News

Harold Varmus, MD, may be stepping down as director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the end of March, but in an interview with Targeted Oncology, he made it clear that he is not retiring.

Through a $21 billion acquisition of Pharmacyclics, AbbVie has announced plans to acquire the blockbuster BTK inhibitor ibrutinib (Imbruvica).

The FDA has approved nivolumab (Opdivo) for the treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The approval comes 3 months ahead of the FDA’s scheduled decision date.

Two recently published studies have reported discoveries that could eventually lead to improved outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer.

The FDA has accepted a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for ipilimumab (Yervoy) as an adjuvant treatment of patients with stage III melanoma at high risk of recurrence following complete resection.

Carfilzomib (Kyprolis) doubled progression-free survival (PFS) versus bortezomib (Velcade) in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma in the phase III ENDEAVOR trial.

Nivolumab (Opdivo) has been granted a priority review for use in patients with previously treated, advanced, squamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Response rates to standard platinum-based chemotherapy among patients with the clear cell subtype of ovarian cancer are especially low, necessitating new treatment targets.

The FDA has approved panobinostat (Farydak) in combination with bortezomib (Velcade) and dexamethasone for patients with previously treated multiple myeloma.

Many patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have no identifiable mutations, and therefore their disease cannot be managed with targeted treatments.

The MEK inhibitor cobimetinib has received an FDA priority review for use in combination with the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib (Zelboraf) to treat patients with BRAF V600–positive advanced melanoma.

Ibrutinib (Imbruvica) showed promising activity in heavily pretreated, relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT).

Lenalidomide (Revlimid) plus dexamethasone has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma who are not candidates for stem cell transplant, based on findings from the phase III FIRST trial.

The oral multikinase inhibitor motesanib failed to meet the primary endpoint of improving progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the phase III MONET-A trial.

To gain insight into the integration of olaparib (Lynparza) into clinical practice, Targeted Oncology interviewed Ursula A. Matulonis, MD, medical director of gynecologic oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Novartis Oncology hopes to overcome many of these challenges with the innovative Signature Clinical Trial program, which “bring[s] the ‘Protocol to the Patient.

Amgen and its subsidiary Onyx Pharmaceuticals have submitted an sNDA to the FDA for the full regulatory approval of carfilzomib (Kyprolis) as a treatment for patients with relapsed multiple myeloma.

An orphan drug designation has been granted to Reolysin (wild-type reovirus) for the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer.

The FDA has approved lenvatinib (Lenvima) as a treatment for patients with progressive, radioactive iodine (RAI)-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC).

An international team of scientists has shed additional light on the important role of Yes-associated protein (YAP) in tumor development and in treatment response.

The FDA has scheduled a hearing to discuss the biologics license application (BLA) for the immunotherapy talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) as a treatment for patients with metastatic melanoma.

The proteasome inhibitor ixazomib (MLN9708) met its primary endpoint of improving PFS at a prespecified interim analysis of a phase III trial of patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Targeted agents have become available in recent years to treat many major cancers, but for women with ovarian cancer, standard treatment following cytoreductive surgery remains systemic intravenous/intraperitoneal chemotherapy with a platinum agent and a taxane. Approximately 80% of women who receive first-line treatment with this platinum-based regimen experience relapsed disease. However, early research indicates that more and better options may be on the way.

The risk of death was significantly reduced for patients with BRAFV600E/K mutation-positive metastatic melanoma treated with dabrafenib and trametinib compared with dabrafenib alone.

Representatives Diana DeGette (D, Colorado) and Fred Upton (R, Michigan) recently released a "discussion draft" of the 21st Century Cures Act.

Genentech, the manufacturer of obinutuzumab, plans to file for FDA and EMA approval after a phase III study of the anti-CD20 agent in indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (iNHL) garnered positive results in an interim analysis.

Acting two months ahead of its deadline, the FDA granted an accelerated approval to palbociclib (Ibrance) as a first-line treatment for patients with ER-positive metastatic breast cancer.

During the past year, many corporations, academic institutions, and government health organizations announced new funding or collaborative efforts totaling billions of dollars to identify genetic targets for novel cancer therapies.