ASCO 2015 Highlights

Atlanta, GA—MLN9708, an investigational oral proteasome inhibitor, produced impressive results in a phase 1/2 clinical trial of treatment-naïve patients with multiple myeloma that was featured in a press briefing at the 2012 American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting.

A study using real-world data for patients with tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) showed that treatment with rasburicase (Elitek) was associated with significantly greater reductions in uric acid, length of hospital stay, and total hospitalization costs per patient compared with allopurinol (Zyloprim).

Atlanta, GA—The investigational agent ibrutinib, which is making news in the treatment of patients with leukemia, demonstrated “unprecedented” single-agent activity in patients with relapsed or refractory mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL), according to the lead author of an international phase 2 study that was reported at the 2012 American Society of Hematology meeting.

Atlanta, GA—A chemotherapy-free regimen for patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) achieved a 2-year survival of almost 100% with less toxicity compared with cytotoxic regimens, according to a study reported at the 2012 American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting.

Atlanta, GA—The promise of regenerative medicine is exemplified by the regeneration of corneal epithelium from human limbal stem-cell culture.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and a common type of cancer.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) in Philadelphia, PA, is the first US center to investigate the use of nanotherapy for the treatment of metastatic lung cancer.

Empire Genomics is developing the first molecular diagnostic test for multiple myeloma (MM) using a novel genomic biomarker from Emory University that will allow providers to select the right treatments for the right patients based on their genetic profile.

Cabozantinib (Cometriq; Exelixis) is the second drug ever to be approved by the FDA for the treatment of patients with metastatic medullary thyroid cancer.