Analysis of:
Genentech Profit Jumps By 12% on Solid Revenue (online.wsj.com)
Genetech has an impressive inventory of block-buster drugs: Avastin, Rituximab, and Herceptin, whose sales have been increasing on a regular base. Hereceptin and Avastin will be getting more and more use with new indications and longer dosing schedules. However, given the sagging economy...
Analysis of:
Affymax and Takeda Report Long-Term Safety and Effectiveness Data of Hematide in Chronic Renal Failure Patients With Anemia (pharmalive.com)
Affymax's Hematide is a long acting synthetic peptide that stimulates erythropoietin and acts as an ESA. Together with Takeda, the company sponsored a phase II trial that showed safety and efficacy in patients with chronic renal failure; phase 3 trials are underway. This drug amy overtake the currently...
Analysis of:
Genentech Profit Jumps By 12% on Solid Revenue (online.wsj.com)
Has Avastin "hit the wall" as far as increased sales are concerned?
Growth in the breast cancer market has not been as exuberant as expected.
Analysis of:
Takeda to Buy Millennium In $8.8 Billion Deal (online.wsj.com)
Japan's biggest (by revenue) drug manufacturer has placed a bid For Millennium and it's primary product Velcade.
Analysis of:
Efficacy and safety of the Gardos channel blocker, senicapoc (ICA-17043), in patients with sickle cell anemia (bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org)
"Senicapoc, a novel Gardos channel inhibitor, limits solute and water loss, thereby preserving sickle red blood cell (RBC) hydration." This appears to decrease hemolysis and increase hemoglobin levels.
Analysis of:
Neutropenia: Biosimilar Product from India Moves One Step Closer to European Market (www.pipelinereview.com)
An indian product similar to Amgen's Filgastrim " G-CSF" showed comparable efficacy and safety in a trial in Europe and is expected to get EMEA approval in 2010. " Neukine" is already in use in India and in several "developing countries" in the MiddlE Esat and Asia where it is available at less...
Analysis of:
Oncophage(R) Approved in Russia for the Treatment of Intermediate-Risk Kidney Cancer (www.pipelinereview.com)
Antigenics' Oncophage is a form of immunotherapy for patients with intermediate risk renal cancer that showed efficacy in improving recurrence free survival in a randomized trial . The approval in Russia, may be due in addition to the obvious reason of less regulatory restrictions, is that the company...
Analysis of:
Phase III Trial Comparing Carboplatin, Paclitaxel, and Bexarotene With Carboplatin and Paclitaxel in Chemotherapy-Naïve Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer: SPIRIT II (jco.ascopubs.org)
This study, as well as a companion paper in the same JCO (Spirit I & II) http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/content/full/26/11/1886 Show that the subset of patients with markedly increase in lipids, survived > 12 mo!!
Analysis of:
Oncophage(R) Approved in Russia for the Treatment of Intermediate-Risk Kidney Cancer (www.pipelinereview.com)
Antigenics Inc. (NASDAQ: AGEN) had to go to Russia to perform this clinical trial???
Analysis of:
Studies Find Genetic Link to Smoking (www.nytimes.com)
Gene driven nicotine receptors will predispose to increased smoking. What will this lead to?? Increased addiction due to mutations increases cancer risk.