Gemcitabine News and Research

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Gemcitabine is the active ingredient in a drug that is used to treat pancreatic cancer that is advanced or has spread. It is also used together with other drugs to treat breast cancer that has spread, advanced ovarian cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer that is advanced or has spread. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Gemcitabine blocks the cell from making DNA and may kill cancer cells. It is a type of antimetabolite

Amgen to present Phase 2 study data of AMG 479 in metastatic pancreatic cancer at 2010 ASCO

Amgen today announced results from a small, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 study indicating that adding AMG 479 to gemcitabine improved overall survival at six months (primary endpoint) and progression-free survival in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. The study, which also included a separate arm of conatumumab plus gemcitabine, is being presented in a Poster Discussion at the 2010 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

5 Jun 2010

Antiemetic-regimen with fosaprepitant injection provides similar protection against CINV as oral EMEND

Merck announced today results from a new non-inferiority trial of an antiemetic regimen containing fosaprepitant dimeglumine administered as a single intravenous (IV) 150-mg dose in combination with a 5-HT3 antagonist and dexamethasone compared with a three-day regimen of aprepitant with a 5-HT3 antagonist and dexamethasone for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in patients receiving a first cycle of cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

4 Jun 2010

Functional profiling using EVA/PCD for prescribing treatment regimens for Stage IV NSCLC improve survival

A team of investigators at Rational Therapeutics, Inc. and the Malcolm Todd Cancer Institute (Long Beach, Calif.) has reported that functional profiling using ex-vivo analysis of programmed cell death (EVA/PCD) can be used to prescribe treatment regimens that double the response rate and survival in patients with Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The findings of their phase II clinical trial will be presented on Sunday, June 6th at the 46th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago.

4 Jun 2010

Targeted monoclonal antibodies show promise for pancreatic and metastatic breast cancer

Early trials using targeted monoclonal antibodies in combination with existing therapies show promise in treating pancreatic cancer and metastatic breast cancer, according to research that will be presented by investigators from the University of Pennsylvania's Abramson Cancer Center at the 2010 meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology June 4 through 8.

2 Jun 2010

Major response to preoperative therapy increases survival in pancreatic cancer patients

Cancer of the pancreas--a glandular organ that lies behind the stomach and secretes vital enzymes and hormones--seldom is detected in early stages, making treatment difficult and survival statistics particularly grim. However, new research from Fox Chase Cancer Center finds that patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma whose tumors respond most to preoperative chemotherapy and radiation survive four times as long, on average, as those whose tumors respond least.

29 May 2010

CTRC starts enrolment in Phase 2 combination trial of REOLYSIN and gemcitabine for advanced pancreatic cancer

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. announced today that the Cancer Therapy & Research Center at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio (CTRC) has started patient enrolment in a U.S. Phase 2 clinical trial using intravenous administration of REOLYSIN(R) in combination with gemcitabine (Gemzar(R)) in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. The Principal Investigator is Dr. Monica Mita of the CTRC.

26 May 2010

Data evaluating use of nab-paclitaxel for treatment of pancreatic cancer to be presented at ASCO 2010

Abraxis BioScience, Inc., a fully integrated biotechnology company, previously announced it will be presenting more than 30 studies, including new clinical data evaluating the use of nanoparticle albumin bound driven chemotherapy, nab-paclitaxel (ABRAXANE for Injectable suspension; paclitaxel protein albumin-bound particles for injectable suspension) for the treatment of pancreatic cancer at the 46th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago.

21 May 2010

New data highlighting Pfizer's approach to cancer drug development to be presented at ASCO meeting

Pfizer Oncology will present new data highlighting the company's focused approach to cancer drug development through the identification and validation of molecular targets. These results will be presented at the 46th Annual American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago from June 4-8.

21 May 2010

PET scanning provides great insight into immune response

A commonly used probe for Positron Emission Tomography scanning and a new probe developed by researchers at UCLA reveal different functions in diverse cells of the immune system, providing a non-invasive and much clearer picture of an immune response in action.

19 May 2010

FibroGen's FG-3019 human monoclonal antibody against CTGF reverses progression of lung fibrosis

FibroGen, Inc. today announced that administration of investigational therapy FG-3019, a human monoclonal antibody against connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), reversed the process of fibrosis in a preclinical model of radiation-induced lung fibrosis, a finding that has implications for treating multiple types of fibrotic disease.

18 May 2010

152 research and training grants awarded to researchers at 93 institutions nationwide

The American Cancer Society, the largest non-government, not-for-profit funding source of cancer research in the United States, has awarded 152 new national research and training grants totaling $50,717,000 in the first of two grants cycles for 2010. The grants, primarily to early career researchers, cover a broad range of investigator-initiated ideas at 93 institutions nationwide, from whether cadmium exposure increases the risk of endometrial cancer, to studies of plant and bacterial-bourne compounds, to a study on a protein called survivin that could lead to novel drugs targeting prostate cancer.

18 May 2010

Celldex Therapeutics commences screening in CDX-1307 Phase 2 study for bladder cancer

Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that the first patient has been screened in a randomized Phase 2 study of the Company's novel, first-in-class antibody-based vaccine candidate from its Precision Targeted Immunotherapy (PTI) platform. This study will evaluate the CDX-1307 regimen in both neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings in patients with newly diagnosed muscle-invasive bladder cancers that express hCG-beta.

17 May 2010

Immunomedics third-quarter revenues increase to $10.7 million

Immunomedics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing monoclonal antibodies to treat cancer and other serious diseases, today reported financial results for the third quarter ended March 31, 2010. The Company also highlighted recent key developments and planned activities for its clinical pipeline.

10 May 2010

Abraxis Bioscience first-quarter ABRAXANE revenue increases to $87.9 million

Abraxis BioScience, Inc., a fully integrated biotechnology company, today reported unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

6 May 2010

Array BioPharma reports 18.4M revenue for third-quarter fiscal 2010

Array BioPharma Inc. today reported financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2010.

4 May 2010

OSI Pharmaceuticals announces European Commission's approval of Tarceva for NSCLC

OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that its international partner for Tarceva® (erlotinib), Roche, received approval from the European Commission for Tarceva as a monotherapy maintenance treatment in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease remains largely unchanged (stable disease) after platinum-based initial chemotherapy.

29 Apr 2010

Study calls for optimized medical treatment for older patients with advanced lung cancer

Although more than two fifths of lung cancers are diagnosed in patients over 70, data from clinical trials on the safest and most effective treatments for this age group are scarce.

29 Apr 2010

ERCC1 Analysis guides patient treatment decisions

Moffitt Cancer Center announces steadily growing interest in the ERCC1 Analysis, the first test developed for selecting chemotherapy for Non Small Lung Cancer patients. Each year, more than 200,000 Americans are diagnosed with lung cancer.

26 Apr 2010

OSI Pharmaceuticals completes enrollment in Phase III clinical trial of Tarceva

OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has completed enrollment in the RADIANT study, a Phase III clinical trial testing Tarceva (erlotinib) as an adjuvant therapy in patients with Stage IB-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer who have undergone surgery and have EGFR-positive tumors.