Monoclonal Antibody News and Research

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Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) are produced from a single B cell clone and can bind to a single type of antigen binding site. MAbs are homogenous antibodies that cannot form lattices with monomeric proteins as they can bind to only a single epitope on the antigen. Developed in the 1970s, MAbs can be produced against any given substance. Thus they can be used to detect and purify any substance of interest. This has made MAbs a powerful tool of molecular biology, biochemistry, and medicine.

Genentech announces results from pertuzumab studies on HER2-positive breast cancer

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, today announced the company will present results from studies of its investigational medicine pertuzumab in HER2-positive breast cancer at the 2011 CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium December 6-10.

30 Nov 2011

Micromet commences blinatumomab phase 2 trial for r/r B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Micromet, Inc. today announced that it has initiated a phase 2 trial of its lead product candidate blinatumomab (MT103) in adult patients with relapsed or refractory (r/r) B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Blinatumomab is the first of a new class of agents called BiTE® antibodies, designed to harness the body's T cells to kill cancer cells.

28 Nov 2011

USPTO issues patent to BioFactura's StableFast platform

BioFactura, Inc. was awarded a US patent covering the core technologies of its proprietary StableFast Biomanufacturing Platform. The US Patent and Trademark Office allowed 32 claims broadly covering composition of matter, methods, commercial kits, and media formulations.

23 Nov 2011

ZEVALIN treatment for Non-Hodgkin lymphoma becomes simpler with removal of bioscan requirement

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company with fully integrated commercial and drug development operations with a primary focus in hematology and oncology, received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on November 18, 2011 to remove the pre-treatment biodistribution evaluation requirement using Indium-111 ZEVALIN imaging dose followed by a gamma scan before administering the ZEVALIN therapeutic dose.

21 Nov 2011

Scientists identify novel gene mutation that causes glioblastoma

Scientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, in collaboration with colleagues in Boston and South Korea, say they have identified a novel gene mutation that causes at least one form of glioblastoma (GBM), the most common type of malignant brain tumor.

18 Nov 2011

Merrimack initiates MM-121 Phase 2 combination trial in metastatic NSCLC

Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase 2 clinical trial of MM-121, a fully human monoclonal antibody that targets ErbB3, in combination with erlotinib, a small molecule directed at the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), in three groups of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.

18 Nov 2011

Biothera completes enrollment in Imprime PGG Phase II combination study on NSCLC

EBiothera's Phase II non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) clinical trial evaluating Imprime PGG administered in combination with cetuximab (Erbitux), carboplatin and paclitaxel has met its goal of 90 patients and is fully enrolled, the company announced today.

17 Nov 2011

TNF inhibitors may minimally increase risk of serious infections

Biologic drugs have revolutionized treatment of autoimmune diseases during the past decade despite belief there is an increased risk for serious infections from using them. But new research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Center for Education and Research on Therapeutics reveals that a class of biologics called tumor necrosis factor antagonists, or TNF inhibitors, may only minimally increase risk compared to more traditional therapies.

17 Nov 2011

Amgen receives EC approval to extend therapeutic indications for Vectibix

Amgen today announced that the European Commission (EC) has approved a variation to the marketing authorization for Vectibix (panitumumab) to include indications for the treatment of patients with wild-type KRAS metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) in first-line in combination with FOLFOX and in second-line in combination with FOLFIRI in patients who have received first-line fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy.

16 Nov 2011

Amgen's XGEVA delays onset of bone metastases in men with prostate cancer

Amgen announced today the publication of results from a Phase 3 trial (the '147 study) that evaluated XGEVA (denosumab) for use in preventing or delaying the onset of bone metastases in men with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

16 Nov 2011

A shot to lower 'bad' cholesterol

Patients unable to control their cholesterol levels with medications may someday be able to lower their "bad" cholesterol with a shot, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2011.

14 Nov 2011

Genzyme's alemtuzumab Phase lll trial on MS meets co-primary endpoints

Genzyme, a Sanofi company, reports today that the Phase lll CARE-MS ll trial met both of its co-primary endpoints. Relapse rate and sustained accumulation (worsening) of disability (SAD) were significantly reduced in multiple sclerosis patients receiving alemtuzumab as compared with Rebif.

14 Nov 2011

Combination of REGN910 and aflibercept inhibits tumor angiogenesis in animal models

Combining the investigational agents REGN910 and aflibercept yielded statistically significant improvements in antitumor effects in animal models compared with either agent alone, according to results presented at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, held Nov. 12-16, 2011.

14 Nov 2011

YM BioSciences reports revenue of $0.3 million for first quarter 2012

YM BioSciences Inc., a drug development company advancing a diverse portfolio of hematology and cancer-related products, today reported operational and financial results for its first quarter of fiscal 2012, ended September 30, 2011.

11 Nov 2011

New potential target to slow breast cancer tumor progression and metastasis

A new potential target to slow breast cancer tumor progression and metastasis has been identified by a team of researchers led by Dr. Richard Kremer from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre.

11 Nov 2011

Micromet's blinatumomab data to be reported at 53rd ASH annual meeting

Micromet, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of next-generation antibodies for the treatment of cancer, today announced that data on its lead product candidate blinatumomab (MT103) will be reported at the 53rd Annual American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, to be held December 10 - 13 in San Diego, California.

9 Nov 2011

Celldex Therapeutics initiates CDX-1127 Phase 1 study in malignant solid tumors

Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. today announced initiation of a Phase 1 study of its therapeutic human antibody candidate, CDX-1127, in patients with selected malignant solid tumors or hematologic cancers.

8 Nov 2011

MBL-HCV1 can reduce viral load in liver transplant patients

A human monoclonal antibody developed by MassBiologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) given to patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection undergoing liver transplantation significantly suppressed the virus for at least a week after transplant and delayed the time to viral rebound.

8 Nov 2011

New data from Pfizer's hematology portfolio to be presented at 53rd ASH annual meeting

Pfizer Oncology will present data on a number of investigational compounds from its hematology portfolio, including new data from bosutinib in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), inotuzumab in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), as well as the first presentation of clinical data for PF-04449913, which inhibits Smoothened (SMO), a key component of the Hedgehog pathway.

7 Nov 2011

New data from Novartis' ACZ885 Phase III study on SJIA

Novartis announced today new pivotal Phase III data showing 45% of children with active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) were able to substantially reduce their use of oral corticosteroids (often described as steroids) within 28 weeks of commencing treatment with ACZ885.

7 Nov 2011