Cortexyme has reached a milestone after enrolling 500 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease in its ongoing Phase 2/3 GAIN clinical trial testing the company’s investigational treatment COR388 (atuzaginstat). Enrollment for GAIN (NCT03823404) has been open since the second quarter of 2019, with recruitment ongoing at sites in the U.S. and Europe. Data from…
Category: Blog
AFA Awards $518K for Study of Neuroimmune Interactions in AD Onset, Progression
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) has awarded $518,391 in research grant funding to the Broad Institute and One Mind to study the role of the brain’s immune cells in the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The hope is that, with more understanding of immune cells and brain inflammatory processes, scientists can learn…
Google AI System Outperforms General Pathologists in Grading Prostate Cancers, Study Finds
A novel artificial intelligence (AI) technology developed by Google is better at grading prostate cancer biopsies than general pathologists and is as good at identifying cancerous samples, a new study reports. The study, “Development and Validation of a Deep Learning Algorithm for Gleason Grading of Prostate Cancer From Biopsy Specimens,” was published in JAMA Oncology. The study…
Large-scale Testing of BRCA Mutations Can Be Cost-Effective, Study Finds
Screening the overall population for mutations in the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 that can cause breast and ovarian cancer is cost-effective in wealthier countries, from the viewpoint of both payers and society, an economic analysis study suggests. But these screenings are still too expensive to be cost-effective in less wealthy countries under such an analysis. “We must invest…
Darzalex Faspro Combo Shows Benefits for Relapsed, Refractory Myeloma in Phase 3 Trial
Darzalex Faspro (daratumumab and hyaluronidase) significantly extended the time people with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma live without disease worsening, when added to a combination of Pomalyst (pomalidomide) and dexamethasone, a Phase 3 clinical trial shows. Darzalex Faspro is a subcutaneous, or under-the-skin, formulation of Janssen‘s Darzalex (daratumumab), which is administered intravenously (into the vein).…
Health Canada Approves Opdivo-Yervoy-Chemo Combo for Advanced NSCLC
Health Canada has approved a combination therapy of Opdivo (nivolumab) and Yervoy (ipilimumab) plus two cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy for the treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The approval includes patients who have not received any form of systemic therapy for their metastatic disease and whose tumors contain no mutations in the EGFR or…
Tukysa Combo Approved in Australia for Advanced HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved Seattle Genetics’ Tukysa (tucatinib), when given alongside trastuzumab and Xeloda (capecitabine), for the treatment of patients with advanced inoperable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, who received at least one anti-HER2-based treatment for metastatic disease. The approval also includes those in whom cancer has already spread to the brain (brain metastases). With…
AC Immune Moves Closer to Clinical Studies of Anti-TDP-43 Antibody
AC Immune is planning to advance its investigational anti-TDP-43 antibody into clinical testing for neurodegenerative diseases in which TPD-43 protein aggregates play a major role in brain damage, including diseases such as Alzheimer’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and frontotemporal lobar degeneration with TDP-43 pathology. The company began preclinical studies that, if successful, would pave the way…
XMT-1536 on FDA Fast Track for Platinum-resistant, Advanced Ovarian Cancer
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given fast track designation to Mersana Therapeutics’ XMT-1536 as a possible treatment for women with platinum-resistant high-grade serous ovarian cancer who received up to three prior lines of therapy. The designation also covers those who were treated with four different systemic therapies, regardless of their platinum-disease status. Fast track is meant to…
HealthTree University Opens to Help Myeloma Patients Better Direct Their Care
The online portal HealthTree has opened a free and online patient resource connecting multiple myeloma experts from around the world with patients to help them better understand their disease, so doctor visits can be better spent on personalized care. More than 120 myeloma specialists are expected to participate in HealthTree University (HTU), which offers a comprehensive curriculum…