Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Lifespan renew alliance
Boston-based Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Providence, R.I.-based Lifespan agreed to renew their strategic alliance, the systems said March 23.
Oncology
First Ukrainian pediatric cancer patients arrive at St. Jude
Memphis,Tenn.-based St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital became the first hospital in the U.S. to receive patients from Ukraine, the hospital said March 22.
Sanofi backs precision oncology firm Nucleai in $33m fundraising
Israeli startup Nucleai has raised $33 million in a second-round financing that will be used to further its work on using artificial intelligence and spatial […]
Bayer backs KRAS TCR player Affini-T in $175m financing
Bayer’s venture capital unit has co-led a $175 million investment in Affini-T that will be used to take its T cell receptor (TCR) therapies for […]
Keytruda encroaches on Jemperli’s endometrial cancer territory
Merck & Co’s KEYNOTE-158 trial of Keytruda has underpinned another FDA approval, this time for the PD-1 inhibitor as a single-agent therapy as a therapy […]
Massey Cancer Center 1st in Virginia to offer MRI-guided therapy
Richmond, Va.-based VCU Massey Cancer Center recently became the first cancer center in the state to offer a novel MRI-guided radiation therapy for its patients, […]
Dr. Barrie Cassileth, pioneer of new approach to cancer care, dies at 83
Barrie R. Cassileth, PhD, who introduced “complementary” approaches to modern cancer care, died Feb. 26 at the age of 83, The New York Times reported […]
8 recent cancer study findings
Here are eight recent cancer study findings published by Becker’s Hospital Review since Feb. 16:
BMS buys into Volastra’s cancer expertise with $1.1bn alliance
Bristol-Myers Squibb is the first big pharma to strike a deal with Volastra Therapeutics, a start-up that has developed a drug discovery platform based on […]
Precision oncology startup AnHeart Therapeutics co-founder shares cancer drug strategy
AnHeart Therapeutics is developing a pipeline of precision oncology therapeutics. Chief Business Officer and Co-founder Lihua Zheng provided an overview of company’s strategy in response […]
BMS gets FDA OK for first LAG-3 checkpoint inhibitor
Bristol-Myers Squibb has won FDA approval for the first LAG-3 inhibitor drug ahead of its rivals in cancer immunotherapy including Merck & Co. The US […]
ChristianaCare, Wistar Institute partner on cancer research ChristianaCare, Wistar Institute partner on cancer research
Wilmington, Del.-based ChristianaCare and Philadelphia-based Wistar Institute are advancing their partnership through three new research projects.
Merck fights back against Roche in adjuvant lung cancer therapy
Merck & Co’s Keytruda is poised to move even earlier in the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after showing efficacy when […]
Canopy Launches Out of Stealth with $13M for Intelligent Care Platform for Oncology
What You Should Know: – Today, Canopy announced it is launching out of stealth with $13 million in funding to work with leading oncology practices […]
Biden outlines Cancer Moonshot program: 6 things to know
President Joe Biden outlined initial steps on March 17 for the revival of the Cancer Moonshot program, which aim to reduce cancer deaths by 50 […]
Day 3 HIMSS Roundup: Glooko Acquires DIABNEXT, GE Healthcare/AliveCor Integration
Venture Capital, Private Equity, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) Activity Glooko Acquires DIABNEXT® to Expand Diabetes Offerings in France Glooko, a leading provider of remote patient […]
Yale researchers discover new gene fusions in lung, pancreatic cancers
Yale Cancer Center researchers discovered “novel oncogenic gene fusions” in lung and pancreatic cancer, as well as sarcoma, the center said March 15.
Loma Linda U Cancer Center forms transplant, cell therapy division
Loma Linda (Calif.) University Cancer Center has created a division of transplant and cellular therapy, the center said March 15.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to build new pavilion
New York City based-Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is set to build a new 31-story cancer care pavilion on its main campus, the center said […]
Belgium’s Precirix raises €80m to fund radiopharma aspirations
Precirix has raised €80 million ($88 million) in a second-round financing that will be used to advance multiple radiopharmaceutical candidates for cancer through clinical development. […]
Merck trial of Keytruda, Lynparza combo in prostate cancer fails
Merck & Co’s two powerhouse oncology drugs – Keytruda and Lynparza – have failed to show efficacy when used in combination for patients with previously […]
5 oncologists on the move
The following oncologists joined new practices or organizations in the last few weeks:
Dr. Donald Pinkel, 1st medical director of St. Jude Children’s, dies at 95
Donald Pinkel, MD, the founding medical director of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, died March 9 at the age of 95.
