Cancer treatment isn’t always a one-size-fits-all solution, but the field of cancer research is making strides in matching patients with the most effective treatments for their specific conditions. A groundbreaking study now points to a significant finding related to testing that could enable thousands of cancer patients to receive the precise treatment they need. The research led by the University of Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, OK, USA) compared the effectiveness of immunohistochemistry (IHC) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) tests in newly diagnosed cancer patients to guide their treatment plans. These tests target the detection of high levels of microsatellite instability, a condition indicating the DNA’s diminished capacity to correct replication errors. Identifying microsatellite instability is crucial, particularly in colon and endometrial cancer patients, as it marks a higher likelihood of a positive response to immunotherapy, which enhances the immune system’s ability to fight cancer, compared to other treatments. IHC detects the absence ...
Don Tracy, Associate Editor Despite not having a positive outcome, safety profiles for Keytruda and Lynparza were consistent with previous findings. Merck revealed that its Phase III KEYLYNK-006 clinical trial, which tested a combination of Keytruda and Lynparza for the treatment of a subset of patients with metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), failed to meet the primary endpoint of improving overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). According to the company, its trial compared Keytruda combined with chemotherapy with an additional round of Keytruda plus Lynparza vs. Keytruda with chemotherapy followed by maintenance chemotherapy. However, the safety profiles for both treatments were reported to be consistent with previous findings. Moving forward, Merck said that it plans on continuing to analyze data to share at a later date.1 “As lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, we are committed to exploring Keytruda-based combinations and ...
Davy James MVR-T3011 IT is in development to treat patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell cancer whose disease progressed following platinum-based chemotherapy and at least one prior line of a PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. ImmVira’s oncolytic herpes simplex virus (oHSV) therapy MVR-T3011 IT for intratumoral injection has been granted Fast Track designation by the FDA to treat patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) whose disease progressed following platinum-based chemotherapy and at least one prior line of an anti–programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) therapy.1 The novel oHSV treatment is a genetically engineered virus developed to produce replication potency in tumor cells as well as highly restricted replication in normal cells. The ability of MVR-T3011 to boost the immune response within the tumor microenvironment is increased by adding a PD-1 antibody and IL-12 into the construct, according to ImmVira. “Attaining ...
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, with non-small cell lung cancers making up the majority of cases, which are often linked to smoking. When detected early, these cancers are usually confined to the lung, making surgery the preferred initial treatment. However, about 30% of these early-stage patients see their cancer advance to more critical areas, like the lymph nodes and organs, frequently affecting the brain first. This progression necessitates additional treatments such as chemotherapy, targeted drugs, radiation, or immunotherapy. Unfortunately, despite 70% of patients not developing brain metastasis, doctors have lacked the means to predict whose cancer will progress and often opt for aggressive treatments as a precautionary measure. Now, a new study offers hope in improving the approach to treating early-stage lung cancer by achieving the correct balance between proactive intervention and cautious monitoring. In the study, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in ...
Clasp Therapeutics’ novel T cell engagers could offer advantages over others in this class of cancer immunotherapies. The startup is based on the research of Johns Hopkins University scientist Bert Vogelstein. By FRANK VINLUANCancer immunotherapy comes in several forms, and one area of growing research interest is a type of drug called a T cell engager. These drugs bind to a cancer cell and a T cell simultaneously, bringing both of them together to spark a therapeutic effect. Robert Ross, CEO of Clasp Therapeutics, likens T cell engagers to the chaperone at a middle school dance who grabs a boy and a girl in each hand, getting them to dance together. But in cancer drugs, just as in school dances, sometimes the pairing just isn’t right. The wrong pairing in cancer happens when a drug that’s targeted to a tumor also hits healthy cells, causing toxic effects. Clasp is developing ...
The concentration of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in the bloodstream is an important indicator that can help track how well cancer treatments are working. Before starting treatment, measuring cfDNA levels can give doctors a snapshot of the extent of the cancer’s spread in the body. High levels of cfDNA often mean the cancer is widespread or aggressive. As treatment goes on, doctors can keep an eye on cfDNA levels to see if the treatment is effective. A drop in cfDNA levels could mean the treatment is working and the tumor is getting smaller. But if cfDNA levels remain unchanged or rise, it might mean the treatment isn’t working, and the cancer is still growing or has become resistant to treatment. Now, a simple blood test monitors this liquid biomarker in real time to track how well a cancer treatment is working. DiaCarta’s (Pleasanton, CA, USA) RadTox Test is a liquid ...
Up to 20% of prostate cancer cases are classified as castration-resistant AstraZeneca (AZ) and Merck & Co – known as MSD outside the US and Canada – have announced that the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has approved Lynparza (olaparib) in combination with abiraterone and prednisone or prednisolone to treat adult patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Affecting around one in ten men in Scotland, approximately 10% to 20% of prostate cancer cases are classified as castration resistant, evolving to resist androgen deprivation therapy, the standard of care. mCRPC occurs when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, which is challenging to treat and results in a poor prognosis. The SMC’s decision was based on results from the phase 3 randomised, double-blind PROpel trial, which evaluated the efficacy, safety and tolerability of Lynparza versus placebo when given in addition to abiraterone in men with mCRPC who had ...
BeiGene’s PD-1 inhibitor Tevimbra (tislelizumab-jsgr) has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The authorisation specifically applies to adult patients with unresectable or metastatic ESCC after prior systemic chemotherapy that did not include a PD-(L)1 inhibitor. Oesophageal cancer is the sixth most common cause of cancer-related deaths globally and ESCC accounts for almost 90% of cases. More than two-thirds of patients with oesophageal cancer have advanced or metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis, with an expected five-year survival rate of less than 6% for those with distant metastases. BeiGene’s Tevimbra, which is already approved in the EU for advanced or metastatic ESCC after prior chemotherapy, is designed to aid the body’s immune cells to detect and fight tumours. The FDA’s decision on the therapy was based on positive results from the late-stage RATIONALE 302 trial, which compared its ...
Tubulis’s next-generation ADC cancer drugs are designed to overcome limitations of currently available therapies in this drug class. The new financing will support clinical trial plans, but first, preclinical proof-of-concept data will be presented during the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting. By FRANK VINLUAN The concept of an antibody drug conjugate, or ADC, is straightforward: a cancer-killing drug is chemically linked to an antibody that targets the delivery of the therapy to a tumor. This drug class has made progress with several approved products and many more on their heels in clinical development. But there’s still plenty of room to improve on this type of targeted cancer therapy, contends Dominik Schumacher, CEO of Tubulis. When an ADC releases its drug payload too early, it hits healthy tissue and sparks toxic effects, Schumacher said. Also, current ADC designs are restricted in their ability to match the biology of cancer ...
Exosomes, tiny cellular bioparticles carrying a specific set of proteins, lipids, and genetic materials, play a crucial role in cell communication and hold promise for non-invasive diagnostics. Traditionally, exosomes are isolated through ultrasound centrifugation, a process that requires eight hours or more, requires large sample volumes, and often harms the integrity of these delicate structures. Alternative methods also present challenges, including low purity and yield. Now, researchers have devised a diagnostic technique that employs sound waves to spin a single water droplet at speeds reaching 6,000 revolutions per minute, thereby facilitating the separation of tiny biological particles for exosome-based diagnostics. This novel approach involves a lightweight disk atop the spinning droplet and featuring etched channels that incorporate star-shaped nanoparticles designed for the label-free identification of exosomes. This method surpasses traditional techniques in efficiency, requiring less time and smaller sample volumes, and minimizes damage to the exosomes. It represents a significant ...
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