More Good PD-1 News in Cancer
PD-1 therapies are a big, big deal in oncology these days, and with results like this, no wonder. It's a negative regulator of T-cell function, and blocking it appears to recruit a much stronger immune response to tumor cells. Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck, and others have antibodies in the clinic, and results are piling up to suggest that these are going to be big.
The BMS entry, BMS-936558 (nivolumab), had already shown some promising Phase II results in non small-cell lung cancer, renal carcinoma, and colorectal cancer. Many patients don't respond, but the ones that do seem to show real benefit. (And it's worth noting th...
Source: In the Pipeline - March 4, 2014 Category: Chemists Tags: Cancer Source Type: blogs
Targeted Destruction: Interview with Endocyte’s VP of R&D, Chris Leamon
Earlier this month we wrote about precision oncology, which involves injecting multiple drugs into the same tumor to determine which agent is most effective. Once this is known, a follow up question would be how best to deliver that agent so that it maximizes destruction of the cancer while minimizing harm to healthy tissue. In order to answer this question we had the opportunity to speak with Endocyte‘s VP of Research and Development, Christopher Leamon, about the innovative work his company is doing on small molecule drug conjugates (SMDCs) as targeted delivery vehicle.
Shiv Gaglani, Medgadget: Can you describe th...
Source: Medgadget - December 23, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Authors: Shiv Gaglani Tags: Medgadget Exclusive Source Type: blogs
Where Are Those Royalties? NYU Claims Pfizer Is A Deadbeat
In a bid to retrieve tens of millions of dollars over the next several years, New York University has filed a lawsuit against Pfizer, claiming the drugmaker failed to pay royalties on its Xalkori medication, which was approved two years ago by the FDA to treat non-small cell lung cancer along with a diagnostic kit.
The dispute is the latest example of a spat over the proceeds from research that is generated by academia but is commercialized by a drugmaker under a development deal. In this instance, NYU claims that Pfizer did not honor an agreement that was inherited as part of its 2003 acquisition of Pharmacia.
The agreeme...
Source: Pharmalot - October 22, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: esilverman Source Type: blogs
Top stories in health and medicine, September 18, 2013
From MedPage Today:
Bullying Linked to Physical Complaints. Victims of schoolyard bullying faced an approximately doubled risk of physical health problems compared with nonbullied children followed for up to 11 years.
Dementia Rate in Parkinson’s Shifts With Age. Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) occurred infrequently in patients with parkinsonism, but the rate increased steeply with age.
Biomarker Aids Lung Cancer Diagnosis. Blood levels of isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) identified non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), particularly adenocarcinomas, with a good level of accuracy.
ACP Hedges in Debate on Scope of Pra...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - September 18, 2013 Category: Family Physicians Tags: News Cancer Neurology Primary care Source Type: blogs
Pharmalot... Pharmalittle... The Weekend Nears
And so, another working week is about to draw to a close. Not a moment to soon, yes? This is, as you know, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is a bit out of the ordinary this time around, though. We will be breaking early today to get a head start on the annual observance of ancient traditions. Beyond that, we hope to take a nap or two, catch up on some reading and, of course, hang with assorted short people. And what about you? Anything special planned? Here is a hint: apple orchards are getting riper every day. You could simply take a relaxing drive in the countryside. Or perhaps this is a ...
Source: Pharmalot - September 13, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: esilverman Source Type: blogs
Cases: "Do you have something stronger than this dilaudid?" The case for opioid rotation
Discussion:
Opioid rotation, or trial of an alternative opioid, is commonly practiced when a patient’s pain responds poorly to one opioid or intolerable side effects develop. These intolerable side effects may include nausea, vomiting, sedation, or even hyperalgesia. Although rotation is a common practice, a Cochrane review in 2004 found that evidence to support the practice for opioid rotation was anecdotal and in non-controlled studies. Randomized trials were suggested. Since that time, several prospective studies have been performed where opioid analgesic effect was inadequate or side effects to the opioid were intol...
Source: Pallimed: A Hospice and Palliative Medicine Blog - September 6, 2013 Category: Palliative Carer Workers Authors: Christian Sinclair Source Type: blogs
Breathe Deeply: A Lilly Lung Cancer Drug Offers A Pleasant Surprise
In a surprise development, Eli Lilly reported that a drug being developed to treat metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, increased overall survival in patients during a late-stage trial and there are now plans to seek FDA approval before the end of next year. Although there was precious additional information disclosed, the news was received as a big positive for the drugmaker (see the statement here).
Lilly did note that patients treated with its drug, which is called, necitumumab developed serious, but less frequent adverse events, notably blood clots, indicating a safety issue will be tracked closely...
