Melanoma News and Research

Latest Melanoma News and Research

Research reveals how cancers shield themselves from immune attack

Melanoma, if not detected in its early stages, transforms into a highly deadly, treatment-resistant cancer. Although the immune system initially responds to melanoma and mounts anti-tumor attacks, these assaults are generally ineffective, allowing more advanced melanomas to win the battle and spread beyond the primary site.

13 Jan 2010

Abraxis Bioscience awards John Wayne Cancer Institute $1M grant for identifying new cancer biomarkers

A $1 million grant from Abraxis Bioscience, Inc. to a world-famous research laboratory at John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center could help save lives of cancer patients by helping doctors more rapidly assess whether a treatment is working or not.

12 Jan 2010

Plexxikon commences dosing in PLX4032 Phase 3 trial for metastatic melanoma

Plexxikon Inc. announces that enrollment has been initiated and the first patient has been dosed in a pivotal Phase 3 trial of PLX4032 (RG7204) in patients with metastatic melanoma. PLX4032 is a novel, oral and highly targeted drug that is designed to inhibit the BRAF cancer-causing mutation that occurs in about 50 percent of melanomas and about eight percent of all solid tumors. The randomized, controlled, Phase 3 “BRAF Inhibitor in Melanoma” (BRIM3) trial in previously untreated patients is part of the planned registration program for PLX4032.

9 Jan 2010

Zebrafish publishes special issue on cancer biology

The zebrafish, a translucent fish often used as a model of human development and disease, offers unique advantages for studying the cause, growth, and spread of tumors using strategies and methods presented in the current "Cancer Biology" special issue of Zebrafish, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (www.liebertpub.com). The entire issue is available free online at www.liebertpub.com/zeb

8 Jan 2010

ZymoGenetics announces pricing of public offering of 14,000,000 shares

ZymoGenetics, Inc. today announced that it has priced an underwritten public offering of 14,000,000 shares of its common stock at a price of $6.00 per share. Net proceeds, after estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated expenses, will be approximately $79,000,000.

8 Jan 2010

Breakthrough findings could lead to new treatments for prostate, brain and skin cancers

Researchers at the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research of the Jewish General Hospital and McGill University in Montreal have discovered a previously unsuspected link between two different genetic pathways which suppress the growth of cancer tumours.

8 Jan 2010

Pfizer and Debiopharm Group enter into co-development agreement to conduct Phase 3 trial of tremelimumab

Pfizer Inc. (Pfizer) and Debiopharm Group™ (Debiopharm) announced today that they have entered into a co-development agreement to conduct a Phase 3 trial of tremelimumab (CP675,206), a fully human anti-CTLA4 monoclonal antibody for the treatment of patients with unresectable, Stage IV melanoma.

8 Jan 2010

Interactive Data to serve as MFAC's Foundation Partner for 2010

Mutual Funds Against Cancer (MFAC), one of the leading advocates in the fight against cancer within the mutual fund and financial services industries, today announced that Interactive Data Corporation (NYSE: IDC), a leading provider of financial market data, analytics and related solutions, will serve as its Foundation Partner for 2010.

7 Jan 2010

BioVex's Phase 3 melanoma study amended to include first line patients

BioVex Inc, a company developing new generation biologics for the treatment of cancer and prevention of infectious disease, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has agreed that BioVex's ongoing OPTiM clinical study in unresectable Stage IIIb-IV melanoma be amended to include untreated (i.e., first line) patients as well as previously treated patients as defined in the original protocol.

7 Jan 2010

Health Canada approves Zyclara Cream for multiple actinic keratoses

Health Canada has approved Zyclara™ (imiquimod) Cream 3.75%, a topical prescription treatment for multiple actinic keratoses (AK) located on the face or balding scalp in adults. Actinic Keratosis is a common skin condition that can lead to squamous cell carcinoma, a form of non-melanoma skin cancer, if left untreated.

6 Jan 2010

Anti-inflammatory prescription drug reduces the risk of common skin cancer in humans

A widely-available anti-inflammatory prescription drug can reduce the risk of a common skin cancer in humans, according to a researcher at Stanford's School of Medicine.

5 Jan 2010

Phase 3 trial of figitumumab discontinued by Pfizer

Pfizer Inc. announced today the discontinuation of A4021016 (also known as ADVIGO 1016), a Phase 3 trial examining the effects of investigational compound figitumumab (CP-751,871) as first-line treatment in patients with advanced non-adenocarcinoma non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) due to the study meeting predefined boundaries for early termination.

30 Dec 2009

Self-seeding process of cancer cells can enhance tumor growth, says study

Cancer progression is commonly thought of as a process involving the growth of a primary tumor followed by metastasis, in which cancer cells leave the primary tumor and spread to distant organs.

27 Dec 2009

E2F1 transcription factor inhibition reduces EGFR expression and invasive potential of melanoma cells

Inhibition of transcription factor E2F1 reduced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression and reduced the invasive potential but not proliferation of metastatic melanoma cells, according to a brief communication published online December 23 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

24 Dec 2009

Synta Pharmaceuticals initiates STA-9090 Phase 2 clinical trial for GIST

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp., a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing small molecule drugs to treat severe medical conditions, today announced that it is initiating a Phase 2 clinical study of STA-9090 in patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). This is the sixth clinical study of STA-9090, a potent, synthetic, small molecule Hsp90 inhibitor with a novel chemical structure.

23 Dec 2009

New project analyzes genetic sequence and variations of every gene expressed by 1,000 tumors

No two tumors are alike, but analyzing the genetics of cancers from different parts of the body may reveal surprising details useful for treatment and prevention.

22 Dec 2009

AADA lauds indoor tanning tax in the health system reform legislation

The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA) applauds the decision of the U.S. Senate to substitute a 10 percent federal excise tax on indoor tanning services for the proposed tax on cosmetic procedures in the Senate's health system reform legislation (H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordability Act of 2009). The indoor tanning tax, as proposed to Senate leadership by the AADA, furthers its goal of promoting wellness and prevention, and removes the harmful unintended consequences associated with a tax on cosmetic surgery procedures.

22 Dec 2009

Persistent disparities exist in melanoma diagnosis

White and Hispanic individuals are being diagnosed with melanoma more frequently in recent years, whereas Hispanic and black patients continue to have advanced skin cancer at diagnosis, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

22 Dec 2009

Heart transplant patients face increased risk for skin cancers

Many heart transplant patients develop multiple skin cancers, with increased risk for some skin cancers among patients with other cancers and with increasing age, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

22 Dec 2009

ZymoGenetics restructures license and collaboration agreements on RECOTHROM

ZymoGenetics, Inc. today announced a restructuring of the U.S. co-promotion and ex-U.S. license and collaboration agreements with Bayer Schering Pharma AG and Bayer HealthCare relating to RECOTHROM® Thrombin, topical (Recombinant).

21 Dec 2009