Julie Vose, outgoing president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, addressed the opening session of the society's annual meeting in Chicago, discussing the themes of her year in office, the coming changes in federal cancer research and Medicare reimbursement, and the progress made over the society's past 52 years.
FDA granted Orphan Drug Designation to Debio 1143 for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Debio 1143 is an oral, small molecule inhibitor with a dual pro-apoptotic and immunomodulatory mode of action developed as a chemo/radio-sensitizer, according to Debiopharm International SA, the drug’s sponsor. Debiopharm plans to expand the clinical development of this therapy to patients... […]
FDA granted Priority Review to oral telotristat etiprate for the treatment of carcinoid syndrome. The agency has set a target action date of Nov. 30. Telotristat etiprateis sponsored by Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc. Telotristat etiprate targets tryptophan hydroxylase, an enzyme that triggers the excess serotonin production within mNET cells that leads to carcinoid syndrome. Telotristat etiprate... […]
The European Commission approved Imbruvica (ibrutinib) as a first-line treatment option for adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, expanding upon the initial approval in October 2014 for certain patients with CLL. This decision comes one month after the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use issued an opinion in favor of the use of Imbruvica... […]
FDA approved NETSPOT (Somakit-TATE) for the localization of somatostatin receptor positive neuroendocrine tumors in adult and pediatric patients. NETSPOT received approval following a Priority Review, and is currently approved for use with the GalliaPharm Ga 68 generator from Eckert & Ziegler. NETSPOT is the first approved drug using Ga 68 as a positron emitter. Gallium... […]
THE ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY CANCER CENTERS launched the Metastatic Breast Cancer Project to address communications challenges faced by patients. ACCC is partnering with the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, the Cancer Support Community, and the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance on this education initiative, with funding and support from Pfizer Oncology. “The public has a limited knowledge... […]
FDA finalized efforts to streamline the process used by physicians to request expanded access, often called compassionate use, to investigational drugs and biologics, as well as two guidance documents. “As a physician, I understand the importance of being able to access investigational treatments for a patient when there are no other options to treat their... […]
FDA approved the cobas EGFR Mutation Test v2, a blood-based companion diagnostic for the cancer drug Tarceva (erlotinib). This is the first FDA-approved, blood-based genetic test that can detect epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutations in non-small cell lung cancer patients.
RALPH DE VERE WHITE, long-time director of the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, plans to step down June 29. A distinguished professor of urology who was cancer center director for 20 years, De Vere White will continue to serve in a research capacity part-time.
In 1916, Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves. It took almost 100 years and the construction of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) to show that he was right. In 2015, a brilliant team of researchers detected gravitational ripples that had been generated by the collision of two black holes about 1.3 billion years ago.
