Tagged News
Fujifilm Validates Novel Peptide-Oligonucleotide Conjugates for Targeted Cancer Cell Delivery
• Fujifilm has successfully validated peptide-oligonucleotide conjugates that selectively target cancer cells, utilizing cyclic peptides from their proprietary library containing trillions of variants.
• The company developed a cyclic peptide that binds strongly to integrins overexpressed on cancer cell surfaces with a low dissociation constant of 1.6 nM, enabling higher cellular uptake compared to non-conjugated oligonucleotides.
• This breakthrough addresses delivery challenges in oligonucleotide-based therapies and will be presented at TIDES USA 2025 in San Diego, highlighting Fujifilm's expansion of global drug discovery services for peptide therapeutics.
Gustave Roussy Launches UMBRELLA Trial: Using Blood-Based Tumor DNA to Revolutionize Cancer Follow-Up Care
• Gustave Roussy has initiated UMBRELLA, a groundbreaking phase III trial that personalizes post-treatment cancer monitoring based on minimal residual disease (MRD) detected through blood-based circulating tumor DNA analysis.
• The trial will evaluate two strategies: pre-emptive immunotherapy (tislelizumab) for MRD-positive patients and reduced follow-up schedules for MRD-negative patients with non-metastatic lung, colorectal, pancreatic, and soft tissue sarcomas.
• UMBRELLA represents the first French multi-cancer trial using MRD status for therapeutic stratification, aiming to enroll over 700 patients across 10-11 centers in a collaborative effort involving Veracyte, IntegraGen, and BeiGene.
Related Clinical Trials:
Gustave Roussy, Cancer Campus, Grand Paris
Posted 4/16/2025
Surgical Robotics Advance: EndoQuest and Virtuoso Begin First Human Trials for Minimally Invasive Procedures
• EndoQuest Robotics has initiated its pivotal Paradigm trial for an endoluminal robotic system designed to perform endoscopic submucosal dissection for colorectal lesions through natural body openings.
• Virtuoso Surgical has successfully completed first-in-human procedures using its robotic endoscopy system with needle-sized manipulators to perform en bloc bladder tumor resections at The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
• Both robotic systems aim to address technical challenges in minimally invasive procedures, potentially reducing the need for more invasive surgeries and improving patient outcomes.
CytomX Doses First Patient in Combination Trial of CX-801 with Keytruda for Metastatic Melanoma
• CytomX Therapeutics has dosed the first patient in a Phase 1 trial combining its masked interferon alpha-2b (CX-801) with Merck's Keytruda in patients with metastatic melanoma.
• The novel combination aims to address the high unmet need in PD-1 refractory melanoma by localizing interferon's potent immune-stimulating effects to tumors while minimizing systemic toxicities.
• Initial Phase 1a translational and biomarker data from this study are expected in the second half of 2025, potentially advancing a new approach in combination immuno-oncology therapy.
Related Clinical Trials:
CytomX Therapeutics
Posted 8/30/2024
Johnson & Johnson and Karolinska Institutet Celebrate Decade of Collaboration Advancing Medical Innovations
• The ten-year partnership between Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine and Karolinska Institutet has yielded significant scientific advances across nine disease areas, with researchers working side by side since 2015.
• Over 150 researchers have participated in the collaboration, producing more than 30 scientific papers and 50 presentations at international conferences, focusing on critical medical needs in oncology, neurology, immunology, and ophthalmology.
• The partnership exemplifies successful innovation through academic-industry collaboration, with both organizations now exploring new opportunities to develop innovative therapies for complex conditions like Alzheimer's disease and cancer.
Astellas to Present New Long-Term Survival Data for Cancer Therapies at ASCO 2025
• Astellas will showcase 16 abstracts at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting, including two oral presentations highlighting long-term survival data for its oncology portfolio.
• New post-hoc analyses will feature five-year overall survival data for XTANDI (enzalutamide) in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer and exploratory analyses for PADCEV (enfortumab vedotin) in urothelial cancer.
• The presentations underscore Astellas' commitment to delivering meaningful clinical outcomes for patients with advanced prostate and bladder cancers through innovative treatment approaches.
Related Clinical Trials:
University of Sydney
Posted 3/1/2014
Astellas Pharma Global Development, Inc.
Posted 3/9/2016
Evolving Treatment Landscape for Metastatic Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer: Beyond ADT Monotherapy
• Current 2025 guidelines for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) recommend androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with intensification, marking a significant shift from ADT monotherapy.
• Multiple evidence-based intensification options including abiraterone, darolutamide, and docetaxel have demonstrated survival benefits and delayed disease progression in key clinical trials such as ARANOTE, ARASENS, and TITAN.
• Treatment selection can now be tailored based on individual patient characteristics and preferences, with all intensification approaches showing superior outcomes compared to ADT alone.
Scientific Breakthrough Reveals How Alpha1H Targets Bladder Cancer Cells
• Hamlet BioPharma and Lund University researchers have discovered that Alpha1H, a bladder cancer drug candidate, targets the endoplasmic reticulum in tumor cells, causing it to collapse like a net around toxic components.
• The mechanism explains Alpha1H's ability to kill cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue, as it prevents leakage of harmful substances from dying tumor cells into surrounding areas.
• This breakthrough provides scientific validation for Alpha1H's efficacy and safety profile, strengthening its market position and potential applications in treating the 600,000 people affected by bladder cancer annually.
DexTech Medical Secures European Patent for OsteoDex GMP Manufacturing Until 2045
• DexTech Medical has received European patent approval for the GMP manufacturing process of OsteoDex, their lead candidate for treating castration-resistant prostate cancer.
• The newly granted patent extends market exclusivity until 2045, significantly strengthening the company's position in ongoing partnership and licensing negotiations.
• This patent approval represents a critical milestone for the continued clinical development of OsteoDex following its completed Phase 2 trials.
Massalia Therapeutics Launches with Seed Funding to Target Fibrosis-Neoplasm-Neovascularization Interface
• Massalia Therapeutics has launched as a biotechnology spin-off from Aix-Marseille University's C2VN Institute, backed by seed financing to develop its novel SANF factor therapeutic platform.
• The company's proprietary SANF (Soluble Angiogenic Neoplastic and Fibrotic) factor targets the critical intersection of fibrosis, neoplasm, and neovascularization, representing a potential paradigm shift in treatment approaches.
• With preclinical testing complete, Massalia plans to begin first-in-human trials within six months and advance toward IND-enabling studies, leveraging 20 years of research by co-founders Dr. Marcel Blot-Chabaud and Professor Nathalie Bardin.