Illumina debuts its multi-gene test for cancer in Europe
Gene sequencing specialist Illumina has started rolling out a new test that looks for a battery of tumour-associated genes from a single tissue sample, and […]
Blackstone funds new trials of Sanofi’s Sarclisa in myeloma
Sanofi has agreed a deal with life sciences investor Blackstone to help fund clinical trials of a new formulation of Sarclisa for blood cancer multiple […]
House Rx Secures $30M to Optimize the Specialty Pharmacy Experience for Patients and Their Care Teams
What You Should Know: – Today House Rx, a health technology platform that empowers oncology and rheumatology physician practices with medically integrated dispensing, announced they’ve secured […]
Sour taste for Nektar as bempegaldesleukin flunks ph3 test
Four years ago, Bristol-Myers Squibb paid $1.85 billion upfront to claim rights to Nektar’s bempegaldesleukin, setting it up to be companion drug to its cancer […]
Jefferson Health names new cancer center director
Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health named Andrew Chapman, DO, the director of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center and executive vice president of oncology services, the system said […]
Yale researchers boost cells that fight cancer
Yale Cancer Center researchers discovered a method to “supercharge” cancer-fighting T-cells, which may improve and expand treatment types for new cancers.
Sanofi takes a hit as hotly tipped breast cancer drug fails trial
Shares in Sanofi were on the slide this morning after the drugmaker revealed that one of its top pipeline prospects – selective oestrogen receptor degrader […]
AZ, Merck get FDA okay for Lynparza as adjuvant breast cancer therapy
The FDA has cleared AstraZeneca and Merck & Co’s Lynparza as an adjuvant or neoadjuvant treatment for breast cancer, extending its lead over pretenders to […]
Atrium Health building $69M radiation therapy center
Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health has broken ground on a radiation therapy facility that will offer two new therapies for patients with complex tumors.
Chasing rivals, Bayer files Nubeqa for new prostate cancer use
Bayer has filed for approval to extend the use of its prostate cancer therapy Nubeqa as it tries to achieve labelling parity with rival drugs […]
4 recent cancer center openings, constructions
Here are four hospitals and health systems that have opened new cancer facilities or shared plans to open new centers since Feb. 3.
City of Hope nurses to protest over patient safety concerns
Registered nurses at Duarte, Calif.-based City of Hope will hold a silent protest and press conference March 10 to protest the hospital administration’s “refusal” to […]
NICE says no to Keytruda in triple-negative breast cancer
There isn’t enough evidence to support the use of Merck & Co/MSD’s Keytruda in combination with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for advanced triple negative […]
5 recent oncology partnerships
Five oncology-related partnerships formed since Feb. 15:
Oncologists on the move
The following oncologists joined new practices, received new appointments or left roles in the last few weeks:
Mount Sinai Medical Center to build cancer center in Miami Beach
Mount Sinai Medical Center will launch a cancer center on its main campus in Miami Beach, South Florida Hospital News reported March 7.
BMS’ cash cow Revlimid faces first generic rivals in US
Bristol-Myers Squibb’s blood cancer blockbuster Revlimid is finally facing generic competition in the US, which will eat into revenues from a drug that made a […]
The data are in – so will Gilead’s Trodelvy achieve its potential?
The results of Gilead’s much-anticipated TROPiCS-02 study of Trodelvy are in, and while the company says top-line data are positive, its guarded stance has rung […]
Entire North Carolina cancer center board resigns after director’s removal
A 15-member external advisory board for the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., resigned following the unexpected removal of the […]
Entire North Carolina cancer center board resigns after director’s removal
A 15-member external advisory board for the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., resigned following the unexpected removal of the […]
Women face more adverse events from targeted, immune cancer therapies than men, study finds
A study examining differences between men and women receiving immune or targeted cancer therapies found that women faced more adverse events than men, just as […]
Women face more adverse events from targeted, immune cancer therapies than men, study finds
A study examining differences between men and women receiving immune or targeted cancer therapies found that women faced more adverse events than men, just as […]
BMS carves out a neoadjuvant niche for Opdivo in NSCLC
Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Opdivo has been playing second fiddle to Merck & Co’s Keytruda in the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) market for years, but now […]
Gene driving breast cancer metastasis discovered at Yale
Yale researchers discovered that the epigenetic regulator gene cat eye syndrome chromosome region candidate 2, or CECR2, is responsible for driving breast cancer metastasis.
Researchers’ warnings about ‘wonder drug’ top oncology stories for February
News about potential negative consequences when prescribing metformin for cancer patients was Becker’s most-read oncology story in February.
Black Female Co-founders CancerIQ Raises $14M to Improve Cancer Early Detection and Prevention
CancerIQ Co-Founders Feyi Olopade Ayodele & Olufunmilayo (Funmi) Olopade, MD What You Should Know: – CancerIQ, a Chicago-based platform powering early cancer detection and prevention across broad […]
Survey investigates toll of cancer care crowdfunding on survivors
The financial relief of medical crowdfunding is often accompanied by feelings of shame in asking for help, a study published in the Journal of Cancer […]
UNC Rex opens new cancer center
Raleigh, N.C.-based UNC Rex Healthcare opened a new cancer center March 1.
