GLG News by Rituxan Prescribers for NHL: Lymphoma Oncologists (US)

China, buoyed by its recent economic boom, is invading industrilaized nation markets with many generic compounds , from pain killers to AIDS drugs. Chinese drugs are cheap, but have reputation for poor quality , especially with recent heparin fiasco. India has had a good track record with generics and...

For the first time in decades, several drugs like Temodar and Avastin and tumor vaccines ( Avant and others) have shown increased overall survival even in adavnaced and recurrent brain tumors as glioblastoma multiforme. Several agents are in the pipeline, and more Big Pharma involvement is expected...

The epidermal growth factor antagonist Erbitux did not improve response rates in newly diagnosed patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer ( NSCLC).  Many patients had hypersensitivity reactions to Cetuximab, which has to be content with its role in colon cancer treatment and to some extent...

In a clinical trial from MD Anderson, Celgene's oral immunomodulatory agent , Revlimid showed a modest, yet impressive, overall response rate of 32% in patients with refractory, heavily pre-treated CLL. With already proven efficacy in other hematological malignancies, like multiple myeloma, myelofibrosis,...

Proteolix's selective proteosome inhibitor PR-171 have shown pre-clinical activity in slid tumor animal models, but only a small Phase Ib clinical trial of 14 patients have been completed. based on spectrum of activity of a similar compound ( Valcade, Mellinium), the main efficacy of this agent...

Cancer patients frequently develop neuropathy as a results of chemotherapy agents including oxaliplatin, paclitaxel, vinca alkaloids, and Velcade.  Because many such patients have extended survival or receive treatment with curative intent, the resultant neuropathy can limit quality of life significantly....

Carfilzomib is a nvelo prteosome inhibitor.  Bortezomib, the only proteosome inhibitor that is currently FDA approve, has shown significant activity in myeloma and mantle cell NHL and is being tested in other hematologic malignancies.  If Carfilzomib has improved toxicty and greater efficacy...

Ricin is an extraordinarily potent toxin that is fatal because of its ability to inhibit protein synthesis and rapidly cause multisystem failure.  Because ricin can be prepared from castro beans, it has the potential to be used in terrorist attacks.  The present vaccine has the potential to...

Vargatef is a novel angiokinase inhibitor that blocks VEGF, PDGR and FGF receptors.  The current phase II study in patients with non small cell lung cancer shows that this oral agent can be given safely.  It is far too early to draw conclusions regarding efficacy.

Micromet's Bite antibodies strategy garners the patient's T-cells to attack tumor cells. This technology showed proof of principle i hematological malignancies , and now a Phase I clinical trial has commenced for solid tumors. The rationale is intriguing, but immunotherapy has been elusive in solid...