Analysis of:
Sirolimus Reduces Size of Angiomyolipoma Tumors (www.medscape.com)
Sirolimus reduces the size of "benign" tumors found in tuberous sclerosis.
Analysis of:
Amgen's Outlook Brightens (online.wsj.com)
Amgen expects the FDA to ease restrictions on its erythropoietin product (Aranesp) plus has an osteoporosis drug that is coming up for approval and addition to an already crowded field.
Analysis of:
Exelixis Initiates Phase 1/2 Trial of XL184 in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (www.reuters.com)
1) XL-184 is the second c-MET/VEGFR2 inhibitor from Exelixis after XL-880. GSK exerted its right to further develop XL-880, so Exelixis will now focus its efforts on XL184.
2) Exelixis is a leader in the field of c-MET inhibitors, meaning its drugs will be some of the first to have Phase II...
Analysis of:
Bendamustine in Patients With Rituximab-Refractory Indolent and Transformed Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Results From a Phase II Multicenter, Single-Agent Study (jco.ascopubs.org)
Therapy for refractory non Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL) patients especially Rituxan resistant, in non existant! Radioconjugates such as Bexxar or Zevalin are available but there is always room for another therapeutic alternative.
Analysis of:
Exelixis Initiates Phase 1/2 Trial of XL184 in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (www.reuters.com)
XL184 is a small molecule that simultaneously inhibits the MET, RET and VEGFR receptor tyrosine kinases. It appears to evercome resistance to Erlotinib (Tarceva, Genentech) and will be tested in a phase I (safety) and phase II (efficacy) trials with and without Tarceva.
Analysis of:
Incyte to Report Positive Clinical Results from JAK Inhibitor and 11beta-HSD1 Inhibitor Programs and Introduce New Metabolic Program at JPMorgan Healthcare Conference (biz.yahoo.com)
“As reported at the American Society of Hematology Meeting, the clinical efficacy we have seen with INCB18424 in the first eleven myelofibrosis patients treated in this study is impressive and unprecedented. We are now seeing the same dramatic results in the expanded cohort of 21 additional patients,...
Analysis of:
Kosan Opens TIME-1 Pivotal Phase 3 Trial in Multiple Myeloma (www.pipelinereview.com)
This HSP90 inhibitor is being given in a trial with Velcade or Velcade alone. Good trial!! ALSO, may work in Herceptin resistant breast cancer patients. Way cool!
Analysis of:
Bad Cancer Tests Drawing Scrutiny (online.wsj.com)
Breast cancer therapy is directed by estrogen, progesterone receptor and Her2Neu testing. If the results are not correct then drugs are either being given or denied inappropriately
Analysis of:
FDA Receives New Data on Risks of Anemia Drugs (www.fda.gov)
ESA's shorten survival when the hemoglobins are elevated to "normal" levels. The entire subject will be re-reviewed by the FDA in the next few months.
Analysis of:
Efficacy of Sunitinib and Sorafenib in Metastatic Papillary and Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma (jco.ascopubs.org)
Bayer's Nexavar and Pfizer's Sutent appear to have slight activity in 2 variants of RCC that make up about 10% of all kidney cancers.