Sanofi makes another pipeline deal, tapping Adagene for antibody tech
Sanofi’s rash of dealmaking has continued with a $2.5 billion tie-up with Chinese cancer immunotherapy biotech Adagene, focused on developing a new generation of safer […]
FDA approves new CAR-T cell therapy for multiple myeloma
The FDA approved carvykti, a new customized, cell-based treatment from Johnson & Johnson, for the treatment of multiple myeloma, Johnson & Johnson said Feb. 28.
Vanderbilt-Ingram cancer center names director
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tenn., has selected Ben Ho Park, MD, PhD, as its new director.
Yale Cancer Center names Conclave award winners
Yale Cancer Center named its annual Conclave awardees in honor of their outstanding contributions to cancer care and research.
‘Wonder drug’ metformin not a treatment for all cancer types, researchers caution
Metformin, a drug traditionally prescribed for diabetes but recently used in clinical settings as a cancer treatment, shows “great promise” but can have negative consequences […]
Crisis in the U.S. Healthcare Workforce: Why It’s Time to introduce AI
Andrew Pucher, CEO of Dascena, Inc. One of the many acute challenges during the pandemic has been the departure of approximately 18% of the U.S. […]
UC San Diego Health using sound waves as alternative prostate cancer treatment
Researchers at the University of California San Diego Health are the first in the county to employ high-intensity, focused ultrasound as a minimally invasive prostate […]
4 recent moves from the American Cancer Society
Here are four announcements from the American Cancer Society reported by Becker’s since Feb. 11:
4 schools share $16M to build cancer equity research centers
The American Cancer Society awarded over $16 million in grants to establish cancer health equity research centers at minority-serving institutions of higher learning across the […]
GSK’s ZEJULA gets green light for NHS use
The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) ZEJULA (niraparib) for some forms of ovarian, fallopian tube, and peritoneal […]
GSK’s ZEJULA gets green light for NHS use
The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) ZEJULA (niraparib) for some forms of ovarian, fallopian tube, and peritoneal […]
Atlantic Health System taps new hematology director
Morristown, N.J.-based Atlantic Health System named Mohamad Cherry, MD, medical director of its hematology and cellular therapy programs, it said Feb. 23.
Yale, National Brain Tumor Society launch research consortium
Yale Cancer Center is partnering with the National Brain Tumor Society to launch a flagship research initiative focused on DNA damage, the cancer center said […]
Karmanos Cancer Institute to pilot virtual platform
The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit is collaborating with Lifeguard Health Networks to pilot a digital care platform for cancer patients.
4 oncologists on the move
These four oncologists joined new practices or received new appointments over the last few weeks.
9 ways to get screening rates to pre-pandemic levels, per American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society’s National Consortium for Cancer Screening and Care outlined nine recommendations to bring screening rates back to pre-pandemic levels in a Feb. […]
5 recent moves from MD Anderson
Here are five moves reported by Becker’s about the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center since Jan. 10:
Phase 3 trial results promising for antibody drug treating HER2 breast cancer type
AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo’s Enhertu breast cancer drug significantly helped patients with HER2-low metastatic breast cancer in its phase 3 clinical trial, AstraZeneca said Feb. […]
Big day for AZ, Daiichi as Enhertu aces HER2-low breast cancer trial
Already making inroads as a treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer, AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo’s Enhertu has now shown efficacy in tumours that express lower levels […]
Rutgers Cancer Institute names director of investigational therapeutics program
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey named Sanjay Goel, MD, director of its investigational therapeutics program, it said Feb. 16.
MD Anderson receives $31.7M from research institute
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center was awarded $31.7 million from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, the center said Feb. […]
MD Anderson renews Banner Health partnership
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center extended its partnership with Phoenix-based Banner Health for another 10 years, the cancer center said Feb. 15.
COVID-19 driving up late-stage cancer diagnoses, small study suggests
Delayed screenings as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic have led to later-stage cancer diagnoses, a small study published Feb. 15 in JAMA Network Open […]
Lilly revives ImmunoGen ADC pact with new $1.7bn deal
ImmunoGenAlmost four years after backing out of an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) alliance with ImmunoGen, Eli Lilly has come back to the table with a new, […]
Amgen eyes pancreatic cancer use for its pathfinder KRAS drug
Armed with new clinical trial results, Amgen is expanding studies of its KRAS inhibitor Lumakras in pancreatic cancer, as it tries to extend the label […]
4 recent leadership changes at Yale Cancer Center
Yale Cancer Center recently made several leadership changes.
Trial win sets up new use for Astellas, Seagen’s Padcev in bladder cancer
Astellas and Seagen’s Padcev is on course to move further up the treatment pathway in bladder cancer, thanks to a positive readout in the EV-103 […]
Mayo Clinic model predicts therapy benefits for gastric cancer patients
The use of genomic sequencing to predict the likelihood that gastric cancer patients will benefit from chemotherapy or from immunotherapy has been validated by findings […]
Viewpoint: We don’t have to wait for the ‘cancer moonshot’ to save more lives
While the White House’s revival of the Cancer Moonshot — a program to cut cancer deaths by 50 percent over the next 25 years — […]
5 recent cancer study findings
Recent cancer research has findings on cancer trends among African Americans and the impact of COVID-19 on cancer research.
