Taxol News and Research

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Taxol is a drug used to treat breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma. It is also used together with another drug to treat non-small cell lung cancer. Taxol is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. It blocks cell growth by stopping cell division and may kill cancer cells. It is a type of antimitotic agent. Also called paclitaxel.

Suppressing STARD9 protein could be a novel strategy to fight cancers

Suppressing a newly identified and characterized protein involved in regulating cell division could be a novel strategy to fight certain cancers because it stops the malignant cells from dividing and causes them to die quickly, according to a study by researchers with UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

12 Dec 2011

Researchers pinpoint cancer-fighting potential in bat plant

In a new study published this month in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, researchers with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have pinpointed the cancer-fighting potential in the bat plant, or Tacca chantrieri.

23 Nov 2011

Scientists achieve major step toward goal of producing synthetic Taxol

Taxanes are a family of compounds that includes one of the most important cancer drugs ever discovered, Taxol, among other cancer treatments. But the difficulty producing these complex molecules in the lab has hampered or blocked exploration of the family for further drug leads. Now, a group of Scripps Research Institute scientists has successfully achieved a major step toward the goal of synthetically producing Taxol and other complex taxanes on a quest to harness chemical reactions that could enable research on previously unavailable potential drugs.

7 Nov 2011

Merrimack begins MM-121 Phase 2 combination trial in HER2-negative breast cancer

Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that the first patient has been dosed in a randomized Phase 2 clinical trial of MM-121, a fully human monoclonal antibody that targets ErbB3, combined with paclitaxel in the neoadjuvant setting of HER2-negative breast cancer patients.

12 Oct 2011

Preclinical studies shows EmPAC more effective than Taxol

Cornerstone Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced the publication of data from preclinical studies on EmPAC™, its nanoparticle reformulation of paclitaxel, in the August issue of the Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. The publication highlights data demonstrating improved safety and efficacy of EmPAC™ versus Taxol®, the generic formulation of paclitaxel and one of the most widely prescribed chemotherapies. EmPAC™ is a nanoemulsion formulation of Paclitaxel and is the lead product candidate of Cornerstone’s proprietary Emulsiphan™ cancer selective delivery nanotechnology platform. Taxol®, an injectable formulation of Paclitaxel, is currently used to treat a variety of cancers, including ovarian carcinomas, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma.

19 Sep 2011

FDA grants Fast Track designation for DARA's KRN5500 neuropathic pain relief drug

DARA BioSciences, Inc. announced today that its investigational drug KRN5500 has been granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain in patients with cancer.

19 Aug 2011

Controversy over F.D.A.-Avastin decision to reignite June 28-29 with new round of hearings

Controversy over the F.D.A.'s proposal to withdraw approval of Avastin for breast cancer treatment will reignite June 28-29 with a new round of hearings. One oncologist who will be monitoring the hearings is Dr. Frederick C. Tucker Jr. of Fredericksburg Oncology in Virginia, whose recent New York Times op ed defended the F.D.A.'s position on scientific grounds.

18 Jun 2011

Positive interim results from CTI's OPAXIO-TMZ phase II trial on malignant brain tumors presented at ASCO

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. announced encouraging interim results of a phase II clinical study of OPAXIO combined with temozolomide and radiotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed high-grade malignant brain tumors.

6 Jun 2011

Final analysis of AVEO's tivozanib Phase 2 trial on kidney cancer patients presented at ASCO 2011

AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced data from the final analysis of its Phase 2 randomized discontinuation trial evaluating tivozanib, its lead product candidate designed to optimally block the VEGF pathway by inhibiting all three VEGF receptors, in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma.

2 Jun 2011

NCNPR and Cancer Institute in Jackson partner for anti-cancer drug research

A new partnership to search for cancer-fighting drugs combines compound-identification and screening expertise at the University of Mississippi's National Center for Natural Products Research with the drug development and clinical-trials capabilities at the University of Mississippi Medical Center Cancer Institute.

