Cancer News and Research

Latest Cancer News and Research

Study: PROSTVAC-VF vaccine effective in treating patients with metastatic prostate cancer

In a newly published clinical trial, patients with metastatic prostate cancer who received a vaccine of harmless poxviruses engineered to spur an immune system attack on prostate tumor cells lived substantially longer than patients who received a placebo vaccine, report researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and affiliated organizations.

27 Jan 2010

Burnham renamed to honor T. Denny Sanford's support

Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham) announced today that philanthropist T. Denny Sanford has pledged $50 million to support and further expand and accelerate the Institute's leading-edge medical research. To honor Sanford, Burnham, has been renamed the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. This is the second gift Sanford has made to Burnham. In 2007, he directed $20 million through Sanford Health to create the Sanford Children's Health Research Center at Burnham.

27 Jan 2010

Asan Medical Center, Chemizon enter into multi-year research collaboration agreement

Asan Medical Center and Chemizon, the drug discovery division of Optomagic, Co. Ltd., announced today that they have entered into a multi-year research collaboration to discover and develop novel, small molecule oncology therapeutics.

27 Jan 2010

Health Canada approves first post-surgical treatment for patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumours

Patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) can now take action at an earlier stage of this rare form of cancer to reduce the risk of their disease returning following surgery. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada announced today that Gleevec* (imatinib mesylate) has received conditional approval by Health Canada for the adjuvant (post-surgical) treatment of adult patients who are at intermediate to high risk of disease recurrence following the surgical removal of GIST.

27 Jan 2010

Resveratrol supplements may offer potential benefits for cancer patients

For years, consumers and natural health advocates have been convinced of the benefits of resveratrol, the healthy by-product of red-wine grapes, but recently, the National Cancer Institute decided it was time to investigate further.

27 Jan 2010

Radient Pharmaceuticals' business plan submitted to NYSE Amex

US-based pharmaceutical company Radient Pharmaceuticals Corporation (RPC) announced today it has submitted a business plan to the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") Amex demonstrating its ability to achieve compliance with continued listing standards.

27 Jan 2010

MDRNA granted Chinese patent for use of nucleic acids in cancer treatment

MDRNA, Inc., a leading RNAi-based drug discovery and development company, today announced that the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China (PRC) has issued a Notification of Granting Patent Rights for PRC 200480018784 which includes the use of nucleic acids, e.g., an siRNA, for the treatment of cancer. The patent describes modulation of claudins, which are proteins implicated in tumor progression and metastasis.

27 Jan 2010

Blue Foundation announces grants to improve Florida’s healthcare system

The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida, the philanthropic affiliate of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF), is announcing grants to 11 Florida nonprofits that improve the health of in-need Floridians across the state. The grants are part of The Blue Foundation's biannual IMPACT Health Care (Improving Access to Health Care) grants program.

27 Jan 2010

NCCN updates the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines for Oncology for Ovarian Cancer

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recently updated the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines for Oncology™ for Ovarian Cancer to reflect the addition of two preferred combination regimens for a specific cohort of patients based on data from recent clinical research studies.

27 Jan 2010

CT colonography remains an effective colorectal cancer screening tool for older individual

Computed tomographic colonography (CTC), also known as virtual colonoscopy, remains effective in screening older patients for colorectal cancer (CRC), produces low referral for colonoscopy rates similar to other screening exams now covered by Medicare, and does not result in unreasonable levels of additional testing resulting from extracolonic findings, according to a study published in the February issue of Radiology.

27 Jan 2010

Prometheus Laboratories executes commercialization agreement with Novartis

Prometheus Laboratories Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical and diagnostic company, today announced the execution of a commercialization agreement with Novartis under which Prometheus acquired exclusive rights to distribute, promote and sell PROLEUKIN® (aldesleukin) in the United States.

27 Jan 2010

EpiCept's NP-1 for treatment of PHN receives FDA orphan drug designation

EpiCept Corporation announced today that EpiCeptTM NP-1 has been granted orphan drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). NP-1 is a prescription topical analgesic cream designed to provide long-term relief from the pain of peripheral neuropathies.

27 Jan 2010

Oxford Journals, IDSA sign new publishing partnership

Oxford Journals, a division of Oxford University Press, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), a leading professional society, have announced a new publishing partnership for IDSA's highly cited and internationally prestigious journals: Clinical Infectious Diseases (CID) and The Journal of Infectious Diseases (JID).

27 Jan 2010

Eating green leafy vegetables could reverse the effects of aflatoxin poisoning

Not only are the vitamins and minerals good for you, but eating greens could also save your life, according to a recent study led by the National Nuclear Security Administration's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists.

27 Jan 2010

Cornerstone Pharmaceuticals closes $6.17M Series B-4 private equity financing

Cornerstone Pharmaceuticals Inc., a privately held, clinical stage oncology-focused pharmaceutical company, has announced the closing of its Series B-4 private equity financing of $6,175,000. The Company plans to use the proceeds for its on-going phase I/II clinical trials of its lead cancer drug--CPI-613, research and development, and general corporate purposes.

27 Jan 2010

Neoprobe completes license amendment with The Dow Chemical

Neoprobe Corporation, a diversified developer of innovative oncology surgical and diagnostic products, announced today that it has completed a license amendment with The Dow Chemical Company for a variety of antibodies used in its proprietary surgical oncology system called radioimmunoguided surgery or RIGS®.

27 Jan 2010

People with higher levels of vitamin D less likely to develop bowel cancer

People with higher levels of vitamin D appear to be significantly less likely to develop bowel cancer, a new European study has found.

27 Jan 2010

Merck to appeal against U.S. court's ruling in TEMODAR patent infringement lawsuit

Merck & Co., Inc. announced today that the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware ruled against the company in a patent infringement suit against Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc.

27 Jan 2010

Florida, California, Kansas eyeing cuts in Medicaid funding

The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports that as the recession continues to increase the number of people without jobs, many more are seeking health care through the state's Medicaid program, "driving up costs and playing a major role in a potential $3 billion state budget shortfall next year.

27 Jan 2010