Madrid-based PharmaMar has submitted the protocol for a Phase 2 trial to the Spanish Medicines and Healthcare Products Agency (AEMPS) to test its multiple myeloma therapy Aplidin (plitidepsin) in people with COVID-19 pneumonia. The trial, named APLICOV, aims to recruit 160 patients across multiple sites in Spain and assess if Aplidin reduces the proportion of…
About Cancer
Cancer, also called malignancy, is an abnormal growth of cells with the potential to invade or spread to surrounding tissues and structures found within the body. There are more than 100 types of cancer. A few examples include breast cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and lymphoma. According to the American Cancer Society, 4 out of 10 people will be diagnosed with some form of cancer in their lifetime. Cancer prevalence has given rise to multiple medical specialties focused on symptom management and disease management. Current treatment options depending on the form of cancer include chemotherapy, radiation, blood or bone marrow transfusions, and/or surgery. Lifetime prognosis of cancer mortality is dependent on the type of cancer and is heavily conditional to early detection.
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Cancer News
Bavencio Seen as Ineffective in Phase 3 Head and Neck Cancer Trial
A Phase 3 trial of Bavencio (avelumab) in people with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) was ended early due to a lack of effectiveness seen in an interim analysis, the companies that developed and are marketing the treatment announced. Data from the study, named JAVELIN Head and Neck 1oo (NCT02952586), showed that…
1st Patient Treated in Phase 1 Trial of ATG-019 for Lymphoma, Solid Tumors
The first patient has been dosed in Antengene‘s Phase 1 clinical trial investigating the dual inhibitor ATG-019, alone or in combination with niacin extended release, for people with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma or advanced solid tumors. ATG-019 is being developed as KPT-9274 by Karyopharm Therapeutics, but Antengene acquired its development and commercialization rights in several Asian countries and…
Cancer Vaccine Plus Opdivo Showing Promise in Advanced Prostate Cancer Trial
A combination of Vaccitech’s experimental vaccine VTP-800 and Opdivo (nivolumab) appears to be a safe and potentially effective treatment for men with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), according to early data from a Phase 2a part of clinical trial. The open-label study (NCT03815942), called ADVANCE, may still be recruiting up to 36 patients in the U.K. It is sponsored…
Concure’s New $2.5M Funding to Boost Patient Access to its Radioactive Seed Treatment
Concure Oncology plans to use $2.5 million in new funding to help make its targeted radiation treatment option increasingly available to early-stage breast cancer patients. Specifically, the funding round is expected to allow Concure to double its field sales organization and to focus on training new clinicians nationwide on its Breast Microseed Treatment. Within the last…
Antibody-drug Conjugate XMT-1536 Shows Promise for Ovarian Cancer in Phase 1 Trial
Treatment with XMT-1536 appears to be safe, with promising responses shown in heavily pretreated patients with ovarian cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) adenocarcinoma in a Phase 1 clinical trial. Mersana Therapeutics’ XMT-1536 is an antibody-drug conjugate that works by delivering a toxic compound specifically to cancer cells containing a protein called sodium-dependent phosphate transport…
Balstilimab, Potential Cervical Cancer Treatment, Placed on Fast Track
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now given fast track status to Agenus’ balstilimab — both alone and in combination — as an immunotherapy candidate for advanced metastatic cervical cancer. This designation, given separately to these different treatment approaches, is meant to help speed its development by facilitating discussions with the FDA and enabling the therapy to qualify…
Bristol Myers, Bluebird Bio Seek FDA Approval of Ide-cel to Treat Advanced Multiple Myeloma
Bristol Myers Squibb and Bluebird Bio are seeking U.S. approval of their lead investigational CAR T-cell therapy — idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel; bb2121) — for the treatment of heavily pre-treated multiple myeloma. The companies have submitted a biologics license application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for ide-cel’s approval to treat adult patients, who have…
Keytruda Prolongs Life Without Disease Worsening in Classical Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Interim Data Confirm
Keytruda (pembrolizumab) significantly extends survival without disease worsening in adults with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (cHL), compared to treatment with Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin), interim data from a Phase 3 pivotal trial show. “Patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma are generally young and when they do not achieve remission following standard treatment, their cancer is…
Finding Beauty in the Brokenness
When trying to write this week’s column, I found myself coming up empty. To be honest, doing anything creative has been a struggle lately. “Mental molasses,” my friend Sarah described it. I suppose navigating through a state of disbelief every day can be stifling. My day starts at 8:30 a.m.; reluctantly I drag myself into…
Positive Results Support Early Halt to Phase 3 Trial Testing Sacituzumab Govitecan for TNBC
Immunomedics has halted its Phase 3 confirmatory trial of sacituzumab govitecan, due to strong evidence of its ability to delay disease progression in patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Members of an independent data safety monitoring committee unanimously decided on an early stop to the ASCENT trial (NCT02574455), which was originally slated to end…
Partnership to Ensure Gene-modified Cell Therapies for Ovarian Cancer Trials
Senti Biosciences is working with RoosterBio to ensure a quality supply of its candidate gene-modified cell therapies for ovarian cancer and other solid tumors, with a goal of bringing them into clinical testing. These investigative therapies are based on the replacement, inactivation, or introduction of genes into cells that were cultivated or modified outside the body. The…