Category Archives: Genetics

Adenosine Receptor Agonist for Liver Cancer

Can-Fite BioPharma announced that it has dosed the first patient in a Phase II trial for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer. The study will enroll 78 patients with refractory advanced hepatocellular carcinoma  with Child-Pugh Class B cirrhosis. Patients will receive 25 mg of CF102 orally twice a day; the endpoint will be overall survival between those receiving CF102 versus placebo. Continue reading

Merck Acquires OncoEthix for Novel MYC Blocker

Last week, Merck acquired OncoEthix at a price of $375 MM for OTX015, a synthetic small molecule which targets the BET bromodomain proteins 2, 3, and 4 (BRD2/3/4). Continue reading

Reprogramming Lung Cancer to Self-Destruct Using TRAIL and CDK9 Inhibitor

CANCER RESEARCH UK scientists have found a drug combination that can trigger the self-destruct process in lung cancer cells – paving the way for new treatments, according to research that will be presented at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference in Liverpool next week. This process is known as apoptosis. Continue reading

Super Enhancer Switches for Gene Regulation – Syros

Biotech company Syros Pharmaceuticals just raised $53.1 MM in a Series B financing after raising a $30 MM Series A financing in 2013. This is big money for a small company – and, the money comes from some very savvy biotech investment funds. Continue reading

Why more males develop brain tumors than females

It is widely known that brain tumors, in particular glioblastomas and medulloblastomas, affect males more than females. Moreover, given the age of onset and analysis of incidence by age, sex hormones have been ruled-out as the cause. Continue reading

Targeted therapies for cancer – overview

The National Cancer Institute has a very informative, yet easy to understand overview  presented as a Q&A – Targeted Cancer Therapies. Continue reading