Tag Archives: NFkB

Kyprolis versus Velcade in Phase 3 Study in Previously-Treated Patients

In a Phase 3 study of 929 patients with previously treated multiple myeloma, two proteasome inhibitors, Velcade (bortexomib – Johnson & Johnson and Takeda) ) and Kyprolis (carfilzomib – Amgen), in combination with dexamethasone, were compared. Patients treated with Kyprolis had a median progression-free survival of 18.7 months, versus 9.4 months for those treated with Velcade.

Kyprolis versus velcade

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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

Monoclonal antibodies + kinase inhibitors are better than antibodies alone in breast cancer and B-cell lymphoma

The combination of Herceptin plus pan-HER (EGFR and Her 2 an 4) kinase inhibitor neratinib resulted in a 33% improvement in progression free survival versus Herceptin alone in breast cancer patients.  Rituxan combined with idelalisib, PI3K inhibitor, resulted in a near doubling of progression-free survival at 24 weeks versus Rituxan, alone in patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and small cell lymphoma.  The news for neratinib tripled the valuation of Puma Biotechnology, while the FDA granted approval of Gilead’s drug Zydelig (idelalisib). Continue reading

arGENX – Immune Checkpoint Control of TNFR Superfamliy

A Dutch biotechnology company called arGENX raised $54 MM in an IPO (initial public offering) yesterday to advance its antibody pipeline.  Its lead product, ARGX-110 is in late Phase 1 studies for hematologic malignancies.  It is an immune checkpoint control modulator that acts on the CD70/CD27 axis, which is part of the TNFR superfamily, not the CD28/B7 superfamliy of co-stimulatory molecules. Continue reading