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Connecticut leaders urge residents to stay up-to-date on measles vaccines

Connecticut leaders urge residents to stay up-to-date on measles vaccines

Yahoo02-04-2025

CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — As measles continues to spread in nearby states, Connecticut leaders are reminding people to stay up-to-date on your vaccinations.
CT health department urges residents to get measles vaccine as cases rise across the US
Nearly 500 cases have been confirmed across the country. While none have been reported in Connecticut, there have been cases found in New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island and more.
The CDC says that 97% of the people who were infected were unvaccinated or didn't know their vaccination status. Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said that even people who have been vaccinated could also benefit from a new dose.
'Some adults who received their MMR vaccines between 1963 and 1967 — and I'm one of those people — might have received a different vaccine that was less effective,' Bysiewicz, who got another dose on Wednesday, said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Celldex Presents Data Demonstrating Profound Long Term Improvement in Angioedema in Barzolvolimab Phase 2 Study in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria at EAACI 2025
Celldex Presents Data Demonstrating Profound Long Term Improvement in Angioedema in Barzolvolimab Phase 2 Study in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria at EAACI 2025

Business Upturn

time12 hours ago

  • Business Upturn

Celldex Presents Data Demonstrating Profound Long Term Improvement in Angioedema in Barzolvolimab Phase 2 Study in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria at EAACI 2025

77% of patients (150 mg Q4W) treated with barzolvolimab who had angioedema at baseline were angioedema free at Week 52 (150 mg Q4W) Data further support barzolvolimab clinical benefit to patients with CSU HAMPTON, N.J., June 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLDX) today announced data demonstrating that barzolvolimab profoundly improves angioedema at 52 weeks in the Company's Phase 2 clinical trial in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Angioedema, characterized by swelling of the deeper dermal layers of the skin and mucous membranes, is a painful, debilitating symptom of CSU that has significant impact on quality of life. It commonly affects the face (lips and eyelids), hands, feet, and genitalia but can also involve the tongue, uvula, soft palate, and pharynx1. The data were presented today by Dr. Martin Metz, Professor, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Head of Translational Research and Deputy Head of Clinical Trials at Charité – Universitätsmedizin in Berlin, in an oral presentation at the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Congress 2025. Celldex previously announced that the Phase 2 study in CSU met its primary and secondary endpoints at 12 weeks with clinically meaningful and statistically significant decreases in UAS7 (weekly urticaria activity score) compared to placebo across multiple dose groups, including improvements in quality of life and angioedema measurements, and demonstrated a favorable safety profile. The data presented today further support these results by demonstrating improvements in AAS7 (weekly angioedema activity score) and additional measures of angioedema control over the 52 week treatment period. AAS7 measures the frequency and intensity of angioedema episodes, where higher scores indicate increased angioedema activity. 'The majority of patients with severe CSU suffer with angioedema, which is often extremely painful and causes disfigurement, dramatically impacting quality of life,' said Diane C. Young, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Celldex Therapeutics. 'Consistent with previously reported clinical outcomes, we observed rapid, profound angioedema relief with barzolvolimab treatment and this benefit continued to improve over 52 weeks of therapy for patients. These data add to the unprecedented 76 week efficacy and safety data we presented yesterday at EAACI and continue to support barzolvolimab's potential to redefine the treatment landscape and meet the goals of CSU therapy—rapid, profound, durable complete response and improved quality of life across a broad patient population.' Summary of Key Findings: Patients on study had severe CSU. Over 70% of patients had a weekly urticaria activity score (UAS7) greater than 28 at baseline and reported very high rates of angioedema at baseline. Barzolvolimab demonstrated rapid, robust and durable improvements in angioedema symptoms over the treatment period. At Week 52, an 86% mean reduction from baseline was reported for 150 mg Q4W arm and an 82% reduction was reported for the 300 mg Q8W. Up to 77% of patients treated with barzolvolimab who had angioedema at baseline were angioedema free (AAS7=0) at Week 52. Patients treated with barzolvolimab were angioedema free up to 72% of the time over the 52 week treatment period. Up to 87% of patients reported clinically meaningful improvement ( > 8 point) in AAS7 at Week 52. 