18 May 2011

Anti-cancer drug discovery partnership formed between UMMC Cancer Institute and Natural Products Center

A new partnership to search for cancer-fighting drugs combines compound-identification and screening expertise at the University of Mississippi’s National Center for Natural Products Research with the drug development and clinical-trials capabilities at the University of Mississippi Medical Center Cancer Institute.

18 May 2011

Abcc10 might help counter resistance and extend effectiveness of anticancer drugs

Today's anticancer drugs often work wonders against malignancies, but sometimes tumors become resistant to the effects of such drugs, and treatment fails. Medical researchers would like to find ways of counteracting such resistance, but first they must understand why and how it happens.

17 May 2011

New York Academy of Sciences and Zeltia to host marine drug discovery forum on May 20, 2011

Substances produced by living organisms found in nature-so-called "natural products"-have played a critical role in the development of drugs for life-threatening conditions. The anticancer agent Taxol was sourced from a plant, penicillin from a fungus, and a number of recent breakthroughs have resulted in the development and approval of anticancer drugs derived from marine sources such as coral and sponges.

16 May 2011

Tosedostat and OPAXIO study results to be presented at ASCO Annual Meeting

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. announced that data from a study with OPAXIO, in patients with newly diagnosed high-grade gliomas, and interim results from a study of tosedostat in elderly patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia, will be presented at the 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, which will be held June 3-7, 2011, in Chicago, Illinois. Both studies were selected for oral poster discussion sessions.

12 May 2011

Synta presents ganetespib and elesclomol study data in cancer at AACR meeting

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. today presented five posters at the American Association for Cancer Research 102nd Annual Meeting. Three posters reported results from studies of ganetespib, and two posters reported results from studies of elesclomol, a small-molecule mitochondria metabolism inhibitor.

5 Apr 2011

Molecular pharmacologist receives AACR Award for cancer research

Susan Band Horwitz, Ph.D., will receive the Eighth Annual AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research. Horwitz conducted pioneering research by discovering the mechanism of action of the chemotherapeutic drug paclitaxel, which prompted the development of this drug as an important therapy for many common solid tumors, including ovarian, breast, and lung carcinomas.

28 Mar 2011

Updated NCCN Guidelines for Ovarian Cancer outline new treatment options for women

Although finding effective screening tools remains a priority, new treatment options for women with ovarian cancer, such as the ones outlined in the updated NCCN Guidelines for Ovarian Cancer, are vital to making steady progress against the disease according to Robert J. Morgan, MD, of City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center and chair of the NCCN Guidelines Panel for Ovarian Cancer.

16 Mar 2011

Updated NCCN Guidelines for Breast Cancer outline expanded treatment options

Women with metastatic breast cancer have expanded treatment options for treating the disease and in the prevention of skeletal-related events as outlined in the recently updated NCCN Guidelines™ for Breast Cancer. Robert W. Carlson, MD, of Stanford Comprehensive Cancer Center and chair of the NCCN Guidelines Panel for Breast Cancer, presented these and other notable updates to the NCCN Guidelines at the NCCN 16th Annual Conference on March 10, 2011.

11 Mar 2011

American Journal of Clinical Oncology publishes CTI's OPAXIO phase II results against esophageal cancer

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that updated phase II study results of OPAXIO in patients with advanced esophageal cancer conducted by the Brown University Oncology Group were published in the February 3, 2011 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Oncology, Dipetrillo, et al., which demonstrate that 38% of the patients receiving OPAXIO in combination with cisplatin and concurrent radiation achieved a pathologic or endoscopic complete response.

23 Feb 2011

Astellas, AVEO enter development, commercialization agreement for tivozanib

Astellas Pharma Inc., a global pharmaceutical company, and AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that they have entered into a worldwide agreement outside of Asia to develop and commercialize tivozanib, AVEO's lead product candidate designed to optimally block the VEGF pathway by inhibiting all three VEGF receptors, for the treatment of a broad range of cancers.

17 Feb 2011