Tagged News
Minghui Pharmaceutical Initiates Phase II Trial Combining PD-1xVEGF Bispecific with TROP-2 ADC for Advanced NSCLC
• Minghui Pharmaceutical has dosed the first patient in a Phase II trial evaluating the combination of MHB039A (PD-1xVEGF bispecific antibody) and MHB036C (TROP-2 ADC) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients.
• MHB039A demonstrated full blocking activities against both targets with superior PD-1 activity compared to competitors, while MHB036C showed promising anti-tumor activity in heavily pre-treated NSCLC and breast cancer patients.
• The novel combination approach aims to achieve more robust and durable anti-tumor responses, potentially reshaping standard-of-care treatment paradigms for NSCLC and other solid tumors.
Safety Concerns Emerge for Gold-Based Cisplatin Mimics in Cancer Treatment Development
• Researchers from King's College London and Jagannath University discovered that gold-based cisplatin mimics contain a mixture of potentially dangerous isomers rather than a pure compound as previously believed for over 60 years.
• The gold(III) dithiocarbamate compounds, which promised fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy, were found to produce positively charged molecules instead of the neutral ones reported in previous studies.
• This finding challenges nearly 100 scientific publications and raises significant safety concerns as these compounds have not been properly tested for toxicity in their actual mixed form.
Novel Drug Combination Shows Promise for B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia with Reduced Toxicity
• Cambridge researchers have developed a promising combination therapy using venetoclax and inobrodib that effectively targets B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), potentially reducing the need for toxic chemotherapy.
• The drug combination works by exploiting cancer cell metabolism, triggering ferroptotic cell death even in cells resistant to venetoclax alone, offering new hope for both pediatric and adult patients.
• Unlike current treatments that require over two years of chemotherapy or risky procedures like bone marrow transplants, this oral therapy could provide a less toxic alternative while maintaining effectiveness.
VERAXA Biotech Appoints Oncology Veteran Rick Austin as Chief Scientific Officer to Advance Novel Cancer Therapies
• Dr. Rick Austin, with over 25 years of oncology drug development experience, joins VERAXA Biotech as Chief Scientific Officer to advance the company's BiTAC platform and clinical-stage pipeline.
• Austin brings extensive expertise from leadership roles at Harpoon Therapeutics, Amgen, and Tularik, where he led tumor immunology projects and enabled numerous IND filings and first-in-human studies.
• VERAXA, an emerging leader in novel cancer therapies and proposed acquisition target of Voyager Acquisition Corp., aims to leverage Austin's expertise to expand therapeutic windows for antibody drug conjugates and T-cell engagers.
Pfizer Enters $6 Billion Licensing Deal with China's 3SBio for Novel Cancer Drug
• Pfizer has secured global rights (excluding China) to 3SBio's experimental cancer drug SSGJ-707 for $1.25 billion upfront, with potential additional payments of up to $4.8 billion based on developmental milestones.
• SSGJ-707 is currently being evaluated for multiple cancer types including non-small cell lung cancer, metastatic colorectal cancer, and gynecological tumors, with Phase III trials in China planned to begin this year.
• The deal includes a $100 million equity investment in 3SBio by Pfizer, with manufacturing planned at Pfizer's facilities in North Carolina and Kansas following FDA clearance of the Investigational New Drug application.
Gabapentin Shows Promise in Extending Survival for Glioblastoma Patients, Mass General Brigham Study Reveals
• A retrospective analysis by Mass General Brigham and UCSF researchers found that glioblastoma patients taking gabapentin lived 4-6 months longer than those who didn't receive the medication.
• The common anti-seizure and pain medication appears to interfere with thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), a protein that gliomas use to integrate into neural circuits and fuel tumor growth.
• Researchers observed lower levels of TSP-1 in the blood of gabapentin-treated patients, suggesting a biologically plausible mechanism that could lead to randomized clinical trials.
FDA Questions Pfizer's Approach to Expand Talzenna's Indication in Prostate Cancer
• The FDA has raised concerns about Pfizer's strategy to expand Talzenna's indication to all castration-resistant prostate cancer patients, questioning the reliance on an "incompletely defined" subgroup without HRR gene mutations.
• Pfizer is seeking to broaden Talzenna's current first-line indication from only HRR-mutated castration-resistant prostate cancer to an all-comers population, representing a significant potential market expansion.
• The regulatory scrutiny highlights ongoing challenges in precision medicine approaches and biomarker-based treatment strategies in oncology drug development.
FDA Advisory Committee Rejects Pfizer's Talzenna Expansion for Broader Prostate Cancer Population
• Pfizer's application to expand Talzenna's indication to all castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients was rejected by FDA's advisory committee due to insufficient data in biomarker-negative patients.
• The company sought to broaden Talzenna's current approval beyond patients with HRR gene mutations, but FDA questioned the reliance on an "incompletely defined" subgroup analysis.
• FDA oncology chief Richard Pazdur emphasized that chance effects could not be ruled out due to the lack of a formal efficacy analysis in patients without HRR mutations.
Breakthrough in Platelet Engineering Opens New Avenues for Targeted Drug Delivery
• University of Illinois researchers have successfully applied metabolic glycan labeling to platelets for the first time, overcoming the challenge of engineering these nucleus-free cell fragments.
• The novel chemical approach allows scientists to attach tags to platelet surfaces within hours, both in laboratory settings and living organisms, creating potential vehicles for targeted drug delivery.
• This breakthrough could revolutionize treatment for cancer, immune diseases, and blood clotting disorders, with the added benefit that platelets' short half-life ensures drugs clear from the body within days.
Taiwan to Expand National Health Insurance Coverage for Cancer Immunotherapies and Targeted Drugs
• Taiwan's National Health Insurance Administration will expand coverage to include three types of cancer immunotherapies for lung, colorectal, and breast cancers, benefiting up to 3,400 patients starting June 2025.
• The expansion will also cover two PARP inhibitors (olaparib and niraparib) for treating five cancer types, including ovarian, fallopian tube, peritoneal, breast, and prostate cancers, helping approximately 775 additional patients.
• Patients could save between NT$1.71 million to NT$2.47 million annually in medical expenses, with the government allocating NT$3.295 billion from a dedicated cancer fund for immunotherapies.