Glioblastoma Multiforme News and Research

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Glioblastoma Multiforme is a fast-growing type of central nervous system tumor that forms from glial (supportive) tissue of the brain and spinal cord and has cells that look very different from normal cells. Glioblastoma multiforme usually occurs in adults and affects the brain more often than the spinal cord. Also called GBM, glioblastoma, and grade IV astrocytoma.

Cancer promoting gene identified

Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center and VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine researchers have identified a gene that may play a pivotal role in two processes that are essential for tumor development, growth and progression to metastasis. Scientists hope the finding could lead to an effective therapy to target and inhibit the expression of this gene resulting in inhibition of cancer growth.

21 Nov 2009

World's first intra-arterial cerebral infusion of Avastin directly into a patient's malignant brain tumor

Neurosurgeons from NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center performed the world's first intra-arterial cerebral infusion of Avastin (bevacizumab) directly into a patient's malignant brain tumor. This novel intra-arterial (IA) technique may expose the cancer to higher doses of the drug therapy, while possibly sparing the patient common side effects of receiving the drug intravenously (IV) or throughout their body.

18 Nov 2009

Bradmer Pharmaceuticals reports financial results for the third quarter of 2009

Bradmer Pharmaceuticals Inc. today announced its 2009 third quarter financial results.

12 Nov 2009

Celldex announces third quarter and nine-month period results; acquires a net loss of $7.2 million

Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. today reported financial results for the third quarter and nine-month period ended September 30, 2009. Celldex reported a net loss of $7.2 million, or $0.45 per share, for the third quarter of 2009 compared to a net loss of $7.7 million, or $0.49 per share, for the third quarter of 2008.

4 Nov 2009

UCSF scientists receive grants to advance stem cell based strategies for diabetes and brain tumors

Two teams of UCSF scientists have received grants from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to advance their stem cell based strategies for treating diabetes and brain tumors.

30 Oct 2009

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics presents additional data from its ICT-107 Phase I clinical trial

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd., a biotechnology company that is focused on the development of novel immune-based cancer therapies, today announced additional data from its Phase I clinical trial evaluating ICT-107, the Company’s dendritic-cell based cancer vaccine product candidate for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

27 Oct 2009

Results from Phase I dose-escalation study of AT-101 announced

Ascenta Therapeutics announced today that encouraging results from a Phase I dose-escalation study of two combination therapy regimens containing AT-101, an oral, pan-Bcl-2 inhibitor, in patients with the most malignant type of brain tumor, were described in an oral presentation at the 2009 Joint Meeting of the Society for NeuroOncology (SNO) and AANS/CNS Section on Tumors in New Orleans, Louisiana (Concurrent Session VI: Radiation Oncology, October 23, 2009; Abstract # 449).

26 Oct 2009

Updated data on XL184 study in patients with glioblastoma multiforme presented

Exelixis, Inc. and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company today reported updated phase 2 clinical data which show that XL184 demonstrated activity in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer.

24 Oct 2009

Northwest Biotherapeutics announces long-term data from Phase I and Phase I/II clinical trials of DCVax-Brain

Northwest Biotherapeutics, Inc. today announced further long-term follow-up data, for the period from January through September 2009, from its prior Phase I and Phase I/II clinical trials conducted at UCLA with DCVax®-Brain in patients with Glioblastoma multiforme ("GBM"). GBM is the most rapid and lethal type of brain cancer. During the update period, only one of the twenty patients treated with DCVax®-Brain (in addition to standard of care) died, and that patient had survived for nearly 7 years (80.5 months).

21 Oct 2009

NovoCure initiates newly-diagnosed GBM clinical trial

NovoCure, Ltd., a privately held medical device company focused on developing the Novo-TTF device, a non-invasive portable medical device for the treatment of cancer, announced the completion of a new funding round today. Key investors in this round included Pfizer Inc, Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation and Index Ventures.

29 Sep 2009

Celldex commences dosing patients in Phase 1/2 study of its CDX-1401 vaccine candidate

Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLDX) today announced that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase 1/2 study of its vaccine candidate, CDX-1401, in patients with malignant solid tumors that express NY-ESO-1. CDX-1401 is a fully human monoclonal antibody designed to selectively deliver the NY-ESO-1 antigen to dendritic cells to generate a robust immune response against cancer cells expressing NY-ESO-1.

14 Sep 2009

Nanobio hybrids for brain cancer therapy

In an advance toward better treatments for the most serious form of brain cancer, scientists in Illinois are reporting development of the first nanoparticles that seek out and destroy brain cancer cells without damaging nearby healthy cells. The study is scheduled for the Sept. 9 issue of ACS' Nano Letters, a monthly journal.

10 Sep 2009

First-quarter fiscal 2010 results announced by Peregrine Pharmaceuticals

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPHM) today announced financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2010 ended July 31, 2009. Total revenues for the first quarter of FY 2010 increased 345% to $6,750,000, compared to $1,517,000 for the comparable prior year quarter. This increase was primarily generated from increased government contract revenue and from increased sales by Avid Bioservices, the company's wholly owned contract manufacturing subsidiary.

3 Sep 2009

Interim Phase II data of Cotara reveals signs of efficacy in GBM patients

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported that clinical investigators are presenting interim Phase II data showing that its brain cancer agent Cotara(R) appeared well tolerated and demonstrated encouraging signs of efficacy in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the deadliest form of brain cancer.

3 Sep 2009

JAMA study reveals the genetic signature of brain cancer

A pair of studies in the July 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) spell out how much closer science has come to unraveling the genetic signature of brain cancer, according to a researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Boris Pasche, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UAB Division of Hematology and Oncology, believes these studies represent a new vanguard in the still-changing field of DNA analysis.

2 Sep 2009

Altered gene network interaction plays an important role in brain tumors

The interaction between a network of altered genes appears to play an important role in the development and progression of brain tumors, according to a study in the July 15 issue of JAMA.

1 Sep 2009

Arno Therapeutics to commence Phase 1 clinical study of AR-12 in adult patients with lymphoma

Arno Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology therapeutics, today announced the dosing of the first patient in a Phase I clinical study of AR-12 (formerly OSU-03012) in adult patients with advanced or recurrent solid tumors or lymphoma.

28 Aug 2009

More than 22,000 Americans expected to be diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2009

It is expected that more than 22,000 Americans will be diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2009. Senator Ted Kennedy's death from a brain cancer draws attention to a rare, but often fatal type disease. While the risk of developing brain cancer is relatively low, it is important to heed the warning signs and receive an accurate diagnosis.

27 Aug 2009

Discovery of key factor that stimulates brain cancer cells to spread

Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have found that the activity of a protein in brain cells helps stimulate the spread of an aggressive brain cancer called glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). In a move toward therapy, the researchers showed that a small designer protein can block this activity and reduce the spreading of GBM cells grown in the laboratory.

19 Aug 2009

Potential new treatment for drug resistant brain tumors

Dr. Karen Newell, Ph. D., the lead researcher for bio technology company Viral Genetics (Pink Sheets: VRAL), will address the 4th Annual Aspen Symposium on Brain Tumor Immuno- and Stem Cell Therapy. Her presentation will highlight the potential for combining chemotherapy with compounds that interfere with the ability of brain tumor cells to generate the energy needed to repair chemotherapy induced DNA damage.

12 Aug 2009