Onco Actu du 1er juin 2017

	1. Biologie
Trouble with CRISPR? Maybe, But Maybe Not [In the Pipeline] So there are a number of reasons to wonder if these results are real. If they are, other questions arise about the newer Cas9 variant enzymes and various sgRNA designs, but I’m not even going to think about those, to be honest, until this result has been replicated and given a thorough going-over.
This map will help biologists learn more about the human body than ever before [STAT] Three breakthroughs have made it possible to realize such an ambitious goal: the invention of technologies to create molecular profiles of individual cells; the development of machine learning and related techniques for parsing huge datasets; and the rise of collaborative science across nations and disciplines.
Study Identifies Genetic Mutations in Tumors From 10,000 Patients with Metastatic Cancer [NCI] The results demonstrate that a comprehensive, enterprise-wide effort to map the genetic alterations of patients’ tumors is feasible, can provide important information for timely patient care, and may help shape the future of cancer therapy, the researchers wrote.
	2. Etiologie
Lessons from cancer risk in animals [The Darwin Cancer Blog] Through comparative oncology, we can learn from evolution how to better understand both the universal drivers of cancer (e.g. in dogs) and also novel evolutionary strategies for cancer prevention (e.g. in elephants).
	4.12 Biopsies liquides
Grail goes global, merges with Hong Kong’s Cirina [FierceBiotech] Cirina, which has R&D teams in Hong Kong and San Francisco, shares Grail’s mission. The company was cofounded by Dennis Lo, the first scientist to learn of the presence of fetal DNA in a mother’s blood plasma.
As Big Cancer Trials Ramp Up, Grail Goes Global, Merges With Cirina [Xconomy] If Grail were to successfully screen seemingly healthy people for signs of cancer, it could be a major breakthrough. But that practice is controversial; unnecessary biopsies and other medical procedures for people who are wrongly diagnosed or whose cancer might never have spread can also hasten health problems.
GRAIL and Cirina Combine to Create Global Company Focused on Early Detection of Cancer [Grail] Cirina was co-founded by world renowned scientist in non-invasive molecular diagnostics, Dennis Lo, his colleagues Rossa Chiu and Allen Chan at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), and lead investor, Decheng Capital.
	4.2 Dép., diag. & prono. - Génome
In Maine, Making Cancer DNA Tests Free—And Asking Tough Questions [Xconomy] Along with the free DNA tests, the initiative will provide doctors layers of education and training, some of it to help with basic questions: Which patients are right for these tests? What’s supposed to happen when you send a test to the lab?
	5. Traitements
Radiation therapy, macrophages improve efficacy of nanoparticle-delivered cancer therapy [Mass General Hospital] Testing the therapeutic effect of combining radiation therapy with a nanoparticle-encased chemotherapy drugs in a mouse model confirmed the efficacy of the strategy and the key role of macrophages.
Technique pinpoints the ‘partners in crime’ of cancer genes [Stanford Medicine] The researchers tackled 12 different types of cancers and over 3,000 cancer-associated mutations to identify thousands of new genetic partnerships that could be amenable to drug treatment. In particular, they found that 17 of the 89 potential synthetic lethal partners for a well-known, leukemia-associated mutation are likely to be susceptible to drugs that are either already clinically available or are under development.
	5.12 Immunothérapies
Third CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival [AACR] Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday, June 9, 2017.
	5.2 Pharma
Lilly Announces Phase 3 RANGE Urothelial Cancer Trial of CYRAMZA® (ramucirumab) Met Primary Endpoint, Improving Progression-Free Survival [Lilly] Randomized, placebo-controlled study confirms ramucirumab, in combination with docetaxel, significantly extended progression-free survival (PFS) in previously treated patients with locally advanced or unresectable or metastatic urothelial carcinoma.
Pfizer Announces Acceptance of Regulatory Submissions by U.S. FDA and European Medicines Agency for SUTENT® (sunitinib) for Adjuvant Treatment of Adult Patients at High Risk of Recurrent Renal Cell Carcinoma After Surgery [Pfizer] Applications seek to expand approved use of SUTENT based on data from the Phase 3 S-TRAC trial.
