GLG News by ONC-Avastin Prescribers for Colorectal Cancer (US)

The coverage restrictions placed on the FDA-approved indication have no scientific basis and are incompatible with good clinical practice," said Roger M. Perlmutter, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice president of Global Research and Development at Amgen. "We are concerned that inappropriately limiting coverage...

My understading id medicare need to cover all FDA indicated drugs. Here CMS violating FDA indication for Aranesp and procrit

Decrease use by 20-25% use of ESA. This may lead discounting and higher rebate from both amgen and orto-biotech to sustain market share. Since most of amgen contract with aranesp and neulasta use. It may effect use of neulasta. Next 6 month CMS may restrict use of Neulasta and neupogen for neutropenia...

The ASCO abstract WSJ article claims that meaningful information is available to some but not everyone simultaneously.  ASCO defends it policy by wishing to serve it's members at the potential expense of any other group.  Despite this uneven distribution of information, traders still seem...

Xcytrin (motexafin gadolinium) is a rationally designed compound that concentrates selectively in cancer cells, inducing redox stress and triggering apoptosis (cell suicide). Xcytrin has been shown to be synergistic with radiation and in the pivotal phase III SMART trial was shown to improve the...

The primary end point of the phase III trial "Imatinib Mesylate (Gleevec) in Treating Patients with Primary GIST that has been Completely Removed by Surgery" was recurrence free survival with the secondary endpoints of overall survival, efficacy, and safety. The study was closed early with the announcement...

1.  Satraplatin has undergone phase II and III testing for the treatment of hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC).2.  Early data from a phase III study show improved pain control and improved PSA response vs Prednisone alone 

1.  The outcome for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer remains dismal.2.  Vaccine strategies for the treatment of solid tumors have been uncuccessful.

1.  Tarceva is an EGFR inhibitor with modest single agent activity in the treatment of lung cancer.2.  THe current study indicates that Tarceva can be given safely to patients older than age 70 and that it's activity may be equivalent to that of chemotherapy3.  Issues of selection bias...

1.  Chemotherapy + Avastin represents standard treatment for stage IV colon cancer.  Vectibix has modest activity and increases survival in patients with previously treated stage IV colon cancer2.  When Vectibix is added to Avastin and chemotherapy for stage IV colon cancer, the outcome...