Onco Actu du 13 mai 2015

	1. Biologie
CRISPR Dips into Cancer’s Pockets of Vulnerability [GEN] This article described how the scientists surveyed about 200 potential targets in leukemia cells and successfully identified six targets already known and validated by pharmaceutical scientists. The scientists also found an additional 19 targets never before recognized.
Cancer cells spread by “disguising themselves,” study shows [Scope Blog] A team of Swedish researchers discovered what may be a key component in how cancer spreads throughout the body: by masquerading as immune cells! Sneaky little rogues.
When defences attack: the hidden cause of cancer hiding in our cells [Cancer Research UK] “This knowledge is paving the way to a new approach to treat cancer – drugs that are specifically designed to prevent cancer evolving and adapting. This may help to overcome the biggest challenge we face in treating cancer: drug resistance."
	2. Etiologie
Hormone oestrogen linked to male breast cancer [NHS Choices] The study used a good design and approach, and the findings seem plausible, given what is known in women. However, it is still difficult to say whether a raised oestrogen level is directly raising the risk of breast cancer, or if both could be the result of another underlying factor.
Men with high oestrogen levels could be at greater risk of breast cancer [Cancer Research UK] This is the first time a link between oestrogen levels in the blood and male breast cancer has been identified, despite its connection to breast, womb and ovarian cancers in women.
	3.1 Tabac
Provinces move to regulate e-cigarettes as Ottawa studies issue [The Globe and Mail] As e-cigarettes have gone from niche to mainstream, Health Canada — which many people feel should lead the charge to establish Canadian rules — has so far been silent. Other levels of government have decided they simply cannot delay any longer.
	4.12 Biopsies liquides
EU consortium validates blood-based cancer biomarkers [ecancer - News] CANCER-ID is a newly formed European consortium funded by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) with currently 33 partners from 13 countries with the common goal of establishing standard protocols for clinical validation of blood-based biomarkers.
	4.2 Dép., diag. & prono. - Génome
Nascent Group Points to a Way To Validate, Pay for Genomic Tests [The Cancer Letter] How is this for a plan: Replace the U.S. system for validation and payment for cancer genomic tests with something that actually makes sense.
	4.9 Dép., diag. & prono. - Sein
What We Might Learn From The Early-Stage Breast Cancer Disclosures Of Sandra Lee and Rita Wilson [Forbes] While some journalists and doctors may pooh-pooh or otherwise minimize the epidemic of early-stage breast cancers detected by screening, it may be that these surgeries are life-saving. It’s hard (impossible) to say.
New method detects more breast cancer in screening [EurekAlert!] A total of 7 500 women aged 40-74 took part in the first half of the study, which formed the basis for the findings. "We see a change as inevitable. Breast tomosynthesis will be introduced, it is just a question of when and on what scale."
	5. Traitements
First-in-class Antibody Mixture Shows Clinical Activity Against Treatment-resistant, Advanced Colorectal Cancer [AACR] Sym004, a mixture of two anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibodies, was found to be clinically active in patients with advanced colorectal cancer that had become resistant to prior anti-EGFR therapies, according to a study published in Cancer Discovery.
	5.12 Immunothérapies
Talking Cure? For Cancer Immunotherapy, Still Many Rivers to Cross [Xconomy] That’s the next hurdle for cancer immunotherapy: finding the right combinations out of dozens of possibilities. Even with some of the richest companies on Earth in the drug business, the costs could become prohibitive.
	5.2 Pharma
Takeda Announces Termination of Alisertib Phase 3 Trial in Relapsed or Refractory Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma [Takeda] The results of a pre-specified interim analysis that indicated the study is unlikely to meet the primary endpoint of superior progression-free survival (PFS) over the standard-of-care in this treatment setting.
NewLink's Pancreatic Cancer Vaccine on Long Road to Study Failure [TheStreet] More than three-quarters of the pancreatic-cancer patients enrolled in NewLink Genetics phase III study have died, but the company's experimental therapeutic vaccine is still unable to demonstrate a survival benefit significant enough to declare victory.
GSK's Curious Oncology Research Position -- A Recipe For Failure? [Forbes] From an immediate financial point of view, it appears that GSK got a reasonable deal for its Oncology business, fetching $16 billion for a unit that brought in $1.7 billion in sales in 2013 largely from Tykerb, Votrient, Promacta and Arzerra. However, this is an odd move given that Oncology may be the hottest area of biopharmaceutical R&D today.
AstraZeneca digs into precision medicine with lung, heart deals [Reuters] By 2020, AstraZeneca expects half of its new drug launches will come with so-called companion diagnostics to identify those patients most likely to benefit from different treatments.
Merck KGaA, Threshold win fast track for pancreatic cancer drug [Reuters] The drug, currently being tested in the third and last phase required for regulatory approval, already has the FDA's fast track designation for treatment of soft tissue sarcoma.
	5.2.2 Pharma - Fusions & Acquisitions
Baxter pads biopharma unit with pre-spinoff oncology buy [FiercePharma] The Illinois company has agreed to purchase leukemia treatment Oncaspar from Italy's Sigma-Tau Finanziaria for $900 million.
Baxter BioScience to Expand Global Oncology Footprint with Acquisition of Oncaspar® Portfolio for Leukemia [baxter] Oncaspar is a first-line biologic used as part of a multi-agent chemotherapy regimen to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). It is currently marketed in the United States, Germany, Poland and certain other countries and has approximately USD $100 million in annual sales.
Juno beefs up its CAR-T arsenal with an $80M biotech buyout [FierceBiotech] CAR-T contender Juno Therapeutics is settling in for the long haul in a race to commercialize new immunotherapies for cancer, buying up a European biotech to firm up its process on the way to late-stage development.
	5.2.3 Pharma - économie
Soon-Shiong raises another $100M for his cancer-focused biotech [FierceBiotech] The funds will benefit NantBioScience, a subsidiary founded in 2013 to develop oncology treatments with the same nanoparticle technology that birthed Abraxane, a cancer blockbuster Soon-Shiong sold to Celgene in a $3 billion deal.
	5.4 Traitements - Economie
Number of Americans using $100,000 in medicines triples: Express Scripts [Reuters] Among baby boomers aged 51 to 70 in the high-cost category, 77 percent were being treated for hepatitis C, for which costly new cures were introduced last year. Fifty percent were being treated for cancer, for which several expensive new drugs were approved in the last two years.
	5.5 ASCO
ASCO 2015 Preview: A Panel Discussion of Clinical Presentations with High-Impact Potential [Kantar Health] Kantar Health has identified several pivotal clinical presentations that have the potential to significantly alter the treatment paradigm that will be presented at the upcoming American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting. This webinar will feature an expert panel discussing these clinically meaningful presentations.
	5.6 ESMO
Lower Radiation Doses May Be Sufficient For Treating Certain Cancers, Report IAEA Experts [ESMO] The session’s presentations featured five studies and trials on radiation treatments for cancer of the head and neck, breast, rectum, bone and lung, as well as two investigative surveys of radiotherapy capacities in developing countries.
	6. Lutte contre les cancers
What exactly is personalised medicine? [ecancer education] We've created a free online course to share with you...
	6.9 Controverses
N=1 drug trials: yet another form of legerdemain? [The Mermaid's Tale] "N-of-1" sounds great and, like Big Data, is sure to be exploited by countless investigators to glamorize their research, make their grant applications sound deeply insightful and innovative, and draw attention to their profound scientific insights.