Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Newer, Gentler Drugs Added To Arsenals Against Lung, Colon, Prostate Cancers
The Associated Press: New Drugs Make Headway Against Lung, Prostate, Colon Cancers
Doctors are reporting success with newer drugs that control certain types of cancer better, reduce the risk it will come back and make treatment simpler and easier to bear. Gentler drugs would be a relief to patients like Jenn Carroll, a 57-year-old human resources director from New Hartford, Connecticut, who had traditional IV chemotherapy after lung cancer surgery in 2018. (Marchione, 5/29)
Reuters: FDA Approves Roche Immunotherapy Cocktail In Liver Cancer
Swiss drugmaker Roche said on Friday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its immunotherapy Tecentriq in combination with its drug Avastin for the most common kind of liver cancer. The Tecentriq-Avastin mix for unresectable or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma was approved under the FDA’s Real-Time Oncology Review pilot and Project Orbis initiative aimed at speedier access for patients, Roche said. The American Cancer Society estimated that more than 42,000 Americans will be diagnosed with liver cancer this year. (5/29)
Stat: Allogene's Off-The-Shelf CAR-T Cells Produce Responses In Patients
Allogene on Friday released updated results from the first study of its off-the-shelf CAR-T cell therapy for an aggressive form of B-cell lymphoma. More patients are now responding, including additional patients experiencing complete remissions. The new study results, updated from the initial disclosure two weeks ago, remain preliminary but important because they represent potential progress for the CAR-T field. If successful, the Allogene treatment, called ALLO-501, could be widely available and allow patients with advanced blood cancer to be treated on demand. (Feuerstein, 5/29)