Yale Cancer Center names first deputy director of clinical affairs
Yale Cancer Center appointed Roy Herbst, MD, its inaugural deputy director of clinical affairs at the center and New Haven, Conn.-based Smilow Cancer Hospital, the […]
Breast cancer now leading cause of cancer deaths for African American women
Breast cancer has replaced lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer death among African American women, according to a report published Feb. 10 in […]
Yale Cancer Center makes 3 leadership appointments
Yale Cancer Center named three new leaders Feb. 10.
Banner MD Anderson opens cancer therapeutics research institute
Gilbert, Ariz.-based Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center launched a cancer therapeutics research institute, AZBigMedia reported Feb. 10.
Unswayed by a discount pledge, FDA adcomm rejects Lilly’s PD-1 drug
FDA advisors have voted against approval of Eli Lilly and Innovent Biologics’ cancer immunotherapy sintilimab, undermining hopes of a new, lower-priced option in the PD-1/PD-L1 […]
The Protein Degradation & Targeting Undruggables Congress
The 3rd Protein Degradation and Targeting Undruggables Summit is North America’s only in-person, industry-led conference covering clinical progress and commercial scale development of first-in-class degrader […]
4 oncologists on the move
These four oncologists joined new practices or received new appointments over the last few weeks.
COVID-19’s impact on cancer research, care: 6 report findings
Nearly 10 million cancer screenings were delayed in the U.S. from January to July 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, an American Association […]
4 recent American Cancer Society moves
Here are four announcements from the American Cancer Society reported by Becker’s since Jan. 14:
FDA won’t back Lilly’s PD-1 antibody based on Chinese data alone
The FDA has dropped a bomb on Eli Lilly’s marketing application for cancer immunotherapy sintilimab ahead of an advisory committee meeting due to take place […]
5 recent cancer partnerships
Here are five oncology-related partnerships Becker’s has formed since Jan. 25:
5 recent cancer partnerships
Here are five oncology-related partnerships Becker’s has covered since Jan. 25:
5 recent gifts to cancer centers, research
Hundreds of millions of dollars have been donated to fund specialty cancer centers and accelerate cancer research in recent weeks.
American Cancer Society to research effects of sleep quality on cancer patients
The American Cancer Society and Sleep Number Corp. have agreed to work together on sleep research to inform the first sleep guidelines for cancer patients, […]
CAR T therapy recipients cancer-free after a decade, researchers find
Two early recipients of CAR T-cell therapy — who had chronic lymphocytic leukemia at the time of treatment — remain cancer-free a decade later, researchers […]
Oncologists respond to 2021 malpractice survey: 5 findings
About 39 percent of oncologists reported they have been named in a malpractice suit at some point in their career, according to Medscape’s 2021 Oncology […]
St. Joseph’s, Hackensack Meridian Health affiliation tops January oncology stories
News of the clinical affiliation of Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health and Paterson, N.J.-based St. Joseph’s Health was Becker’s most read oncology story in January.
Biden revives Cancer Moonshot program
President Joe Biden is relaunching Cancer Moonshot, a program to reduce cancer deaths by 50 percent over the next 25 years and improve the experience […]
American Cancer Society, oncology society to share web resources
Cancer prevention, screening, and survivorship resources will be cross-shared on American Cancer Society and American Society of Clinical Oncology patient and consumer education websites, the […]
Jasper Health Raises $25M for Cancer Care Navigation and Experience Platform
What You Should Know: – Jasper Health, an NYC-based cancer care coordination and experience platform raise $25M in Series A funding led by General Catalyst. – The round, […]
4 oncologists on the move
These four oncologists joined new practices or received new appointments over the last few weeks.
Moffitt adds actress to national advisers board
Tampa, Fla.-based Moffitt Cancer Center has added Marcia Cross, actress and co-founder of the HPV Cancers Alliance, to its national board of advisers, the facility […]
NYU Langone blood cancer center appoints 1st director
NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center has appointed Faith Davies, MD, inaugural director of its Center for Blood Cancers, the system said this week.
Merck gets EU nod for Keytruda in adjuvant kidney cancer
Merck & Co has passed another milestone in its drive to move PD-1 inhibitor Keytruda earlier in the treatment pathway for cancer, with the European […]
Immunocore claims first-ever FDA approval for TCR cancer therapy
Immunocore has secured a piece of biotech industry history, becoming the first company to get an FDA approval for a cancer therapeutic based on T […]
Dana-Farber adds 1st affiliate member in Maine
Boston-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute named Scarborough, Maine-based New England Cancer Specialists its first affiliate member in Maine, the institute said Jan. 25.
