Onco Actu du 24 janvier 2018

	1. Biologie
NIH to launch genome editing research program [NIH] Advances in genome editing made over the past decade now make it possible to precisely change the DNA code inside living cells. Despite widespread interest and investment in this field, many challenges remain preventing broad adoption of this technology in the clinic.
Reckoning the potential of CRISPR/Cas9 tech, NIH launches $190M genome editing research initiative [EndPoints] Named Somatic Cell Genome Editing, the program will award funds over six years to researchers collaborating to expand the toolkit for the whole scientific community. improving the delivery mechanisms, developing better editors, designing assays to evaluate those editing tools, and assembling a package of knowledge and methods.
	1.1 Biologie - Gènes
Study Finds Biological Differences in Lung Tumors of African Americans and Whites [NCI] Using a software tool called Gene Set Enrichment AnalysisExit Disclaimer, the researchers predicted that patients whose tumors have certain gene signatures that are more common in African Americans would be unlikely to benefit from certain therapies.
	2. Etiologie
Roswell Park Research Identifies Link between Smoking, Sex Hormones and Lung Cancer [Roswell Park] Risk of non-small cell lung cancer is higher for women and smokers, study suggests.
	2.7 Etiologie - Obésité
How is Obesity Linked to Cancer? [Cancer Research Catalyst] Platz went on to explain in detail two of the major mechanisms that link obesity and cancer—inflammation and insulin resistance.
	3.1 Prévention - Tabac
Derek Yach: Building a Foundation to accelerate an end to smoking [BMJ Blogs] The Foundation’s initial funding source is Philip Morris International (“PMI”). An enforceable pledge agreement legally binds PMI to provide the Foundation with US$80 million annually for 12 years, as long as the Foundation’s independent board of directors certifies annually that it remains focused on ending smoking and addressing the consequences of reduced tobacco use on tobacco farmers.
	3.1.1 Prévention - Tabac - e-cigs
E-Cigarettes Likely Encourage Kids To Try Tobacco But May Help Adults Quit [NPR] The NAS report also indicates that there is some evidence that e-cigarettes may help adults already smoking regular cigarettes quit, but only if they switch exclusively to e-cigarettes.
Science Group Ranks Evidence on E-Cigarette Safety [NY Times] The panel of experts conducted a comprehensive review of research in the field, categorizing evidence on various issues as conclusive, substantial, limited or nonexistent. Below are some of their conclusions.
4 big takeaways from the most comprehensive report on e-cigarettes yet [Vox] E-cigarettes may help adult smokers quit tobacco. But they also entice young people to start smoking.
Vaping Can Be Addictive and May Lure Teenagers to Smoking, Science Panel Concludes [NY Times] The new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine is the most comprehensive analysis of existing research on e-cigarettes. It concluded the devices are safer than traditional smoking products and that they do help smokers quit, citing conclusive proof that switching can reduce smokers’ exposure to deadly tar, numerous dangerous chemicals and other carcinogens.
Public Health Consequences of E-Cigarettes [Nation Academis Press] Public Health Consequences of E-Cigarettes reviews and critically assesses the state of the emerging evidence about e-cigarettes and health. This report makes recommendations for the improvement of this research and highlights gaps that are a priority for future research.
	5.12.10 Immunothérapies - Fusions et acquisitions
Two CARTs, Two Charts: Dissecting Returns From T-Cell Therapy M&A [Life Sci VC] While Kite and Juno have remarkably similar products, similar platforms, and similar overall acquisition valuations, the stories were built quite differently when it comes to financing their growth.
	5.12.2 Immunothérapies - CAR-T
Tmunity nabs $100M for next-gen T-cell immunotherapies [FierceBiotech] Tmunity has two programs in the clinic via the university—a CAR-T program in prostate cancer and a TCR program, the first CRISPR-edited TCR program in the U.S., Azam said.
Carl June's Cancer Startup Raises $100 Million From Gilead, Sean Parker [Forbes] His first CAR-T became Kymriah, now marketed by Novartis. But he and Penn started Tmunity in 2016 as a vehicle for more recent work. Azam, who had headed Novartis' cell and gene therapy work, was chosen to run it.
