Archives: 2022-04-11

FDA approves axicabtagene ciloleucel CAR-T cells for second-line treatment of large B-cell lymphoma

On April 1, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration approved axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta, Kite Pharma, Inc.) for adult patients with large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) that is refractory to first-line chemoimmunotherapy or relapses within 12 months of first-line chemoimmunotherapy. It is not indicated for the treatment of patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma. Approval was

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Natural Killer Cells Complexed With a Bispecific Antibody May Provide New Treatment Option for Patients With Advanced Lymphoma

Natural killer (NK) cells derived from cord blood that were activated and complexed with a CD30/CD16A bispecific antibody elicited an 89 percent overall response rate in patients with relapsed or refractory CD30+ lymphoma, according to results from a phase I/II clinical trial presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2022, held April 8-13. “We were favorably surprised by the

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Inappropriate Antibiotics Prescriptions Associated With COVID-19 Outpatient Visits Among Medicare Beneficiaries, April 2020 to April 2021: study published on JAMA

Antibiotics are ineffective treatment for viral syndromes, including COVID-19. Was characterized antibiotic prescribing in older adults with outpatient COVID-19 visits to identify opportunities to improve prescribing practices. Were used 100% Medicare carrier claims and Part D event files to identify beneficiaries with a COVID-19 outpatient visit and associated antibiotic prescriptions. We included beneficiaries aged 65

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Study found substantial use of systemic corticosteroids for non-hospitalized patients with COVID-19, contrary to NIH treatment guidelines advising against such intervention in mild to moderate cases.

In June 2020, preliminary results for the Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) trial conducted in the UK indicated benefit from dexamethasone in severely ill hospitalized patients with COVID-19 but potential harm in those not requiring oxygen. In October 2020, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued COVID-19 treatment guidelines advising against systemic corticosteroid use

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Impact of high-risk cytogenetics on outcomes for children and young adults receiving CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy

CD19 CAR T-cell therapy is effective at achieving durable remission for relapsed/refractory ALL across cytogenetic risk groups. CD19 CAR T-cell treatment results for patients with high-risk cytogenetics including Ph+, Ph-like, and KMT2A-rearranged ALL are encouraging. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy can induce durable remissions of relapsed/refractory B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, case reports suggested differential

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COVID-19: brain impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the nervous system

Emerging studies have increasingly recognized Covid-19 as an inflammatory disease. Brain shrinkage, brain-blood barrier disruptions and neurodegeneration seem to emerge as an inflammatory consequence of acute infection that for some progresses into Long Covid. Cognitive impairments are consistently reported as one of the most persistent and some of the more impairing symptoms of Long Covid.

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