FDA slaps hold on trials of Gilead’s CD47 drug magrolimab
The FDA has placed a partial clinical fold on clinical trials of Gilead Sciences’ magrolimab, the centre piece of its $4.9 billion acquisition of Forty […]
Viewpoint: How to close racial gaps in cancer care
Increasing diversity and accessibility to clinical trials is key to closing racial gaps in cancer care, Kathy Giusti and John Carpten, MD, wrote for The […]
4 recent cancer partnerships
Here are four cancer-related partnerships formed since Jan. 14.
Syapse, Pfizer Extends Collaboration to Generate Real-World Evidence in Breast Cancer
What You Should Know: – Syapse, a real-world evidence company that informs cancer care, announced that it will extend its collaboration with Pfizer to generate […]
5 recent cancer study findings
Recent cancer research has focused on nationwide death rates from the disease since 2019, lung-cancer assessment risks using blood samples and more.
$25M gift launches cancer research institute at Dartmouth, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health
Lebanon, N.H.-based Dartmouth and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health received a $25 million gift from Dorothy Byrne of the Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation to establish an interdisciplinary […]
Sugemalimab plus chemo boosts lung cancer survival, trial reveals
Lung cancer drug sugemalimab has delivered positive results following a phase 3 trial. EQRx’s GEMSTONE-302 study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the investigational anti-PD-L1 […]
Clinical trial begins of lung cancer immunotherapeutic
Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development, working with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and Vaccitech, has begun a phase I/IIa clinical trial of […]
Scotland backs AstraZeneca drug as first-line treatment for NSCLC
Scotland has approved AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso (osimertinib) as a monotherapy for the for the first-line treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell […]
How St. Joseph’s, Hackensack Meridian plan to transform cancer care in New Jersey
Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health and Paterson, N.J.-based St. Joseph’s Health announced a clinical affiliation Jan. 14 to bring patients expanded oncologic services.
American Cancer Society: US cancer deaths fell 32% since 2019
Overall cancer deaths in the U.S. have declined 32 percent since 2019, according to a report published Jan. 12 in CA: A Cancer Journal for […]
St. Joseph’s Health, Hackensack Meridian Health announce clinical affiliation
Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health and Paterson, N.J.-based St. Joseph’s Health announced a clinical affiliation Jan. 14 to bring patients expanded oncologic services.
AZ, Scorpion strike deal on elusive transcription factor targets in cancer
AstraZeneca has expanded its efforts to develop new therapies targeting transcription factors – proteins that regulate processes in the cell that have become a hot […]
Daiichi Sankyo says Plexxikon R&D unit will close down
Just over a decade after being acquired by Daiichi Sankyo, US biotech Plexxikon will be shuttered at the end of March, with its R&D projects […]
UF Health performs novel abdominal cancer surgery
The surgery department at Gainesville, Fla.-based UF Health has successfully performed its first cytoreductive surgery and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy to treat abdominal cancer.
5 oncologists on the move
These five oncologists joined new practices or received new appointments over the last few weeks.
Blue Note leukaemia DTx gets FDA breakthrough tag
A prescription digital therapeutic (DTx) for leukaemia patients developed by Blue Note Therapeutics has been awarded breakthrough device status by the FDA. The DTx, called […]
Chasing Roche, Merck unveils adjuvant lung cancer data for Keytruda
Merck & Co’s Keytruda is the undisputed market leader in immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but was leapfrogged by Roche’s Tecentriq in the […]
BMS cuts $3.15bn deal with Century for cancer cell therapies
Bristol-Myers Squibb chief executive Giovanni Caforio has promised to invest in the company’s pipeline at the virtual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, and demonstrated that commitment […]
MD Anderson: Blood tests better predict patients needing lung cancer screenings
A personalized lung cancer risk assessment that includes a blood test, developed by researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, identified 9.2 […]
Amgen grabs EU approval for pathfinder KRAS drug Lumykras
Amgen now has regulatory approval on both sides of the Atlantic for Lumykras, the culmination of many years of effort to bring a drug to […]
Huntsman Cancer Institute, U of Utah Health name new head of radiation oncology
Salt Lake City-based Huntsman Cancer Institute and University of Utah Health named Amit Maity, MD, PhD, chair of the department of radiation oncology for the […]
Dana-Farber: $40M grant to further multiple myeloma research
Boston-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute received a $40 million gift from Paula and Rodger Riney of St. Louis to further multiple myeloma research, the institute said […]
Another big AI deal as Sanofi taps Exscientia for 15 new drugs
If the last couple of days is an indication, 2022 is already shaping up to be the year of big-ticket alliances between big pharma companies […]
Putting patient perspectives at the heart of kidney cancer research
Kidney cancer is the 14th most common cancer, with approximately 400,000 new cases worldwide every year. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is by far the most […]
4 recent cancer partnerships
Here are four cancer-related partnerships formed since Dec. 13.
