Positive Interim Data Published for Transfusion-Dependent Β-Thalassemia Gene Therapy
April 24th 2018Drug company bluebird bio, Inc, has announced the publication of positive interim data for its gene therapy to eliminate or reduce chronic blood transfusions in patients with transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia.
Dr Houston Holmes Discusses CAR T Therapy Adoption and Education
April 21st 2018With chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy being so new, there is going to be a learning curve as providers become more educated about the treatments, the manufacturing process, and the toxicities, Houston Holmes, MD, MBA, FACP, a medical oncologist with Texas Oncology, explained at the Community Oncology Alliance’s (COA) 2018 Community Oncology Conference.
ICER Study Compares Cost-Effectiveness of CGRP Inhibitors for Migraine
April 19th 2018While calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors are projected to have a positive impact on the health of patients with chronic or episodic migraines for whom preventive therapy had failed relative to no treatment, it is likely that the inhibitors will exceed commonly-cited willingness-to-pay thresholds, according to a report from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER).
As New Duchenne Therapy Enters Phase 1 Trial, Advocacy Groups Seek Better Access to Existing Drug
April 15th 2018Pfizer has dosed its first patient in a phase 1 clinical trial of an investigational gene therapy for the treatment of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disease that results in the absence of dystrophin, a protein that helps to keep muscle cells intact.
Gene Therapy in Community Practices—Administering CAR T Therapies
April 13th 2018How are community practices coping with administering chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T treatments? At the 2018 Community Oncology Conference hosted by the Community Oncology Alliance, Houston Holmes, MD, MBA, FACP, Texas Oncology, shared his experience with administering CAR T-cells in a community cancer center–based setting.
Taking the Next Step in MCL: Novel Combos and Immunotherapy Under Study
April 6th 2018Despite advancements in treatment strategies for mantle cell lymphoma, patients experience diminishing responses from sequential lines of therapy as their disease progresses, sharpening the focus on developing new agents and combinations.
Effectiveness of Adoptive T-Cell Immunotherapy May Depend on Gut Microbiome
April 4th 2018New research suggests that the composition of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract may help predict which patients with cancer may benefit most from adoptive T-cell immunotherapy, including chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy.
What We're Reading: 2018 ACA Enrollment; Spread of Rare Superbug; Off-the-Shelf CAR T Therapies
April 4th 2018Enrollment for 2018 in Affordable Care Act plans is only slightly below figures from 2017; a rare breed of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is spreading in hospitals; a new company will develop off-the-shelf CAR T-cell therapies that do not need to be personalized to the patient.
Oncologist Shares Lessons Learned From CAR T-Cell Therapy in ALL
March 27th 2018On the closing day of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) 23rd Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, Bijal Shah, MD, of Moffitt Cancer Center, presented on acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and on the lessons learned from the application of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in this indication.