibly talented,” Trump cited her “distinguished career” as a military doctor, in the Navy and Coast Guard, and her service as deputy surgeon general during his first term in office.

HHS budget hearing not so much about budget

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400

U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert Kennedy made his first stop April 16 on a congressional tour in support of President Donald Trump’s proposed fiscal 2027 budget, which would reduce discretional spending for HHS and its agencies by about 12%.

KDTV-001: a trivalent HPV vaccine with broad and durable antitumor immunity

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

While most human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are cleared by the host immune system, persistent infection with high-risk HPV genotypes, particularly HPV16 and HPV18, can promote cervical cancer development. Researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology reported the development and preclinical characterization of KDTV-001, an HPV vaccine comprising a nonreplicating adenovirus type 5 vector encoding a codon-optimized fusion protein of the early antigens E6 and E7 derived from HPV genotypes 16, 18 and 52.

The Scripps Research Institute reports new influenza cap-dependent endonuclease inhibitors

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

The Scripps Research Institute has identified new baloxavir analogues and their prodrugs acting as new influenza cap-dependent endonuclease (CEN) inhibitors potentially useful for the treatment of influenza viral infections.

ACE2-nanobody fusion enables pan-sarbecovirus neutralization

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

SARS-CoV-2 utilizes the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor for cell entry and triggers ACE2 ectodomain shedding, which results in elevated vasoconstrictor angiotensin II (Ang-II) while depleting the protective Ang-(1-7). This effect can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome, hypertension, acute kidney injury and organ damage.

Kennedy expands ACIP function, membership criteria

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400

Amending his previous two-year-renewal of the standard charter for the U.S. CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy made monitoring adverse vaccine events a primary function of the committee and expanded its liaison membership to include organizations that have challenged vaccine safety.>

Invivyd unveils measles monoclonal antibody candidate VMS-063

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Invivyd Inc. has announced the discovery and advancement of VMS-063, a novel monoclonal antibody candidate for the treatment and prevention of measles.

Huawu Biopharmaceutical synthesizes new dengue virus replication inhibitors

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Huawu Biopharmaceutical Technology (Hubei) Co. Ltd. has divulged new viral replication inhibitors potentially useful for the treatment of dengue and yellow fever virus infections.

Kennedy sidestepping court order sidelining ACIP?

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400

Don’t like a court order? Sidestep it. That seems to be the idea behind U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy’s latest changes to his renewal of the charter for the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

Dectisomes show potent activity against high-priority fungal pathogens

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

In previous work, researchers from the University of Georgia developed liposomes loaded with antifungal drugs and coated with the carbohydrate recognition domains of mouse dectin-1 and/or dectin-2, called Dectisomes. The murine Dectisomes efficiently bound and killed pathogenic fungi in vitro and in mouse disease models. In a new study, the team aimed to explore how to potentially move Dectisomes into the clinic with human dectin orthologues.

Wuhan Xirui Pharmaceutical Technology discloses new amphotericin B amide derivatives

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Wuhan Xirui Pharmaceutical Technology Co. Ltd. has synthesized new amphotericin B amide derivatives that are potentially useful for the treatment of fungal infection.

COVID-19 mRNA vaccine provides broad-spectrum protection

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Researchers from the University of Naples Federico II (Italy) and collaborating institutions reportedd the design of a next-generation mRNA vaccine that leverages a phylogenetically informed consensus receptor binding domain heterotrimers representing the major variant lineages.

Longhorn reports long-acting peptidoglycan-targeted mAb for sepsis

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

At the World Vaccine Congress this week, Longhorn Vaccines & Diagnostics LLC presented the preclinical characterization of LHNVD-501, a half-life-extended, humanized IgG monoclonal antibody (mAb) targeting peptidoglycan (PGN). PGN is a conserved structural component shared across bacterial species and an upstream driver of sepsis, as well as metabolic disease, autoimmune disorders and neurodegeneration.

EMA to withdraw approval for Siga’s tecovirimat in treating mpox

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:00:00 -0400

As expected, the EMA is recommending withdrawal of the mpox indication for Siga Technologies Inc.’s tecovirimat, whilst maintaining its approval as a treatment for smallpox, cowpox and adverse reactions to vaccinia vaccines.

Helmholtz Zentrum München patents compounds for viral infections and cancer

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Helmholtz Zentrum München Universität Hannover has disclosed new heterocyclic compounds designed for use in the treatment of cancer and viral infection.

VY-AD-4116 and VY-AD-4226, dual-targeted synthetic antimicrobials

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay have reported the preclinical development of a new synthetic antimicrobial class incorporating organic metallophores, which yielded two optimized leads – VY-AD-4-11-6 and VY-AD-4-22-6 – from a 30-compound SAR series.

MMV-1581361 combines strong antimalarial efficacy with transmission blockade

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Researchers from GSK plc and collaborators described the identification of MMV-1581361, a PfATP4 inhibitor, and its efficacy in models of malaria. The compound originates from MMV-020136, following structure-activity relationship studies to optimize antimalarial activity.

Approach to enhance CAR T efficacy in infectious diseases and cancer

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400

CAR T-cell therapy can be applied to treat some chronic infectious diseases, particularly to provide a functional cure for HIV-1 in people living with HIV. However, the effectiveness of CAR T cells for persistent suppression of HIV still faces many constraints, including the high mutation rate of reverse transcriptase, which enables the emergence of immune escape viral variants.

Single-dose mRNA vaccine elicits superior anti-VZV immunity in mice

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Researchers from Chengdu Kanghua Biological Products Co. Ltd. recently published information on their novel varicella zoster virus (VZV) mRNA vaccine candidate (KH014). KH014 contains sequence-optimized mRNAs encoding full-length glycoprotein E encapsulated in ionizable lipid nanoparticles.

Drama encases ACIP, CDC amid lawsuit, deadline

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:00:00 -0400

Chaos continues at the U.S. CDC and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) with the resignation of ACIP member Robert Malone and the impending deadline for the president to nominate a new CDC director following the dramatic exit last year of Susan Monarez and months of acting directors.