Source: Pharmalot - August 13, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: esilverman Source Type: blogs
Doubling lung cancer survival rates in nine years
Lung cancer is sometimes referred to as the “invisible” cancer. Its impact is not often discussed; but it is often felt. The disease takes more American lives each year than breast, colon, and prostate cancers combined. One in 16 women will develop lung cancer in her lifetime, and anyone can get it.
I decided to raise awareness for lung cancer when it became obvious to me, as a young physician and researcher, that if I didn’t do it, no one else would. As an oncologist and lung cancer researcher, I saw firsthand the toll the disease takes, and I am also witness to the impact that a lack of adequate research funding ha...
Source: Disruptive Women in Health Care - May 28, 2013 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: dw at disruptivewomen.net Tags: Cancer lung cancer Source Type: blogs
ETS2 mediates tumor suppressor function and MET inhibition in lung adenocarcinoma
There was a very intriguing paper published online by Clinical Cancer Research on May 9 last week that should be of interest for those involved in lung cancer research. The authors are Mohamed Kabbout, Melinda Garcia, Junya Fujimoto, et al.... (Source: The Daily Sign-Out)
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - May 13, 2013 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Tags: Biomarkers in Lung Cancer Lung adenocarcinoma Molecular Pathology Non small cell lung cancer Source Type: blogs
Lung Cancer Guidelines With No Mention of Palliative Care?
(Ed. - Welcome Mr. John Hennessy to the Pallimed family. His background in executive leadership of oncology programs brings a potential outsiders perspective to Pallimed. Thankfully he is a strong ally and champion for hospice and palliative care as you will see from his first post. Great to have you here John. - Christian)
Disappointed…frustrated…we’ve all been there. My most vivid memories are of birthdays at home, when books and socks were unwrapped rather than remote control model airplanes and car keys. It wasn’t my birthday this week, but my daily e-mails usually include a gift or two...
Source: Pallimed: A Hospice and Palliative Medicine Blog - May 2, 2013 Category: Palliative Carer Workers Authors: John Hennessy Source Type: blogs
The Dangers of Big Corporate Health Care: Deceptive Marketing of Cancer Treatments
A series of articles over the last few months, culminating in an investigative report by Reuters, provided the newest example of what can go wrong when corporations provide direct care to vulnerable patients. In this case, the vulnerable patients had cancer, and the corporation that provided them care was the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). I will try to go through the case chronologically.As Rueters reported, CTCA "was founded in 1988 by Richard J. Stephenson, who has been chairman ever since."The Founder's Checkered PastA Misdemeanor As Reuters noted,A graduate of Northwestern University Law Scho...
Source: Health Care Renewal - March 11, 2013 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: deception crime marketing Cancer Treatment Centers of America hospital systems complementary/ alternative medicine Source Type: blogs
Nein! German cost agency spurns Xalkori, Komboglyze - FiercePharma
The well-armed German pricing gatekeepers have dismissed two more Big Pharma drugs. Pfizer's ($PFE) lung cancer treatment Xalkori and the Bristol-Myers Squibb ($BMY)/AstraZeneca ($AZN) diabetes drug Komboglyze both got an initial thumbs-down from the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). Under recent healthcare reforms--and budget cuts--in Germany, IQWiG assesses new treatments in comparison with existing alternatives. The agency's decisions determine whether new drugs can wear premium price tags. If the treatments aren't deemed superior to older drugs, then companies' pricing power is virtually nil...
Source: PharmaGossip - February 21, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: insider Source Type: blogs
World's First FDA Cleared ALK Automated Gene Scanner for Lung Cancer Therapy-Selection Available from ASI
Targeting the Right Treatment for the Right Patient in ALK Therapy Selection for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Carlsbad, CA. – Feb 13, 2013 – Applied Spectral Imaging (ASI, www.spectral-imaging.com) announced today that its GenASIs Scan & Analysis automated microscopy platform has... (Source: Digital Pathology Blog)
Source: Digital Pathology Blog - February 13, 2013 Category: Pathologists Authors: Kaps Source Type: blogs
Video: Dr. Jack West discusses changing views on molecular testing in NSCLC
The Lungevity blog features a video of Dr. Jack West from Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle discussing his evolving views regarding molecular testing for actionable driver mutations in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Dr. West is a thought-leader in lung oncology... (Source: The Daily Sign-Out)
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - January 3, 2013 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Tags: Lung adenocarcinoma Lung Cancer Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma Molecular Pathology Source Type: blogs
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Lung Cancer: Mechanism for Resistance to EGFR-TKIs?
Despite all of the encouraging clinical results with molecularly targeted therapies against non-small cell lung cancer, there are still important and significant questions that continue to vex. The discovery of activating mutations in EGFR radically changed the treatment options for... (Source: The Daily Sign-Out)
Source: The Daily Sign-Out - January 2, 2013 Category: Pathologists Authors: Mark D. Pool, M.D. Tags: Biomarkers in Lung Cancer Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition Non small cell lung cancer Source Type: blogs