1 DermNet . About Barzolvolimab Barzolvolimab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds the receptor tyrosine kinase KIT with high specificity and potently inhibits its activity. KIT is expressed in a variety of cells, including mast cells, which mediate inflammatory responses such as hypersensitivity and allergic reactions. KIT signaling controls the differentiation, tissue recruitment, survival and activity of mast cells. In certain inflammatory diseases, such as chronic urticaria, mast cell activation plays a central role in the onset and progression of the disease. Barzolvolimab is currently being studied in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU), prurigo nodularis (PN), eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE) and atopic dermatitis (AD), with additional indications planned for the future. About the Phase 2 CSU Study The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group Phase 2 study evaluated the efficacy and safety profile of multiple dose regimens of barzolvolimab in patients with CSU who remain symptomatic despite antihistamine therapy, to determine the optimal dosing strategy. 208 patients were randomly assigned on a 1:1:1:1 ratio to receive subcutaneous injections of barzolvolimab at 75 mg every 4 weeks, 150 mg every 4 weeks, 300 mg every 8 weeks or placebo during a 16-week placebo-controlled treatment period. After 16 weeks, patients then entered a 36-week active treatment period, in which patients receiving placebo or the 75 mg dose were randomized to receive barzolvolimab 150 mg every 4 weeks or 300 mg every 8 weeks; patients already randomized to the 150 mg and 300 mg treatment arms remained on the same regimen as during the placebo-controlled treatment period. After 52 weeks, patients entered a follow-up period for an additional 24 weeks. Barzolvolimab achieved the primary efficacy endpoint of the study—a statistically significant mean change from baseline to Week 12 in UAS7 (weekly urticaria activity score) compared to placebo at all dose levels. For additional information on this trial (NCT05368285), please visit About the Phase 3 Program Celldex is currently conducting a global Phase 3 Program for barzolvolimab in CSU, consisting of two Phase 3 trials (EMBARQ-CSU1; NCT06445023 and EMBARQ-CSU2; NCT06455202) designed to establish the efficacy and safety of barzolvolimab in adult patients with CSU who remain symptomatic despite H1 antihistamine treatment. The studies also include patients who remain symptomatic after treatment with biologics. Enrollment is underway. About Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU) CSU is characterized by the occurrence of hives or wheals for 6 weeks or longer without identifiable specific triggers or causes. The activation of the mast cells in the skin (release of histamines, leukotrienes, chemokines) results in episodes of itchy hives, swelling and inflammation of the skin that can go on for years or even decades. Current therapies provide symptomatic relief only in some patients. About Celldex Celldex is pioneering new horizons in immunology to deliver life-changing therapies. We are relentless in our pursuit of novel antibody-based treatments that engage the human immune system and directly affect critical pathways to improve the lives of patients with allergic, inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Visit Forward Looking Statement This release contains 'forward-looking statements' made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are typically preceded by words such as 'believes,' 'expects,' 'anticipates,' 'intends,' 'will,' 'may,' 'should,' or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current knowledge, assumptions, judgment and expectations regarding future performance or events. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such statements are reasonable, they give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct or that those goals will be achieved, and you should be aware that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, our ability to successfully complete research and further development and commercialization of Company drug candidates, including barzolvolimab (also referred to as CDX-0159), in current or future indications; the uncertainties inherent in clinical testing and accruing patients for clinical trials; our limited experience in bringing programs through Phase 3 clinical trials; our ability to manage and successfully complete multiple clinical trials and the research and development efforts for our multiple products at varying stages of development; the availability, cost, delivery and quality of clinical materials produced by our own manufacturing facility or supplied by contract manufacturers, who may be our sole source of supply; the timing, cost and uncertainty of obtaining regulatory approvals; the failure of the market for the Company's programs to continue to develop; our ability to protect the Company's intellectual property; the loss of any executive officers or key personnel or consultants; competition; changes in the regulatory landscape or the imposition of regulations that affect the Company's products; our ability to continue to obtain capital to meet our long-term liquidity needs on acceptable terms, or at all, including the additional capital which will be necessary to complete the clinical trials that we have initiated or plan to initiate; and other factors listed under 'Risk Factors' in our annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary notice. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. We have no obligation, and expressly disclaim any obligation, to update, revise or correct any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Company ContactSarah CavanaughSenior Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Administration(508) 864-8337 [email protected]