Marshall Medical Center, UC Davis announce affiliation for cancer services
Placerville, Calif.-based Marshall Medical Center and UC Davis Health in Sacramento, Calif., have announced an affiliation for cancer services allowing Marshall patients access to UC […]
Roivant joins RNA splicing push with Eisai deal
Roivant is the latest pharma group to take a position in the emerging field of therapies targeted at RNA splicing, licensing exclusive rights to a […]
4 recent cancer center openings, constructions
Here are four hospitals, health systems and cancer treatment centers that have expanded their cancer care facilities, opened new facilities, or shared plans to open […]
Kaiser implements new mental health screening for breast cancer patients
Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente implemented a new depression screening initiative for breast cancer patients after new research showed the intervention was successful in identifying patients […]
Illumina and Syapse Partner on Biomarker Testing Research Across Oncology Practices
What You Should Know: – Syapse, a real-world evidence company that informs cancer care, announced a partnership with Illumina aimed at assessing the real-world uptake […]
FDA gives AbbVie’s c-Met lung cancer ADC a breakthrough tag
The FDA thinks an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) developed by AbbVie could set new standards in treatment for certain patients with lung cancer, awarding the drug […]
AI providing the edge against cancer?
The global R&D pipeline is dominated by potential treatments in oncology and this is also where the investment is flowing. This doesn’t look like changing […]
5 oncologists on the move
These five oncologists joined new practices or received new appointments over the last few months.
City of Hope acquisition tops oncology stories in December
News regarding City of Hope acquiring the Cancer Treatment Centers of America was Becker’s most-read oncology story in December.
City of Hope to hire hundreds to open new cancer center
City of Hope is working to recruit about 350 people as it plans to open a new 190,000-square-foot cancer center in Irvine, Calif., in summer […]
J&J goes after another FDA approval for a cancer bispecific
Johnson & Johnson’s much-touted crop of bispecific antibodies for cancer generated its first commercial product in May, and the drugmaker has now filed for FDA […]
FDA gives Daiichi Sankyo’s HER3 drug a breakthrough tag
Daiichi Sankyo has been granted breakthrough status by the FDA for patritumab deruxtecan, a HER3-targeted antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) in clinical trials for lung cancer. The […]
Sanofi buys US immuno-oncology biotech Amunix for $1 billion
Sanofi has bolstered its immuno-oncology pipeline with a $1 billion agreement to acquire Amunix Pharma of the US – its fourth bolt-on deal of 2021. […]
Novartis taps immuno-oncology partner BeiGene for TIGIT drug
Novartis has joined the ranks of big pharma companies developing TIGIT-targeted drugs for cancer, and found its candidate in an existing partner, Chinese biotech BeiGene. […]
Boehringer invests again in AI diagnosis specialist Brainomix
UK digital health company Brainomix has raised £16 million ($21.5 million) that will be used to extend the use of its artificial intelligence-based medical imaging […]
Bayhealth Taps Syapse’s Real-World Data Platform to Optimize Oncology Data
What You Should Know: – Syapse, a real-world evidence company that informs cancer care, announced a partnership with Bayhealth – central and southern Delaware’s largest […]
ASH: Trial backs Gilead’s Yescarta CAR-T in first-line lymphoma
Gilead Sciences has taken a big step towards positioning its CAR-T therapy Yescarta as an option for previously-untreated large B cell lymphoma (LBCL) with updated […]
ASH: Gilead, BMS CAR-Ts square off in relapsed lymphoma
A pair of trials have suggested that CAR-T therapies could offer an improved option for patients with large B cell lymphoma (LBCL) who have relapsed […]
ASH: Servier’s Tibsovo poised for first-line used in AML
Servier has revealed the full data from its phase 3 trial of Tibsovo as a first-line treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia that it teased in […]
Roche builds case for TIGIT combo in untreated lung cancer
Roche’s closely-watched combination of anti-TIGIT antibody tiragolumab and PD-L1 inhibitor Tecentriq has shown long-term efficacy in an ongoing trial in lung cancer, adding to the […]
Henlius claims win for PD-1 drug in small cell lung cancer
China’s Shanghai Henlius Biotech says its experimental PD-1 inhibitor serplulimab has extended survival when added to chemotherapy in a phase 3 trial as first-line therapy […]
AZ, Daiichi take aim at Gilead in triple-negative breast cancer
AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo have reported new data with their antibody-drug conjugate for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), as they build a case to challenge Gilead’s […]
AI specialist Recursion nabs multibillion-dollar Roche partnership
Roche has formed a decade-long alliance with Recursion Pharma that will focus on using machine learning and “industrialised” drug discovery to find new neuroscience and […]
Merck claims another adjuvant okay from FDA for Keytruda
Merck & Co’s strategy of pushing Keytruda earlier in the treatment pathway for cancers has secured anther victory, after the FDA approved the immunotherapy for […]
Trial closes gap between Bayer’s Nubeqa and rivals in prostate cancer
