Onco Actu du 22 février 2018

	1. Biologie
Similarities found in cancer initiation in kidney, liver, stomach, pancreas [WUSTL] Older cells may be dangerous because when they revert to stem cell-like behavior, they carry with them all of the potential cancer-causing mutations that have accumulated during their lifespans.
Study Exploring Relationship Between Precursor Conditions and Multiple Myeloma [Dana-Farber Cancer Institute] The researchers study two precursor conditions of multiple myeloma: Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM).
	2.5 Etiologie - Gènes
Five Novel Genetic Changes Linked to Pancreatic Cancer Risk [Johns Hopkins] The scientists analyzed more than 11.3 million variants in 21,536 people.
	3.1 Prévention - Tabac
Cigars and pipes tied to same risks as cigarettes [Reuters] For the study, researchers examined nationally-representative survey data, collected starting in 1985, from 357,420 participants who were followed through 2011.
	4.2 Dép., diag. & prono. - Génome
You Don't Need a Personal Genetics Test to Take Charge of Your Health [Wired] That in-home DNA test won't tell you much about how to eat or exercise. Fortunately, you don't need it to.
100,000 Genomes Project hits halfway milestone [Cancer Research UK] By the end of the project around 70,000 people will have had their genomes mapped. The aim is to complete this by the end of the year.
Forecasts of genetic fate just got a lot more accurate [MIT Technology Review] As the prediction technology improves, a flood of tests is expected to reach the market. A commercial test launched in September, by Myriad Genetics, estimates the breast cancer chances of any woman of European background, not only the few who have inherited broken versions of the BRCA gene.
	5. Traitements
New Technique Predicts Gene Resistance to Cancer Treatments [Yale] Using a national database of tumor sequences along with tumor sequences from previous Yale studies, the researchers created a promising evolutionary framework with potential utility in prediction of pathways to resistance to new targeted therapies as they become available.
After-effects not necessarily reduced with robotic prostate surgery [Reuters] The results suggest that men shouldn’t be making surgery decisions based solely on whether the procedures will be done using robots, said lead study author.
	5.1 Traitements - Pré-clinique
New therapeutic gel shows promise against cancerous tumors [UNC] The research, published in Science Translational Medicine, focused on two specific types of melanoma and breast cancer, but this approach could work in other tissue types.
	5.10 Traitements - Essais
Early results from clinical trials not all they’re cracked up to be, shows new research [Mayo Clinic] “This phenomenon of exaggerated early results was present in a whopping 37 percent of the studies we reviewed.”
Tool 'names and shames' hidden drug trials [BBC News] Institutions that fail to report the results of their drug and medical trials will be named on a new website.
	5.12.10 Immunothérapies - Fusions et acquisitions
Merck inks $394M takeover of oncolytic virus play Viralytics [FierceBiotech] Viralytics is involved in three Cavatak-Keytruda combination trials. Merck was already collaborating with Viralytics on one of the trials, which is testing the cocktail in patients with bladder cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The other two phase 1 trials are targeting patients with advanced melanoma and NSCLC.
MSD poised to acquire viral immuno-oncology firm Viralytics for $394m [Pharmafile] The company’s board reportedly unanimously recommended that shareholders vote in favour of accepting the offer from MSD, provided there is no superior offer and an independent expert verifies that the move would be in the best interest of said shareholders.
Merck Does a Fine Deal, But Not the One It Needs [Bloomberg] Merck is overly dependent on Keytruda, which is expected to account for 14 percent of revenue in 2018 and 25 percent in 2022. And it seems laser-focused on deepening that commitment.
Merck to buy Australian viral immuno-oncology firm for $394 million [Reuters] The deal comes at a time of booming merger and acquisition activity in the biotechnology sector, with $27.5 billion of transactions agreed in January alone as large drugmakers look for promising assets to improve their pipelines.
The I/O 2.0-combo tech race is on: Merck bags oncolytics player Viralytics in $394M buyout [EndPoints] With 5 PD-1/L1 drugs proliferating around the world, and more on the way, the focus is on new combinations that work together to defeat cancer better than the monotherapies. And the leaders want a stake in the next big thing in the clinic.
	5.12.2 Immunothérapies - CAR-T
Medigene gets OK for first trial of T-cell receptor therapy [FierceBiotech] The Munich-based biotech says it will start a combined phase 1/2 safety and feasibility trial of the T-cell receptor (TCR) cancer immunotherapy in about 92 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndrome or multiple myeloma “within the coming weeks.”
Doctors In China Lead Race To Treat Cancer By Editing Genes [NPR] The treatment Wu is testing involves taking a sample of blood from each patient. A lab at a biotech company two hours away by bullet train extracts T cells from the blood. Scientists then use CRISPR to knock out a gene in the T cells known as PD-1.
bluebird bio Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2017 Financial Results and Highlights Operational Progress [bluebird bio] bb2121 in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma planned to be filed for marketing authorization in 2019.
	5.12.5 Immunothérapies - Pharma
Arcus Biosciences eyes $100M IPO [FierceBiotech] AB928 and AB122 are both in phase 1 trials, which are expected to read out this year. The former will enter a phase 1/2 study in the second quarter, and a treatment combining the two is also on deck for phase 1/2.
	5.2 Pharma
Bayer announces publication of larotrectinib data in The New England Journal of Medicine [Bayer] Larotrectinib demonstrated marked and durable anti-tumor activity in TRK fusion cancers regardless of patient age or tumor type.
	5.2.3 Pharma - économie
The good, the bad and the ugly for the top 15 spenders in the global drug R&D business: 2018 [EndPoints] Four giant companies — J&J, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline and Celgene — all increased R&D spending last year by more than a billion dollars each, according to their recent year-end tallies.
	5.6 ESMO
TAT International Congress 2018: the Home of Phase I in Oncology [ESMO] The TAT 2018 programme will cover the most promising new drugs and targets under development in early phase clinical and translational research, and drugs close to entering clinical development (Paris, France - 05 Mar - 07 Mar 2018).
	6. Lutte contre les cancers
India doctors remove world's 'largest brain tumour' [BBC News] Doctors in India who have removed a 1.8kg brain tumour from a 31-year-old man say it could be the largest in the world.
	6.3 Associations/Fondations
American Cancer Society and Global Center for Medical Innovation Partner to Accelerate Pace of Bringing Research to Clinic [ACS] It its role, GCMI will to bring together members of the medical device community, including universities, research centers, hospitals, clinicians, and investors, to accelerate commercialization of innovative medical technologies that come out of ACS-funded research, while reducing the time and cost of bringing new ideas to market.
	6.6 Publications
ORCID Mandate Trial at Springer Nature [ORCID] For the 14 Nature-branded titles, the percentage of corresponding authors on published papers providing an ORCID identifier grew over the course of the trial from 37% to 96%. As a comparison, for Nature-branded titles that did not take part in the trial this percentage increased from 26% to 45%.
Academics Protest China’s Censorship Requests [The Scientist] Scholars have formed a peer-review boycott to encourage journals to take a firm stance against requests to cull sensitive articles.