Allied with Penn, Tmunity’s cell therapy pioneers bag $100M mega-round to back a breakthrough quest on CAR-T, CRISPR [EndPoints] And after staying quiet for more than a year, they’re already in the clinic with two open programs, playing a key role co-funding a cutting-edge cell therapy study at Penn using CRISPR to modify immune cells.
	5.12.5 Immunothérapies - Pharma
Merck's Keytruda makes liver-cancer headway, putting BMS and Bayer on notice [FiercePharma] If Keytruda can eventually land a go-ahead in the field, it’ll face some stiff competition not just from its immuno-oncology nemesis Opdivo but from Bayer, which has dominated the liver cancer landscape for years with Nexavar.
	5.12.9 Immunothérapies - SITC
ChemoCentryx Announces Positive Overall Survival Results with CCR2 Inhibitor CCX872 for Locally Advanced/Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer [ChemoCentryx] The OS rate of 29% in the present study of CCX872 compares favorably with previously published OS rates of 18.6% using FOLFIRINOX alone to treat pancreatic cancer patients with metastatic disease.
Pancreatic cancer combo sees high survival rates in ChemoCentryx PhIb data [EndPoints] Testing one of its CCR2 inhibitors alongside chemotherapy regiment Folfirinox, ChemoCentryx saw 29% patient survival at the end of the study.
	5.2 Pharma
Puma Biotechnology sinks after Europe unlikely to OK breast cancer drug [Reuters] The setback comes six months after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the experimental breast cancer drug that lowers the risk of the disease returning after initial treatment.
Puma Biotechnology Announces Results of CHMP Oral Explanation for Neratinib for Extended Adjuvant Treatment of HER2-Positive Early Stage Breast Cancer [Puma] CHMP indicated that, in its opinion, the benefit risk assessment is negative as the study results are based on evidence from a single pivotal trial and the 2- and 5-year invasive disease free survival (iDFS) benefits observed to-date may lack sufficient clinical relevance.
Puma Biotechnology shares tank after CHMP looks ready to hit a red light on neratinib [EndPoints] Today Puma announced that the CHMP notified the company of a negative trend vote, which loosely translated means that they are highly unlikely to get a green light in Europe anytime soon to sell neratinib for the extended adjuvant treatment of early stage HER2-positive breast cancer.
	5.2.3 Pharma - économie
Genmab Announces 2017 Net Sales Figures for DARZALEX® (Daratumumab) [Genmab] Net sales were USD 884 million in the U.S. and net sales in the rest of the world were USD 358 million.
	5.3 Traitements - FDA, EMA, NICE...
Why EMA matters to European citizens [EMA] Three videos launched today to explain what EMA is and how it works to help patients.
EMA Recommends Refusal of the Marketing Authorisation for Plitidepsin [ESMO] It was intended for the treatment of multiple myeloma in combination with dexamethasone.
FDA to begin releasing clinical study reports in pilot programme [BMJ] In Europe, sections of licensing applications, including CSRs, have been publicly accessible through the European Medicines Agency (EMA) since 2010. To date, the EMA has released millions of pages of CSRs, and since late 2016 has been making clinical reports publicly available on its website. Transparency advocates have for years called on the FDA to follow the EMA’s lead.
	6.10 Politiques
German scientists hope for windfall from incoming government [Nature] Research budget could rise to 3.5% of gross domestic product if agreement struck during coalition talks holds.
	6.5 Médecines alternatives
Herbal remedies like St John's Wort can create dangerous clashes with cancer drugs and statins, warn experts [The Telegraph] The researchers also found that many patients lied about their use of herbal medicines to the doctors, leaving specialists in the dark about potential drug interactions.
	6.9 Controverses
Court records show how a medical device ‘seeding trial’ disguised marketing as science [HealthNewsReview] The scheme is an example of a little-known marketing ploy called a “seeding trial,” which is a clinical study that appears to be designed to answer a scientific question but really exists to promote a product.