Bill Cassidy Blew It
Bill Cassidy Blew It

Yahoo

time14 hours ago

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Bill Cassidy Blew It

The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. It's easy to forget that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s assault on vaccines—including, most recently, his gutting of the expert committee that guides American vaccine policy—might have been avoided. Four months ago, his nomination for health secretary was in serious jeopardy. The deciding vote seemed to be in the hands of one Republican senator: Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. A physician who gained prominence by vaccinating low-income kids in his home state, Cassidy was wary of the longtime vaccine conspiracist. 'I have been struggling with your nomination,' he told Kennedy during his confirmation hearings in January. Then Cassidy caved. In the speech he gave on the Senate floor explaining his decision, Cassidy said that he'd vote to confirm Kennedy only because he had extracted a number of concessions from the nominee—chief among them that he would preserve, 'without changes,' the very CDC committee Kennedy overhauled this week. Since then, Cassidy has continued to give Kennedy the benefit of the doubt. On Monday, after Kennedy dismissed all 17 members of the vaccine advisory committee, Cassidy posted on X that he was working with Kennedy to prevent the open roles from being filled with 'people who know nothing about vaccines except suspicion.' [Read: The doctor who let RFK Jr. through] The senator has failed, undeniably and spectacularly. One new appointee, Robert Malone, has repeatedly spread misinformation (or what he prefers to call 'scientific dissent') about vaccines. Another appointee, Vicky Pebsworth, is on the board of an anti-vax nonprofit, the National Vaccine Information Center. Cassidy may keep insisting that he is doing all he can to stand up for vaccines. But he already had his big chance to do so, and he blew it. Now, with the rest of America, he's watching the nation's vaccine future take a nosedive. So far, the senator hasn't appeared interested in any kind of mea culpa for his faith in Kennedy's promises. On Thursday, I caught Cassidy as he hurried out of a congressional hearing room. He was still reviewing the appointees, he told me and several other reporters who gathered around him. When I chased after him down the hallway to ask more questions, he told me, 'I'll be putting out statements, and I'll let those statements stand for themselves.' A member of his staff dismissed me with a curt 'Thank you, sir.' Cassidy's staff has declined repeated requests for an interview with the senator since the confirmation vote in January. With the exception of Mitch McConnell, every GOP senator voted to confirm Kennedy. They all have to own the health secretary's actions. But Cassidy seemed to be the Republican most concerned about Kennedy's nomination, and there was a good reason to think that the doctor would vote his conscience. In 2021, Cassidy was one of seven Senate Republicans who voted to convict Donald Trump on an impeachment charge after the insurrection at the Capitol. But this time, the senator—who is up for reelection next year, facing a more MAGA-friendly challenger—ultimately fell in line. Cassidy tried to have it both ways: elevating Kennedy to his job while also vowing to constrain him. In casting his confirmation vote, Cassidy implied that the two would be in close communication, and that Kennedy had asked for his input on hiring decisions. The two reportedly had breakfast in March to discuss the health secretary's plan to dramatically reshape the department. 'Senator Cassidy speaks regularly with secretary Kennedy and believes those conversations are much more productive when they're held in private, not through press headlines,' a spokesperson for Cassidy wrote in an email. (A spokesperson for HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.) At times, it has appeared as though Cassidy's approach has had some effect on the health secretary. Amid the measles outbreak in Texas earlier this year, Kennedy baselessly questioned the safety of the MMR vaccine. In April, after two unvaccinated children died, Cassidy posted on X: 'Everyone should be vaccinated! There is no treatment for measles. No benefit to getting measles. Top health officials should say so unequivocally b/4 another child dies.' Cassidy didn't call out Kennedy by name, but the health secretary appeared to get the message. Later that day, Kennedy posted that the measles vaccine was the most effective way to stave off illness. ('Completely agree,' Cassidy responded.) All things considered, that's a small victory. Despite Kennedy's claims that he is not an anti-vaxxer, he has enacted a plainly anti-vaccine agenda. Since being confirmed, he has pushed out the FDA's top vaccine regulator, hired a fellow vaccine skeptic to investigate the purported link between autism and shots, and questioned the safety of childhood vaccinations currently recommended by the CDC. As my colleague Katherine J. Wu wrote this week, 'Whether he will admit to it or not, he is serving the most core goal of the anti-vaccine movement—eroding access to, and trust in, immunization.' [Read: RFK Jr. is barely even pretending anymore] The reality is that back channels can be only so effective. Cassidy's main power is to call Kennedy before the Senate health committee, which he chairs, and demand an explanation for Kennedy's new appointees to the CDC's vaccine-advisory committee. Cassidy might very well do that. In February, he said that Kennedy would 'come before the committee on a quarterly basis, if requested.' Kennedy did appear before Cassidy's committee last month to answer questions about his efforts to institute mass layoffs at his agency. Some Republicans (and many Democrats) pressed the secretary on those efforts, while others praised them. Cassidy, for his part, expressed concerns about Kennedy's indiscriminate cutting of research programs, but still, he was largely deferential. 'I agree with Secretary Kennedy that HHS needs reform,' Cassidy said. Even if he had disagreed, an angry exchange between a health secretary and a Senate committee doesn't guarantee any policy changes. Lawmakers may try to act like government bureaucrats report to them, but they have limited power once a nominee is already in their job. Technically, lawmakers can impeach Cabinet members, but in American history, a sitting Cabinet member has never been impeached and subsequently removed from office. The long and arduous confirmation process is supposed to be the bulwark against potentially dangerous nominees being put in positions of power. Cassidy and most of his Republican colleagues have already decided not to stop Kennedy from overseeing the largest department in the federal government by budget. Now Kennedy is free to do whatever he wants—senators be damned. Article originally published at The Atlantic

Highline Lake State Park can't confirm giardia was found in its water
Highline Lake State Park can't confirm giardia was found in its water

Yahoo

time15 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Highline Lake State Park can't confirm giardia was found in its water

MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) – After social media posts circulated online about the presence of giardia found in Highline Lake, officials responded to the claims. They said although they cannot confirm that giardia was contracted from the lake, they discourage drinking any untreated water, especially from lakes and streams. Giardia is a naturally occurring microorganism, that when swallowed, can cause illness. Officials encourage residents to wash their hands or shower after coming into contact with untreated water. The park tests lake water every week for E. coli, but it does not test for microorganisms, such as giardia, that are typically found in untreated water. All E. coli tests have returned under a threshold of concern, officials said. If a test shows too much E. coli, officials said they would immediately close the swim beach and post park alerts. 'We take the safety of our visitors seriously and encourage anyone who thinks they may be unwell to seek medical attention,' officials said in a statement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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