International Oncology Network - Cancer & Hematology News

January 2009 Blog Posts (4)

Study shows a Survival Benefit with Cancer Vaccine in Glioma.

Data from a Phase I investigator-sponsored trial of the investigational cancer vaccine vitespen (Oncophage®, Antigenics Inc, 3 Forbes Rd, Lexington, MA 02421), an investigational patient-specific vaccine designed to treat cancer with the intent of minimizing adverse events of toxicities in recurrent, high-grade glioma, showed a considerable survival advantage for patients with this disease.

Vaccination with the new cancer vaccine following brain cancer surgery increased… Continue

Added by Peter Hofland, PhD on January 30, 2009 at 6:00pm — No Comments

New Cancer Drug May offer Broad Potential in the Treatment of Solid Tumors

TGen Clinical Research Services (TCRS) is testing a new drug that may offer broad potential to treat solid tumors. Clinical trials of the drug TH-302, an anticancer agent in clinical development by Threshold Pharmaceuticals (1300 Seaport Blvd, Suite 500, Redwood City, CA 94063), are being conducted at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona by TGen Clinical Research Services, a partnership of Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and Scottsdale Healthcare Corp.

Dr. Glen… Continue

Added by Peter Hofland, PhD on January 29, 2009 at 5:00pm — No Comments

Retuximab Receives Positive Opinion in Europe for First-line treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

The European Union’s Committee on Human Medicinal Products (CHMP), on January 22, 2009, issued a positive recommendation for the use of rituximab, (MabThera®, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Grenzacherstrasse 124, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland / Rituxan®, co-marked in the United Sates by Genentech, 1 DNA Way South San Francisco, CA 94080-4990 and Biogen Idec , 14 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142), with any chemotherapy combination as a first-line treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL),… Continue

Added by Peter Hofland, PhD on January 24, 2009 at 5:00pm — No Comments

Imatinib Mesylate After Surgery Dramatically Reduces Risk of Cancer Returning in Patients with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in late December 2008, approved imatinib mesylate (Glivec®, Novartis AG, Lichtstrasse 35, 4056 Basel, Switzerland and Gleevec®, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, New Jersey, NJ) for the post-surgery treatment of adult patients following complete surgical removal of KIT (CD117)-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).

The tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib mesylate is now the only post-surgery treatment… Continue

Added by Peter Hofland, PhD on January 19, 2009 at 6:00pm — No Comments