http://www.hepcchallenge.org The Caring Ambassadors Program mission is to help improve the lives of those affected by long-term diseases through advocacy, information, and support. lorren@hepcchallenge.org info@hepcchallenge.org http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/34310 “People at risk of having the Hepatitis C virus are being encouraged to come forward for testing as part of a new Scottish Government campaign.” http://www.advertisertalk.com/abbott-and-enanta-announce-advancement-of-hepatitis-c-collaboration-11654.zhtml “Abbott and Enanta Pharmaceuticals announced today the advancement of their Hepatitis C (HCV) collaboration into Phase 2 clinical trials. The trial will evaluate three HCV antiviral agents, including the investigational protease inhibitor ABT-450, part of the Abbott-Enanta collaboration, and polymerase inhibitors ABT-333 and ABT-072 currently being developed exclusively by Abbott. Each antiviral agent will be dosed individually in combination with the current standard of care (SOC).” http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/health/Hepatitis+C-1603.html “Rock ‘n’ roll antics of the rich and famous are being used to encourage those who might be at risk of hepatitis C to get tested and treated.” http://minnesotaindependent.com/55990/franken-urges-end-to-gay-blood-ban “Sen. Al Franken is among 16 senators calling on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to end the ban on blood donations by gay men. In a letter to FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg on Thursday, the senators called the policy “medically and scientifically unsound” and called out the double standard placed on gay men who want to be donors.” http://www.pr.com/press-release/217179 “Avail Clinical Research, a privately owned research facility, founded in 1998 in DeLand, FL, announces the launch of several research studies to test investigational treatment options for those already diagnosed with hepatitis C.” http://pharmalive.com/News/index.cfm?articleid=688512&categoryid=16 “Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the nomination of lead development candidate, EDP-239, from its NS5A hepatitis C virus (HCV) inhibitor program. EDP-239 has demonstrated picomolar potency against multiple genotypes of the virus and a preclinical pharmacokinetic profile amenable to once-a-day dosing.” http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/03/02/bc-hepcbinging.html B.C., Ont. won't cover antiviral drugs without liver damage, so patients binge drink “Health-care workers who treat hepatitis C are raising the alarm about patients who are binge drinking and taking dangerous herbal concoctions to try to inflame their own livers in a desperate bid to get provincial governments to pay for their medication.” http://www.marketwatch.com/story/vertex-broadens-its-commitment-to-improving-hcv-care-with-clinical-trial-to-evaluate-combination-regimens-based-on-oral-antiviral-therapies-2010-03-01?reflink=MW_news_stmp “Trial will evaluate safety and SVR rates with multiple 12-week response-guided regimens of telaprevir/VX-222-based combination therapy, including two-drug regimens of telaprevir and VX-222” http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/975B577E-9FAE-483A-8A95-AF46444F2F67.asp “Variations in the IL28B gene that have recently been linked to better treatment response among people with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may also predict recovery in HIV/HCV-coinfected people, according to three studies presented at the 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) last week in San Francisco.”