Lisa Astor is the Associate Editorial Director for Targeted Oncology. Astor received her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from New York University.
FDA Grants Breakthrough Designation to Mobocertinib for EGFR Exon 20+ NSCLC
April 27th 2020Mobocertinib was granted a Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA for the treatment of patients with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer harboring EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations whose disease has progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy.
Nivolumab/Ipilimumab Combo Improves OS in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
April 20th 2020“These topline results from the CheckMate 743 trial demonstrate the potential of Opdivo plus Yervoy in previously untreated patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, and is another example of the established efficacy and safety of the dual immunotherapy combination seen in multiple tumor types.”
AON Embraces Telehealth to Deliver Quality Cancer Care Even During the Pandemic
April 18th 2020In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the American Oncology Network has launched telehealth services across all of its sites. The use of telehealth technology will allow for patients to continue to receive convenient access to care and still help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Olaparib Matches Chemotherapy Outcomes in Platinum-Sensitive Recurrent Ovarian Cancer
April 17th 2020Treatment with olaparib demonstrated similar outcomes to standard-of-care chemotherapy treatment in patients with BRCA wild-type, platinum-sensitive, recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer in the phase II CLIO study. As such, olaparib failed to demonstrate a significant improvement in survival over chemotherapy.
Acalabrutinib to be Tested as Treatment of Exaggerated COVID-19-Related Immune Response
April 15th 2020The CALAVI clinical trial is being initiated to explore the potential of acalabrutinib to treat exaggerated immune response, or cytokine storm, in patients who are severely ill with coronavirus disease 2019, according to a press release from the developer, AstraZeneca.
Longest Follow-Up Maintains Ibrutinib Benefit in CLL/SLL Across Treatment Settings
April 13th 2020The longest follow-up for ibrutinib monotherapy to date maintained the benefit of the Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma across settings.<br />
FDA Grants Pembrolizumab Priority Review for TMB-High Tumors
April 7th 2020The FDA has accepted and granted a priority review to a supplemental Biologics License Application for pembrolizumab for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with unresectable or metastatic solid tumors with tissue tumor mutational burden-high who have progressed following prior treatment and who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options.
Pembrolizumab Meets PFS Milestone for Patients with MSI-H/dMMR mCRC
April 6th 2020Pembrolizumab demonstrated an improvement in progression-free survival in the first-line treatment of patients with microsatellite instability-high or mismatch repair deficient unresectable or metastatic colorectal cancer, meeting one of the primary end points of the phase III KEYNOTE-177 trial.
Pembrolizumab Leads to Promising Outcomes in Advanced ASCC
April 6th 2020Pembrolizumab demonstrated positive activity in patients with previously treated advanced anal squamous cell carcinoma, regardless of PD-L1 expression, according to the results of the KEYNOTE-158 trial presented at the 2020 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.
Phase III Trial Planned for Ruxolitinib to Treat COVID-19
April 3rd 2020A phase III trial is being planned to explore the use of ruxolitinib (Jakafi) to treat patients with coronavirus disease 2019–related cytokine storm, according to a press release from Incyte regarding discussions with the FDA.
FDA Priority Review Granted to Remestemcel-L for Pediatric Steroid-Refractory Acute GVHD
April 2nd 2020The FDA has granted a priority review to a Biologics License Application for remestemcel-L, an allogeneic cell therapy for the treatment of children with steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease, according to a press release from Mesoblast Limited.
FDA Grants IPI-549 and Nivolumab Combo Fast Track Designation for Urothelial Cancer
March 25th 2020The FDA has granted a fast track designation a combination of novel selective PI3K-gamma inhibitor IPI-549 plus nivolumab for the treatment of patients with advanced urothelial cancer, according to a press release from developer Infinity Pharmaceuticals.
FDA Issues Guidance on Conducting Clinical Trials During COVID-19 Pandemic
March 19th 2020The FDA has issued a guidance regarding clinical trials during the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in recognition of the challenges that may impact standard clinical trial procedures. The guidance acts as a set of recommendations to maintain the safety of patients enrolled onto trials and the trial’s integrity.
Management Strategies Set for Varying Patterns of Ruxolitinib Progression in Myelofibrosis
March 19th 2020A report from the Canadian Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Group has outlined different patterns of treatment failure from JAK inhibitor therapy in patients with myelofibrosis. The report, published in JCO Oncology Practice, suggests management practices for each pattern of response.
Cediranib/Olaparib Fails to Demonstrate PFS Benefit in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer
March 12th 2020The addition of cediranib to olaparib did not result in improved progression-free survival in comparison with platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer, which was the primary end point of the phase III NRG-GY004 trial, according to a press release from AstraZeneca and Merck.
Cirmtuzumab/Ibrutinib Combo Achieves 50% CR Rate in R/R MCL Cohort
March 12th 2020Cirmtuzumab in combination with ibrutinib induced a clinical benefit rate of 100% in a small cohort of patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma, according to interim results of the phase I/II CIRLL trial.
Statistical Significance Not Met With Ixazomib Triplet in Newly Diagnosed Myeloma Trial
March 11th 2020Progression-free survival failed to meet the threshold for statistical significance with the addition of ixazomib to lenalidomide and dexamethasone in patients with newly diagnosed, transplant-ineligible multiple myeloma in the phase III TOURMALINE-MM2 trial, not meeting the primary endpoint.
Bevacizumab Biosimilar Under Review by FDA
March 9th 2020The FDA has accepted a Biologics License Application for MYL-1402O, a proposed biosimilar to bevacizumab, according to a press release from co-developers Biocon and Mylan. The BLA is seeking approval for the biosimilar as a treatment for multiple types of cancer and the FDA has set an action date goal of December 27, 2020, for a decision on the BLA.