Bayer’s Nubeqa is making headway as a treatment for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), but could be on track to expand the eligible patient population for […]
BeyondSpring faces a tough winter as FDA rejects its lead drug
BeyondSpring’s hopes of an early Christmas gift from the FDA were dashed today after the regulator said it was unable to approve the company’s lead […]
Milestone as EMA starts review of Atara’s ‘off-the-shelf’ cell therapy
Atara Biotherapeutics’ tabelecleucel (tab-cel) has become the first ‘allogeneic’ cell therapy – in other words one which doesn’t involve harvesting cells from patients – to […]
Blueprint inks deal to buy lung cancer biotech Lengo
Targeted cancer drug specialist Blueprint Medicines has agreed to pay $250 million upfront to acquire Lengo Therapeutics and its lead drug for lung cancer, a […]
AZ eyes FDA verdict on Lynparza in adjuvant breast cancer in Q1
The FDA will deliver a verdict on AstraZeneca’s PARP inhibitor Lynparza as an adjuvant treatment for breast cancer in the first quarter of next year, […]
Second FDA okay for Therapixel’s AI-based mammography tool
France’s Therapixel has secured a second FDA approval for MammoScreen, its artificial intelligence-powered software for detecting cancerous lesions in mammogram images. MammoScreen was approved last […]
Helix web tool guides prostate cancer genetic testing
A web-based digital tool called Helix could help clinicians identify patients with prostate cancer who would benefit from genetic testing and counselling, according to researchers […]
Trial of Jazz’ cannabis drug in glioblastoma will start next year
An investigator-led trial of Jazz Pharma’s cannabis extract-based drug Sativex in glioblastoma – an aggressive form of brain cancer – will get underway in the […]
Kura hit as FDA slaps partial hold on leukaemia trial
Share in Kura Oncology have come under pressure after a patient death in a clinical trial of the US biotech’s acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) therapy […]
Vaccibody rebrands as Nykode, and unveils big Regeneron partnership
Norwegian biotech Vaccibody has changed its name to Nykode Therapeutics, and celebrated its new identity with a sizeable deal with Regeneron to develop vaccines for […]
ASH abstract drop backs Roche’s Polivy in first-line lymphoma
Roche trumpeted a top-line results of the POLARIX trial of its Polivy therapy in previously-untreated B-cell lymphoma, and a first look at the data suggests […]
Roche, Blueprint’s RET cancer drug Gavreto cleared in EU
Roche and Blueprint Medicines have opened a second front in their rivalry with Eli Lilly in RET-mutated cancers, after getting approval for Gavreto from the […]
Gilead foregoes buyout, but pledges $725m to Arcus’ cancer drugs
Gilead Sciences has forged closer ties to its cancer drug partner Arcus Biosciences , although a licensing deal doesn’t go as far as the takeover […]
Merck wins FDA nod for Keytruda as adjuvant kidney cancer treatment
Merck & Co has chalked up another win in drive to move PD-1 inhibitor Keytruda earlier in the treatment pathway for cancer, after the FDA […]
AI specialist Owkin snares $270m alliance with Sanofi in oncology
Sanofi has made another investment in artificial intelligence, taking a $180 million equity stake in Franco-US startup Owkin with another $90 million in funding for […]
TIGIT Therapies 2021
Arriving at a critical point for TIGIT development, the 2nd Annual TIGIT Therapies Summit is the definitive industry-led event focused on propelling this next-generation inhibitor […]
NICE changes tack on ‘game changer’ rare cancer therapy Poteligeo
NICE has reversed an earlier decision not to recommend NHS use of Kyowa Kirin’s Poteligeo for two rare blood cancers, ending the threat of a […]
Gilead moves closer to Chinese filing for Trodelvy in TNBC
Gilead Sciences’ Trodelvy has met its objectives in a phase 2b trial in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) carried out in China by its partner Everest […]
Oncology treatment decisions aren’t just based on clinical data
Once widely acknowledged as so special that only scientists and clinical specialists need to apply, oncology has become exponentially more clinically targeted and sophisticated over […]
Scotland is world’s first country to greenlight Tagrisso for NSCLC
Scotland has given the green light to AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso for restricted use to treat adult patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), making it the […]
Opdivo and chemotherapy combo increases survival in lung cancer patients
Lung cancer drug Opdivo administered with chemotherapy has been shown to boost survival rates in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The phase […]
Blackstone revs up Autolus’ CAR with $250m fuel injection
Private equity firm Blackstone has agreed to provide up to $250 million in financing to UK biotech Autolus Therapeutics, to help it take acute lymphoblastic […]
Trial flop busts Deciphera’s blockbuster hopes for Qinlock
Shares in Deciphera Pharma went into freefall on Friday after top-line results of a phase 3 trial of its Qinlock in rare cancer gastrointestinal stromal […]
EMA starts review of Enhertu for HER2+ gastric cancer
The EMA has started its review of AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo’s Enhertu for a second indication, as a second-line treatment for HER2-positive gastric cancer. If […]
