Avastin News and Research

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Avastin is a biologic antibody designed to specifically bind to a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that plays an important role throughout the lifecycle of the tumor to develop and maintain blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. Avastin is designed to interfere with the blood supply to a tumor by directly binding to the VEGF protein to prevent interactions with receptors on blood vessel cells. Avastin does not bind to receptors on normal or cancer cells. The tumor blood supply is thought to be critical to a tumor’s ability to grow and spread in the body (metastasize).

Adding angiogenesis inhibitor to anti-HER2 drugs extends survival in mice with breast cancer

Adding an angiogenesis inhibitor to treatment with a HER2-inhibiting drug could improve outcomes for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer who develop brain metastases. In their report published online in PNAS Plus, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators report the first preclinical study combining antiangiogenic and anti-HER2 drugs in an animal model of brain metastatic breast cancer.

3 Nov 2012

Targeted deletion of major VEGF gene in mice induces vision loss

Millions of people with "wet" macular degeneration are prescribed a class of medication known as anti-VEGF drugs. But now scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found that a drastic reduction of VEGF activity may do more harm than good.

26 Oct 2012

VEGF produced by NPCs plays a strong role in influencing microglial behavior

The brain's key "breeder" cells, it turns out, do more than that. They secrete substances that boost the numbers and strength of critical brain-based immune cells believed to play a vital role in brain health. This finding adds a new dimension to our understanding of how resident stem cells and stem cell transplants may improve brain function.

22 Oct 2012

ARIAD announces initial results from AP26113 Phase 1/2 trial on non-small cell lung cancer

ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the initial clinical results on its investigational, tyrosine-kinase inhibitor, AP26113, in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from an ongoing Phase 1/2 trial.

29 Sep 2012

Breast cancer drug bevacizumab (Avastin): an interview with Dr Anna Dorothea Wagner

Breast cancer is the most important cancer for women in the developed world. About 20% of all patients diagnosed with breast cancer die of metastatic disease.

1 Aug 2012

When checks and balances in the pharmaceutical marketplace fall short

The Washington Post explores how a trio of very expensive anemia drugs became "superstars" in the marketplace. Also, The Wall Street Journal tracks the process by which certain fake cancer drugs found their way into the United States.

21 Jul 2012

Nottingham researchers to lead Avastin clinical study for AMD

Nottingham researchers are leading a study to test the effectiveness of a controversial drug in the treatment of a common loss of vision.

12 Jul 2012

Breast cancer drug bevacizumab slows progression but has no overall survival benefit

The cancer drug bevacizumab (Avastin®) offers only a modest benefit in prolonging disease progression in patients with advanced stage breast cancer, according to a systematic review by Cochrane researchers. The researchers assessed the efficacy of bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapy, an established cancer treatment in this indication, and found no overall survival benefit when adding bevacizumab to chemotherapy.

11 Jul 2012

Cancer Therapeutics announces validation and performance of CTx-294886 plus Avastin

5 Jul 2012

Cancer Therapeutics reveals proof of concept for second development drug

Cancer Therapeutics, a company focused on translating cancer biology research into novel treatments for cancer, today announced the validation and performance of a new targeted drug, CTx-294886, in combination with Avastin™ (bevacizumab – Genentech/Roche) in a preclinical model of breast cancer. At the same time the Company announced that it has developed a new High Throughput Screening (HTS) platform for the identification of small molecule inhibitors of protein ubiquitination, a key element in the essential cellular process of protein homeostasis, which is an exciting new target pathway for cancer treatment. Both scientific developments will be presented as posters at the EACR conference in Barcelona Spain on July 7-10 2012.

4 Jul 2012

Cerulean commences dosing in CRLX101-Avastin combination study for metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Cerulean Pharma Inc., a leader in developing dynamically tumor-targeted nanopharmaceuticals, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase 1b/2a study of its lead product candidate, CRLX101, in combination with Avastin, in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients. The company also announced the completion of enrollment of its randomized Phase 2 study in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

2 Jul 2012

AngioPredict project to focus on patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is leading an international team of scientists on a major research study which aims to predict colorectal cancer patients' response to the 'angiogenesis inhibitor' class of anti-cancer drug which prevents growth of tumour blood vessels. The study will facilitate a more focused therapeutic approach thus limiting side-effects in patients.