	5.2.1 Pharma - Partenariats
Array adds Ono as Japanese partner for MEK/BRAF combo [FierceBiotech] The new licensing deal will go some way to restore confidence in the prospects for binimetinib and its partner drug as it plays catch-up with MEK/BRAF combinations marketed by Novartis and Roche for melanoma.
	5.2.3 Pharma - économie
Merck Ventures leads $11M round in solid tumor startup [FierceBiotech] The series A sets the Swiss biotech up to wrap up preclinical development of a lead candidate against cancers associated with human papillomavirus (HPV).
Lilly, OrbiMed back China cancer upstart InventisBio in $19M series B [FierceBiotech] Exact details on the mechanisms of actions, and the cancers being targeted, were not however disclosed in the release.
Bicycle Therapeutics Maps Course to Clinic Backed by $52M Investment [Xconomy] One of the problems with cancer drugs is their broad effect: Besides killing cancer cells, they also harm healthy tissue. Bicycle Therapeutics is developing a new class of drugs that it says can offer a more targeted approach, and it has raised $52 million to support plans to bring its lead drug into clinical trials.
	5.3 Traitements - FDA, EMA, NICE...
Regulatory guidance for industry to prepare for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU [EMA] EMA and the European Commission publish first in a series of Q&As for companies.
New action plan to support SMEs as drivers of pharmaceutical innovation [EMA] 16 actions identified for implementation in 2017-2020.
	5.4 Traitements - Economie
NICE backs Keytruda for first and second-line use [Pharma Times] A final appraisal determination issued by the Institute is now recommending use of Keytruda (pembrolizumab) within the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) as an option for untreated PD-L1-positive metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in adults, following an initial rejection earlier this year.
	5.5.1.1 ASCO (général) - Industriels
AstraZeneca’s ASCO pledge? Be a better social media citizen [FiercePharma] AstraZeneca laid out five points for its new social tactics, including a promise to stop tweeting paid advertising during the conference. The company said it also plans to talk less and listen more, highlight important voices other than its own, be sensitive to the serious nature of cancer and work to simplify complex science.
	5.5.10 ASCO (hémato)
Personalized Cell Therapy Combined with Ibrutinib Achieves Complete Remission in High Percentage of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients [Penn Medicine] The team will present on the first 10 patients in the trial, each of whom had been taking ibrutinib for at least six months but had not achieved a complete remission. They were then infused with their own engineered “hunter” T cells.
	5.5.4 ASCO (immunothérapies)
Immunotherapy with DNA Vaccine Shows Promise for HPV-Related Head and Neck Cancer [Penn Medicine] The treatment specifically targets human papillomavirus (HPV), which is frequently associated with HNSCCa, to trigger the immune response.
Cancer meeting to provide clues on future immunotherapy combos [Reuters] "As far as which combinations we think will look better ... it is a little early," said Dr. Bruce Johnson, chief clinical research officer at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and ASCO's incoming president.
	5.6 ESMO
ESMO 2017 Media Alert: Integrating Science Into Oncology for a Better Patient Outcome [ESMO] The count of submitted abstracts this year has marked a 13% increase since ESMO 2016, with 3,250 abstracts received, 92 of them earmarked for submission as Late Breaking Abstracts.
	6. Lutte contre les cancers
ESMO Welcomes the Adoption of the 2017 WHO Cancer Resolution [ESMO] The 2017 WHO Cancer Resolution calls for national cancer control plans, high quality cancer registries, increased cancer research, use of clinical practice guidelines, timely access to medicines, medical devices and palliative care, as well as a well-trained oncology workforce.
	6.6 Publications
Announcement: Towards greater reproducibility for life-sciences research in Nature [Nature] We expect that the new reporting summary will assist reviewers and editors in assessing experimental quality and help readers to locate crucial details on data collection and analysis.
	6.7 DMP, Big Data & applis
CancerLinQ and NCCN Collaborating to Provide Evidence-Based, Decision-Making Resources to Physicians [ASCO] New Collaboration Will Grant CancerLinQ® Subscribers Streamlined Access to the NCCN Compendium®.
	6.9 Controverses
UK doctor jailed for 15 years over unnecessary breast surgery [Reuters] In his private practice, Ian Paterson lied to exaggerate risks that patients would develop breast cancer, performing needless surgery and in some cases mastectomies for which patients paid, judge Jeremy Baker said.