Australian developed, first-in-class rheumatoid arthritis medication secures green-light for human trials in Brisbane

Australia’s first in-human study of a first-in-class rheumatoid arthritis immunotherapy treatment developed by University of Queensland researchers was launched on November 14, 2017. The Phase 1, double-blind, placebo-controlled study currently underway at Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital, will consider both single-ascending dose, and multi-dose protocols to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of subcutaneous (under…

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Queensland declining melanoma rates

Although still holding the rather dubious record of having the world’s most recorded instances of melanoma, Queenslanders appear to be getting the message when it comes to protecting against skin cancer, according to research released last week (November 6, 2017). A Cancer Council Queensland study published in the International Journal of Cancer sought to determine…

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VIVA! Communications awarded Best Small Consultancy of the Year at PRIA 2017 National Golden Target Awards

VIVA! Communications clinched the highly coveted and contested Best Small Consultancy of the Year gong at the 41st annual Public Relations Institute of Australia’s (PRIA) National Golden Target Awards (GTAs) in Sydney last night (November 9, 2017). The nation’s crème-de-la-crème of PR practitioners flocked to the iconic Opera House to celebrate the most outstanding PR…

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Gonorrhoea on the rise in Australia

Today, the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney released their Annual Surveillance Report on HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs in Australia.  Statistics contained in the report suggest that, although some of the most serious sexually-transmitted conditions like HIV remain at stable levels compared to previous years, there has been a disproportionate rise in the transmission of…

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Child and teenage obesity levels worldwide reach record levels – but no sugar tax for Australia

Child and teenage obesity levels worldwide are at record levels, according to recent research published in prestigious medical journal the Lancet. The analysis gathered obesity trends from over 200 countries, with subsequent data revealing 124 million boys and girls are classified as obese. Although the data is concerning, childhood obesity rates have slowed and stabilised…

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