28 May 2012

Panel of HuCAL Anti-Drug Antibodies to be launched by AbD Serotec

MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX) announced today that its division for research and diagnostic antibodies, AbD Serotec, will launch a series of novel anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) to strengthen its position as a leading provider of diagnostic reagents.

23 May 2012

BioTrends tracks uptake of Yervoy and Zelboraf for advanced melanoma

BioTrends Research Group, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for specialized biopharmaceutical issues, has released findings from the second wave of its LaunchTrends® Yervoy and Zelboraf report, in which 103 U.S.-based medical oncologists were surveyed about their current and expected treatment patterns in advanced melanoma.

11 May 2012

Cheaper anti-blindness drug could save NHS £85 million annually

Avastin (bevacizumab), which is used to treat wet age-related macular degeneration – the most common cause of blindness among the elderly costs only £60 per injection. But despite trials showing it is no less effective, another drug, Lucentis, is the current official choice, even though it costs £700 per shot. Avastin is intended to treat bowel cancer, but research by the National Institute for Health Research has shown that it also works just as effectively and safely as Lucentis in treating Wet AMD.

8 May 2012

Data from Idera IMO-8400 preclinical studies for SLE and psoriasis presented at AAI meeting

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced data from preclinical studies of IMO-8400, demonstrating a novel mechanism of action that may be applicable to the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and psoriasis. IMO-8400 is an inhibitor of specific Toll-like receptors (TLRs).

7 May 2012

No functional difference in effects of Lucentis and Avastin on preventing vision loss

The one year results from a study into whether two drug treatments (Lucentis and Avastin), are equally effective in treating neovascular or wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD), have been reported today at an international research meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The findings will also appear online shortly in the leading journal Ophthalmology.

7 May 2012

Oral nutriceutical restores vision to otherwise hopeless patients facing permanent loss

There may be new found hope for patients whose vision is threatened when medicine injected directly into the eyes fails to cause abnormal blood vessels to recede. While injectable drugs called angiogenesis (an-gee-oh-jen-esis) inhibitors are considered a modern miracle and have become the standard of care for patients with the fast-progressive form of macular degeneration, they are not foolproof.

7 May 2012

NCIC CTG, Oncolytics to conduct REOLYSIN Phase II study in colorectal cancer

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. announced today that it has entered into an agreement whereby the NCIC Clinical Trials Group (CTG) at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, will sponsor and conduct a randomized Phase II study of REOLYSIN in patients with advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer.

4 May 2012

Array BioPharma third quarter revenue increases to $19.1M

Array BioPharma Inc. today reported financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2012.

2 May 2012

Avastin News and Research

Further Reading

Adding angiogenesis inhibitor to anti-HER2 drugs extends survival in mice with breast cancer

Targeted deletion of major VEGF gene in mice induces vision loss

VEGF produced by NPCs plays a strong role in influencing microglial behavior

ARIAD announces initial results from AP26113 Phase 1/2 trial on non-small cell lung cancer

Breast cancer drug bevacizumab (Avastin): an interview with Dr Anna Dorothea Wagner

When checks and balances in the pharmaceutical marketplace fall short

Nottingham researchers to lead Avastin clinical study for AMD

Breast cancer drug bevacizumab slows progression but has no overall survival benefit

Cancer Therapeutics announces validation and performance of CTx-294886 plus Avastin

Cancer Therapeutics reveals proof of concept for second development drug

Cerulean commences dosing in CRLX101-Avastin combination study for metastatic renal cell carcinoma

AngioPredict project to focus on patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

Panel of HuCAL Anti-Drug Antibodies to be launched by AbD Serotec

BioTrends tracks uptake of Yervoy and Zelboraf for advanced melanoma

Cheaper anti-blindness drug could save NHS £85 million annually

Data from Idera IMO-8400 preclinical studies for SLE and psoriasis presented at AAI meeting

No functional difference in effects of Lucentis and Avastin on preventing vision loss

Oral nutriceutical restores vision to otherwise hopeless patients facing permanent loss

NCIC CTG, Oncolytics to conduct REOLYSIN Phase II study in colorectal cancer

Array BioPharma third quarter revenue increases to $19.1M

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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