Docetaxel News and Research

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Docetaxel is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be used alone or with other drugs to treat certain types of breast and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is also approved to be used with other drugs to treat squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) and certain types of gastric and prostate cancer.

Docetaxel is a semi-synthetic, second-generation taxane derived from a compound found in the European yew tree Taxus baccata. Docetaxel displays potent and broad antineoplastic properties; it binds to and stabilizes tubulin, thereby inhibiting microtubule disassembly which results in cell- cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and cell death. This agent also inhibits pro-angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and displays immunomodulatory and pro-inflammatory properties by inducing various mediators of the inflammatory response. Docetaxel has been studied for use as a radiation-sensitizing agent.

Abraxane prolongs survival in metastatic breast cancer

Research from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine has found that a less toxic, solvent-free chemotherapy drug more effectively prevents the progression of metastatic breast cancer and has fewer side effects than a commonly used solvent-based drug.

26 May 2009

Combining two chemotherapy drugs with Herceptin shows promise for metastatic HER2+ breast cancer

At the 45th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), researchers from the Mayo Clinic campus in Florida report that using a combination of capecitabine, vinorelbine, and trastuzumab offers a treatment option that is at least as beneficial as other current options - and doesn't cause hair loss in patients.

17 May 2009

Combination of two chemotherapy drugs shows promise against recurrent gynecologic cancers

Recurrent and metastatic endometrial and ovarian cancers can be notoriously difficult to treat: They have spread to other organs and typically have developed resistance to chemotherapy; and patients already heavily treated with chemotherapy may not be able to endure more chemo.

22 Apr 2009

3-drug chemotherapy combo increases organ preservation in patients with larynx cancer

Patients with larynx cancer who received a three-drug combination of docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (TPF) during induction chemotherapy were more likely to retain larynx function than were patients treated with cisplatin and 5-fluoruracil (PF) alone, according to data from a randomized controlled trial in the March 24 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

24 Mar 2009

New therapeutic approaches to castrate resistant prostate cancer

Today Dr. Martin Gleave of the Vancouver Prostate Centre in Canada gave a lecture about new approaches to treat castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRCP) during the 24 th Annual Congress of the European Association of Urology in Stockholm, Sweden.

22 Mar 2009

Azaya Therapeutics selected for Nanotechnology Characterization Lab by National Cancer Institute

Azaya Therapeutics, Inc. has announced that it has been selected by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for a research collaboration to study Azaya's lead cancer therapy, ATI - 1123.

10 Mar 2009

Algeta completes phase II trial with Alpharadin for treating bone metastases in advanced prostate cancer

Algeta ASA has announced that with the results of the BC1-04 study reported today it has completed its comprehensive phase II clinical program evaluating Alpharadin (radium-223) as a new treatment for bone metastases in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC).

15 Jan 2009

Doxil and docetaxel combination treatment delays disease progression in metastatic breast cancer

Results from a Phase 3 study show that patients with metastatic breast cancer who were treated previously with an anthracycline in the adjuvant setting experienced a significant improvement in time to disease progression (TTP) and overall response rates after receiving a combination of DOXIL (doxorubicin HCl liposome injection) and docetaxel as compared to docetaxel alone.

14 Dec 2008

Gefitinib just as effective as chemotherapy for lung cancer

Gefitinib, also known as Iressa, the once-promising targeted therapy for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, has proven as effective as chemotherapy as a second-line therapy for the disease with far fewer side effects, according to an international Phase III clinical trial, led by researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

20 Nov 2008

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals reports on phase II trial of Bavituximab plus Docetaxel in advanced breast cancer

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced that updated preliminary data from the first stage of its Phase II trial evaluating bavituximab in combination with docetaxel showed that 10 of 14 (71%) evaluable breast cancer patients achieved an objective tumor response according to RECIST criteria.

22 Oct 2008

OncoGenex achieves key regulatory milestone for lead product candidate

OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals Inc. today announced that it concluded a meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on October 7, 2008, and that the FDA agreed that "durable pain palliation is an acceptable and desirable study endpoint" to support a product marketing approval for OGX-011 as a treatment for hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC).

13 Oct 2008

Anticancer drug triggers nanoparticle formation, improves stability in vivo

Paclitaxel is a powerful anticancer agent used to treat a variety of malignancies, but severe side effects limit its ultimate effectiveness and utility. To improve this drug's pharmacological properties, researchers have turned to nanoparticle-based delivery agents, although with marginal success; stably trapping large amounts of paclitaxel in most nanoparticles has proven difficult.

28 Sep 2008

Adding Taxotere to chemotherapy regimen improves survival in early breast cancer

For patients with early stage breast cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes, adding four cycles of docetaxel (Taxotere) into a sequential regimen of epirubicin followed by cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and fluorouracil (CMF) reduces the risk of recurrence and death, updated long-term results show.

15 Sep 2008

Trastuzumab-DM1 - a 'smart bomb' for breast cancer treatment

Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI) investigators have found that "smart bomb" therapies are effective in treating breast cancer patients while minimizing side effects.

7 Sep 2008

OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals' OGX-011 granted FDA fast track status

OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals has announced that OGX-011, also known as custirsen sodium, received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in combination with docetaxel for progressive metastatic prostate cancer.

24 Aug 2008

FDA lifts clinical hold on Genta's Tesetaxel

Genta Incorporated announced that the Company has received notification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that Genta may resume clinical trials with tesetaxel, a leading oral taxane in Genta's oncology product portfolio.

23 Jun 2008

Cetuximab and chemotherapy combination proves safe, effective for head and neck cancer patients

Patients treated for locally advanced head and neck cancer may respond better to treatment with the addition of cetuximab to chemotherapy, according to a University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) phase II study. The results will be presented at the 44th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago as an oral presentation.

2 Jun 2008

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals updates on Bavituximab breast cancer study

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced that results from a Phase I clinical trial of its lead anti-phosphatidylserine (anti-PS) antibody bavituximab in combination with chemotherapy in patients with advanced cancer were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

2 Jun 2008

Novel chemo drug helps treat prostate cancer

Men with a certain type of prostate cancer have been shown to respond to a new chemotherapy drug, Sagopilone, plus prednisone in an international trial led by Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute researchers.

1 Jun 2008

First patient enrolled in phase III study of Bevacizumab and Trastuzumab in early breast cancer

A new international study for women with HER2-positive breast cancer is open for enrollment. The pivotal BETH (BEvacizumab and Trastuzumab Adjuvant Therapy in HER2-positive Breast Cancer) study is a Phase III clinical research trial that is investigating the benefits of combining two monoclonal antibodies, the anti-angiogenic, bevacizumab (Avastin) and the targeted therapy trastuzumab (Herceptin), together with chemotherapy for the treatment of patients with early stage HER2-positive breast cancer.

27 May 2008