GLG News by Hematologists who Treat CLL (US)

"As part of the restructuring, the company plans to group its sales staff around specific treatment areas" including oncology, probably

Genetech is seeking FDA approval for use in the most malignant of brain tumors, Glioblastomas.

Sanofi's rapid acting insulin formulation got FDA approval for use in children 4 years and older with Type I insulin dependent diabetes. The drug has rapid action so it may replace lispro and older short acting  insulin preparations, if the price tag is not prohibitive.

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...

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...

K-Ras mutaions analysis in colorectal cancer may become a pre-requiste for use of anti-EGFR antibodies in therapy Erbitux and Vecitibix use may be relegated to less number of cases. This will benefit Avastin ( Genentech) whose mechanism of action is independent of these mutations

Measuring mutated K-RAS will show who will NOT respond to ImClone's Erbitux or Amgen's Vectibix. Thus to use either in CRC will not be particularly effective.

31 million more doses of Pneumovax yearly in the US??

Cell Genesys is basically stopping work on GVAX inview of failure in two trials. The cause of the failure is not readily apparent.