GLG News in Healthcare

This press release from Univ. New South Wales claims a new record for solar cell efficiency of 25% capture of solar energy into electrical energy.  However, this was achieved by moving the goal posts - the standard measuring how much light energy was shining on the cell was redefined - rather than by an improvement in solar cell technology.  Recent advances in solar cell technology...

TKI's have been establihed in a small number of refractory solid cancers With slow migration to other venues, we are seeing new applications

While targeting a drug to the right patients may in fact the decrease the size of the patient population for that drug, but several factors may actually result in benefit not only for patients, but for biotech/pharma companies, insurance companies and society.   When a drug is given to a patient must likely to benefit, the patient obviously has a higher chance of doing better,...

Seroquel is an atypical antipsychotic that has efficacy in 2 very serious mental illnesses- schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. A symptom of both illnesses can be cognitive impairment , confusion, and non-compliance. A once a day formulation of any of their meds helps with compliance and thus maximizes its efficacy.. I have personally found seroquel to be a very useful medication for theses diseases...

Recent Cell Genesys vaccine trial for prostate cancer fails The trial not only shows lack of efficacy, but possible harm from the vaccine arm of the trial

In this meta-analysis, the authors looked at the number of studies, if any, per new drug application with the FDA that got published, at what time, and how much information they released. They concluded that there is strong evidence of publication bias in what the drug companies will make public, with only 76% of pivotal trials and 24% of non-pivotal trials making publication. We looked at how this...

Individual reactions to learning about disease-risk data range the gambit from denial, paranoia, disbelief, as well as relief in knowing, whether the outcome is positive or negative.    One of the most important implications is the need for physicians and other health care givers to be able to accurately convey possible outcomes of a test (including indeterminate) what the actual...

Two Phase II trials show meanigful prolonged pFS in patients with iodine-refractory thyroid cancer who are treated with Sorafenib ( bayer/Onyx) The benefit needs to be confirmed in larger trials and need also to establish a favorable safety profile. Studies are needed for combination with other targeted agents like Avastin ( Genentech) or Torisel ( Wyeth) After efficacy in advanced renal cell...

Genesys terminated its studies of its cancer Vaccine for patients with refractory prostate cancer.  Cancer vaccine therapy remains limted to modest advantages in minimal residual diseases and in limted cases of melanoma and NHL

Genetic testing is the wave of the future to define targets for cancer therapy. EGFR, K-Ras and FLT-3 testing is just the beginning and affects the use of drugs such as Tarceva ( OSI-Genentech), Erbitux ( Imclone) , Veibitix ( Amgen) and Lasteurinib ( cephalon). The ultimate goal is to use more sophisticated tests such as genomics and proteomics to design drugs taht not only produce maximum rfficacy...