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All GLG News Analyses Filed Under: Oncology

Analyses are solely the work of the authors and have not been edited or endorsed by GLG.

January 3, 2008
Score 1 for Sutent (Maybe)

By a GLG Expert Contributor

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.

January 2, 2008
Erbitux in Lung cancer: new competitor for Avastin?

By a GLG Expert Contributor

Analysis of: Randomized Phase II Study of Gemcitabine Plus Cisplatin, With or Without Cetuximab, As First-Line Therapy for Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer | jco.ascopubs.org

Medical oncologists have "maxed out" on chemo combinations in lung cancer. It is clear that biologic agents need to be incorporated into our treatment regimens in order to move forward. Erbitux is safer and can be used in a broader population of lung cancer patients than Avastin.

Eric Whitman, MD, Medical Director, Office of Grants and Research
Atlantic Health System Inc

January 2, 2008
Interleukin-21 Phase 2 Clinical Trial in Advanced Melanoma Set to Begin

Analysis of: ZymoGenetics Begins Phase 2 Clinical Trial of IL-21 in Melanoma | www.pipelinereview.com

Interleukin-21, or IL-21, is a protein that regulates immunomodulatory cell function. It appears to stimulate the activity of NK cells and cytotoxic T cells, which may be particularly relevant in targeting cancers that more responsive to the immune system, such as melanoma and renal cell carcinoma....

December 31, 2007
Erbitux in first line therapy for lung cancer: The result is as thrilling as kissing your sister....

By a GLG Expert Contributor

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." The patients were not treated uniformly thus the results are completely inconclusive.

Michael Grossbard, MD, Professor of Clinical Medicine
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

December 31, 2007
IL-21 More Biologic Fodder for Melanoma

Analysis of: ZymoGenetics Begins Phase 2 Clinical Trial of IL-21 in Melanoma | www.pipelinereview.com

IL-21 is a cytokine with biological activity in regulating cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells. In phase I studies, some tumor reduction was observed in patients with melanoma. The current phase II trial will be designed to assess kidvid and toxicity in patients with metastatic...

December 28, 2007
Avastin in metastatic breast cancer? I told you so.

By a GLG Expert Contributor

Analysis of: Paclitaxel plus Bevacizumab versus Paclitaxel Alone for Metastatic Breast Cancer | content.nejm.org

Avastin + chemo in metastatic breast cancer improves progression but not overall survival. No wonder the FDA rejected it in breast cancer BUT...

Michael Grossbard, MD, Professor of Clinical Medicine
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

December 28, 2007
TLR9 Agonists Intriguing If Cytokines Treat Cancer

Analysis of: Merck KGaA and Idera Pharmaceuticals to Collaborate on Development of TLR9 Agonists for Treatment of Cancer | www.pipelinereview.com

TLR9 agonists have the potential to trigger the release of cytokines including interferon alfa. IMO-2055 is a TLR9 agonist currently undergoing trials in combination with Tarceva and Avastin in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and at two dose levels in a Phase IIa trial in patients...

Michael Grossbard, MD, Professor of Clinical Medicine
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

December 28, 2007
IPI-504: Potential Activity But Limited Data

Analysis of: Infinity and MedImmune Initiate Phase 2 Trial of IPI-504 to Assess the Hsp90 Inhibitor's Potential Anti-Tumor Activity in Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer | www.pipelinereview.com

IPI-504 is an HSP90 inhibitor with activity against cancer. A phase I/II trial has been initiated to assess the activity of this agent in groups of patients with both EGFR mutation positive and negative tumors. Preliminary results are available from the phase I portion of the trial...

Michael Grossbard, MD, Professor of Clinical Medicine
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

December 28, 2007
Avastin Approved in Europe for Renal Cell Carcinoma- Is it Better than Sutent?

Analysis of: Avastin approved in Europe for first-line treatment of patients with advanced kidney cancer | www.pipelinereview.com

Avastin now has been approved in Europe for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma. However, available data leave questions as to why this agent should be favored over Sutent.

Donald Fleming, MD, Division Head of Hematology and Oncology
Davis Health System, Inc.

December 27, 2007
TLR9 Agonists have a big hurdle to climb

Analysis of: Merck KGaA and Idera Pharmaceuticals to Collaborate on Development of TLR9 Agonists for Treatment of Cancer | www.pipelinereview.com

TLR9 Agonists have recently undergone phase III trials to improve outcome in lung cancer when combined with standard chemo TLR9 Agonists represents yet another attempt to demonstrate that the human cancer model is amendable to immunologic intervention