Immunotherapy can be effective in treating certain types of pediatric blood cancers, but researchers are still exploring how this type of treatment could work for pediatric solid tumors. In clinical trials, scientists are combining immunotherapy agents in an effort to jump-start the immune system against pediatric solid tumors. Source DANA-FARBER Cancer Institute New treatments that
Sonic Hedgehog Medulloblastoma Can Turn into a Stubborn Killer of Children One of the most common brain cancers in children, Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) medulloblastoma, also is one of the more survivable for most kids. Unfortunately, for a subset of patients the cancer resists treatment and relapses with a vengeance to then turn deadly. Researchers at Cincinnati
The Personalized Medicine Coalition (PMC) released its annual “Personalized Medicine At FDA: A Progress & Outlook Report” (Report) that monitors current successes and challenges in bringing personalized therapies to market. Notable Developments for 2018 Several milestones were noted for 2018 – ranging from new drug approvals to direct-to-consumer genetic testing. 1. A record number of
Source Harvard Medical School The findings of a new Harvard Medical School study suggest important differences between three frontline drugs used to treat advanced breast cancer. The researcher’s findings were published in Cell Chemical Biology. The three CDK4/6 inhibitors, abemaciclib, palbociclib, and ribociclib have exhibited exceptional efficacy in hindering breast tumor growth, improving survival rates and prompting FDA approval.
Research shows nearly every sixth death in the world is due to the disease, making it the second leading cause of death behind cardiovascular diseases. The global pharmaceutical industry is estimated at an astounding $1.11 trillion in size. Every year, billions are spent on the research and development of cancer drugs, with numerous trials conducted in an
A new international study co-led by Cleveland Clinic has identified a new drug target for treating glioblastoma. This target is part of a never-before defined cellular pathway found to contribute to the spread and proliferation of a dangerous subset of cancer cells, called glioma stem cells. While previous research has shown that a protein called
The Lung Cancer Master Protocol (Lung-MAP), a large precision medicine umbrella trial supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and their partners, has opened the trial to include advanced-stage patients with all non–small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). To accommodate these new trial patients, the NCI has also made further changes to the trial’s protocol. The
In an unexpected decision, the Food and Drug Administration rejected Sarepta Therapeutics’ experimental drug for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, issuing on Monday a Complete Response Letter to the rare disease biotech. According to Sarepta, the agency cited in its refusal infection risk tied to the drug’s delivery as well as preclinical signs of kidney toxicity. Called
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today granted accelerated approval to entrectinib, a treatment for adult and adolescent patients whose cancers have the specific genetic defect, NTRK (neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase) gene fusion and for whom there are no effective treatments. “We are in an exciting era of innovation in cancer treatment as we
Amgen has showcased some encouraging early stage data from candidates based on its novel bispecific T cell engager (BiTE) platform at ASCO. Bispecific antibodies are one of the most promising emerging areas in immuno-oncology, with numerous biotechs and pharma companies developing their own variants of the technology. The potential is for the treatments to show
