Two companies announced news last week regarding their efforts to treat cancer by administering treatments that become activated by physiological conditions specific to the tumor microenvironment. Threshold Pharmaceuticals announced data from Phase III clinical trials of evophosphamide (TH-302), and BioAtla announced an antibody development deal with Pfizer. Continue reading
Elotuzumab (Empliciti) is now the second monoclonal antibody (Mab) approved by the FDA for multiple myeloma (MM). Darzalex (daratumumab), the first Mab for MM, was approved by the FDA just 3 weeks ago. Continue reading
Celldex’s vaccine against the mutated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFRvIII), reduced the risk of death from the disease by 47% in a 73-patient randomized Phase 2 study called ReACT. In addition, the survival rate at two years was 25% for patients given the vaccine versus none in the control group. It marks the first time an immunotherapy treatment has improved survival in a randomized trial of glioblastoma patients, researchers said. It is also among the first cancer vaccines to show a survival benefit. Continue reading
Darzalex (daratumumab), and anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who had already undergone at least three prior standard treatments, received FDA approval. The product was developed by J&J and Genmab. Continue reading
Eli Lilly has licensed exclusive worldwide rights to Ignyta’s Phase I taladegib oncology development program, in a deal the San Diego biotech said could generate up to $53 million-plus. Taladegib is an oral bioavailable small molecule hedgehog/smoothened antagonist. The compound has achieved clinical proof-of-concept and a recommended Phase II dose based on earlier clinical studies. Continue reading
An experimental therapy made of genetically-modified donor T-cells cured a baby with incurable leukemia: Continue reading
Two new companies have received substantial funding to pursue neo-antigens for cancer immunotherapy: Gritstone Oncology raised $102MM to pursue lung cancer and Neon Therapeutics raised $55MM to develop neoantigen-based therapeutic vaccines and T cell therapies to treat cancer. Continue reading
ImaginAB and Eli Lilly announced a pre-clinical collaboration to use ImaginAb’s immune imaging agent IAB22M2C to study new T-cell therapies cancer. Continue reading
Why elephants do not get cancer is a famous conundrum that was posed by epidemiologist Richard Peto of the University of Oxford, UK, in the 1970’s. Peto noted that, in general, there is little relationship between cancer rates and the body size or age of animals. Continue reading
DNAtrix and Merck announced a collaboration to combine oncolytic virus therapy and PD-1 inhibition – the two companies will collaborate in phase II clinical trials on a therapy to treat glioblastoma, an especially deadly cancer for which there is no cure. Continue reading