Pilar Biosciences seeks to make precision medicine a first-line therapy for cancer patients
Randy Pritchard, Pillar Biosciences CEO, highlighted some of the progress the oncology solutions company has made in developing in-vitro diagnostics in response to emailed questions […]
Using bispecific antibodies to advance cancer immunotherapy
Dr Laura Moriarty, senior marketing manager at Bio-Rad, looks at the impressive immuno-therapeutic potential of bispecific antibodies (bsAbs). Bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) are designed to recognise […]
Novartis’ ‘wild card’ drug Scemblix gets FDA nod for leukaemia
Novartis has claimed FDA approval for one of its ‘wild card’ drugs – Scemblix – a first-in-class STAMP inhibitor for patients with previously-treated chronic myeloid […]
First launch for Daiichi Sankyo’s oncolytic virus Delytact in Japan
Daiichi Sankyo has launched its oncolytic virus therapy Delytact in Japan – its first world market – as a treatment for malignant glioma, an aggressive […]
Gilead tags Merck for first-line triple negative breast cancer trial
Take two recently-approved immunotherapies for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), put them together, and what do you get? Hopefully a new standard of care for […]
Takeda buys GammaDelta to boost cancer cell therapy credentials
Japanese drugmaker Takeda has said it will exercise its option to buy UK-based GammaDelta Therapeutics, a specialist in ‘off-the-shelf’ cell therapies for solid tumours and […]
Seagen’s breast cancer drug Tukysa turned down by NICE
NICE has decided not to recommend Seagen’s orally-active HER2 inhibitor Tukysa for advanced breast cancer in draft guidance, saying it isn’t a cost-effective use of […]
AZ/Daiichi partner with Merck on first-line lung cancer trial
The dominance of Merck & Co’s Keytruda in the treatment of previously-untreated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) means it will be hard to dislodge – […]
AZ’s Imfinzi is first immunotherapy to raise survival in biliary tract cancer
AstraZeneca’s checkpoint inhibitor Imfinzi has become the first cancer immunotherapy to improve survival in previously-untreated patients with biliary tract cancer (BTC), a rare and aggressive […]
Merck gets EU approval for Keytruda in triple-negative breast cancer
Merck & Co has claimed EU approval for Keytruda in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a particularly hard-to-treat form of the disease. The European Commission has […]
Strike two for Novartis’ lung cancer antibody canakinumab
Expectations for Novartis’ canakinumab as a therapy for cancer have taken another dive, after a second phase 3 trial in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) […]
BMS strikes back against Merck in EU oesophageal cancer market
Merck & Co’s Keytruda become the first cancer immunotherapy to be approved as a first-line oesophageal cancer treatment in the EU earlier this year, but […]
UK startup Leucid raises £11.5m for solid tumour CAR-T therapies
CAR-T therapies have revolutionised the treatment of some blood cancers, but so far haven’t been able to repeat that success in solid tumours. UK startup […]
Good news for Lilly as sintilimab hits the spot in lung cancer again
Eli Lilly made a late entry into the checkpoint inhibitor market when it licensed ex-China rights to Innovent’s sintilimab last year, and a new trial […]
Roche scores early adjuvant lung cancer approval for Tecentriq
Roche has claimed an earlier-than-expected FDA approval for its checkpoint inhibitor Tecentriq in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), giving the drug a lead in early-stage […]
Medical Wearables for Biosensors USA Conference 2021
SMi Group Proudly Presents… Medical Wearables for Biosensors USA Conference 2021 Conference: 25 – 26 October 2021 Virtual Conference: Online Access Only Website: www.biosensors-medical-wear.com/pharmaphorum Exploring […]
Keytruda approved as first-line advanced cervical cancer therapy
The FDA has approved Merck’s Keytruda as a first-line therapy for advanced cervical cancer. Keytruda (pembrolizumab) can be used in combination with chemotherapy, with or […]
FREE – Gastrointestinal Cancer Drug Development Digital Summit
The Gastrointestinal Cancer Drug Development Summit is the only biopharma-led conference dedicated to identifying and progressing therapeutic opportunities in targeted and immunotherapies, ADCs, and precision […]
Scotland backs Cabometyx combo for kidney cancer, amid stalled NICE review
Patients in Scotland with newly-diagnosed advanced kidney cancer can now access a therapy combining Bristol-Myers Squibb’s immunotherapy Opdivo with Ipsen’s targeted drug Cabometyx, ahead of […]
Next Generation CAR-TCR Summit
The cell therapy field is showing no signs of slowing down, with huge investment and excitement around next generation products and their clinical validation in solid tumour […]
FDA halts Allogene CAR-T trial after safety scare
A phase 1 trial of Allogene’s of-the-shelf CAR-T for lymphoma has been placed on hold by the FDA, after a “chromosomal abnormality” was seen in […]
J&J bulks up in bispecifics with $1.3bn Xencor alliance
Fresh from claiming its first bispecific antibody approval, Johnson & Johnson has delved deeper into the category with a deal to license a drug for […]
Enhertu nabs speedy FDA review for earlier use in breast cancer
Hard on the heels of impressive new data for Enhertu as a second-line therapy for breast cancer, AstraZeneca and Daichi Sankyo have claimed FDA breakthrough […]
