Roche’ bladder cancer drug Tecentriq shrank tumours in 24 percent of patients previously untreated for the disease, raising hopes that it might be approved in the first-line setting.
News
J&J’s Darzalex improves outcomes in multiple myeloma trial
Adding Johnson & Johnson’s Darzalex to the standard regimen of Takeda’s Velcade and dexamethasone significantly improved outcomes for patients with recurrent or refractory multiple myeloma, show findings of a late-stage trial.
AZ signs up Foundation Medicine for Lynparza diagnostic
AstraZeneca has signed up Foundation Medicine to develop a novel companion diagnostic assay for its cancer drug Lynparza that will enable doctors to identify patients most likely to benefit from it.
ViiV’s modern HIV drug to be rolled out in Botswana
ViiV has announced a public tender agreement with the Ministry of Health in Botswana for its HIV drug dolutegravir.
Clinical trial news roundup – 3 June
Novo Nordisk’s Saxenda shows promising results; Ritalin could increase risk of arrhythmia; two cancer vaccine trials set to begin
Global cancer spending jumps to $107 Billion
Annual global spending on oncology medicines reached $107 billion in 2015, up 11.5 percent from the previous year and up from $90 billion in 2011, according to a new IMS report.
New approval for Novartis’ Afinitor
Novartis’ Afinitor (everolimus) has received a boost in the face of growing competition, with European Commission approval for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic, well-differentiated nonfunctional neuroendocrine tumours (NET) of gastrointestinal (G!) or lung origin.
NICE to research patient preferences in HTA
Myeloma UK has awarded a health services research grant to The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), to fund an exploratory study on how patient preferences could be captured and included in Health Technology Assessment (HTA).
Clinical news roundup: 1 June
Otsuka’s Deltyba could cure visceral leishmaniasis; new, highly effective breast cancer drug takes another step forward; positive results for GSK and Innovia’s Relvar Ellipta, and Genentech’s Gazyva
Daiichi Sankyo halts lung cancer trial
Daiichi Sankyo has announced that it will not proceed with the second part of its phase 3 study for its lung cancer drug patritumab.
NICE asks Janssen to make case for Imbruvica on CDF
Janssen has slammed a draft decision by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence rejecting NHS funding for its cancer drug Imbruvica to treat patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL).
EU expands access to Janssen’s leukaemia drug
Janssen’s Imbruvica has been approved in Europe for the treatment of patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), thus expanding its scope to include all adults with the condition.
EU nod for Samsung Bioepis’ Remicade biosimilar
Samsung Bioepis’ biosimilar of Johnson & Johnson’s blockbuster anti-inflammatory infliximab has won regulatory approval in Europe, potentially further expanding access to anti-TNF therapies in the region.
Six medicines win backing for EU approval
Six medicines, including two new combination therapies for chronic hepatitis C, are lining up for EU approval after having been recommended by the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use.
Shareholders approve $32bn Shire/Baxalta marriage
Shire’s proposal to acquire Baxalta for around $32 billion and create “the global leader in rare diseases” has now been approved by both sets of shareholders.
