Onco Actu du 16 mars 2018

Pour info : la parution de ce bulletin s'interrompt pendant une semaine. 

De retour le lundi 26 mars...

	1. Biologie
How Editing RNA—Not DNA—Could Cure Disease in the Future [Gizmodo] On Thursday, scientists at the Salk Institute published a study in the journal Cell in which they expanded upon RNA editing abilities with the used of a new family of CRISPR enzymes. They dubbed this new system CasRx.
Mutating DNA caught on film [Science] According to its developers, the technique can be applied to assess mutation dynamics in other types of cells, even human cancer cells. And the researchers eventually hope to be able to monitor mutation rates real time in entire organisms, such as zebra fish, to see whether different tissues have different mutation rates.
	2.5 Etiologie - Gènes
Matter: What’s Behind Many Mystery Ailments? Genetic Mutations, Study Finds [NY Times] The study, published Thursday in Science, represents the first large-scale search of electronic health records for hidden Mendelian diseases. But Dr. Joshua C. Denny, a biomedical informatics researcher at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and co-author of the new study, suspected that it only revealed the tip of a genetic iceberg.
	3.1 Prévention - Tabac
FDA Advances Plan To Slash Nicotine In Cigarettes [NPR] The FDA hasn't yet decided exactly how much it will cut nicotine or how quickly. But the goal is clear.
FDA begins anti-smoking push to cut nicotine in cigarettes [STAT] The FDA gained authority to regulate ingredients in cigarettes and other tobacco products in 2009. But FDA’s regulatory efforts have been hampered for years by legal challenges by Big Tobacco companies.
FDA takes fresh step towards curbing U.S. nicotine addiction [Reuters] The FDA estimates that setting such a standard would help 5 million smokers quit within a year and prevent more than 33 million teens and young adults from becoming regular smokers by the year 2100.
FDA moves ahead with ‘historic’ plan to reduce nicotine in cigarettes [Washington Post] Thursday's action follows Gottlieb's announcement last summer that the agency would pursue a comprehensive plan on tobacco and nicotine regulation in an effort to avert millions of tobacco-related deaths.
How Could Lowering Nicotine Levels in Cigarettes Change the Future of Public Health? [FDA] On March 15, 2018, FDA issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) to seek comments on a potential nicotine product standard, encouraging the public to submit comments, research, and data on a number of related topics.
In a first, the FDA announces its intention to reduce the amount of nicotine allowed in cigarettes [LA Times] Breaking ranks with an administration bent on scrapping federal regulations, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb described "one possible policy scenario" that would set a limit of 0.4 milligrams of nicotine per gram of tobacco. That's about 97% lower than the nicotine levels in typical cigarettes.
	4.1 Dép., diag. & prono. - Prostate
PSA testing for prostate cancer is only worth it for some [The Conversation] Advances in clinical practice have helped reduce some of the harms of PSA testing while preserving the potential benefits. However, ongoing work is needed to further improve outcomes for men with prostate cancer.
	4.12 Biopsies liquides
Improved capture of cancer cells could aid in disease tracking [UNC] Researchers at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and University of Wisconsin-Madison have demonstrated improved methods of capturing free-floating cancer cells that are cast-off from tumors, and circulating in the blood.
	4.2 Dép., diag. & prono. - Génome
Genetic tests ordered by doctors race to market, while ‘direct-to-consumer’ tests hinge on FDA approval [STAT] The Food and Drug Administration is keeping tight watch on “direct-to-consumer” genetic tests but has been taking a hands-off approach with similar tests that have a crucial distinction: a physician’s sign-off.
NHS doctors need more support to deliver genomic medicine to patients, says Cambridge think-tank [PHG Foundation] The vast majority of hospital doctors do not consider themselves qualified or competent to interpret the results of genomic tests.
	5.12.2 Immunothérapies - CAR-T
Adaptimmune Announces Responses in Second Solid Tumor Indication with NY-ESO SPEAR T-cells [Adaptimmune] Data provides confirmation of broad applicability of SPEAR TCR T-cell platform in solid tumors.
Adaptimmune shares boosted by new signs of success with TCR cell therapy [EndPoints] Researchers tracked two confirmed and one unconfirmed partial tumor responses in the first group, with the fourth patient stable. By itself, that may not look like much, but it was actual human data to indicate that their platform approach to solid tumors — a tough hurdle in cell therapies — has real potential across multiple tumors.
	5.12.8 Immunothérapies - Economie
GV, Roche help Ideaya to $94M crossover round, setting stage for synthetic lethality, I-O trials [FierceBiotech] That entails using genome editing tools to identify pairs of mutations that, when hit simultaneously, lead to cell death. PARP inhibitors such as AstraZeneca’s Lynparza and Clovis Oncology's Rubraca use the same approach. But whereas those drugs are limited to the BRCA1/2 mutant, Ideaya is looking into other genetic subpopulations.
Hinting at an IPO and big things ahead for synthetic lethality, preclinical Ideaya touts a $94M round [EndPoints] There’s no data, but there are a few hints at where it’s headed: In this case PARG, where the company just announced a deal to work with CRUK in London on small molecule drugs. PARG is a cellular enzyme that breaks down Poly(ADP-ribose), aiming at a protein function required for DNA repair — the very essence of synthetic lethality.
	5.2 Pharma
MorphoSys eyes MOR208 approval after midphase DLBCL data impress [FierceBiotech] MorphoSys will need durability data to make a truly compelling case as the longer-running CAR-T trials suggest patients on those drugs who are in remission after six months stay in remission. But with MorphoSys’ data pointing in the right direction, the German biotech is talking to the FDA about the possibility of filing for approval based on the midphase data.
Exelixis Submits U.S. Supplemental New Drug Application for CABOMETYX® (Cabozantinib) for Previously Treated Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma [Exelixis] In the pivotal phase 3 CELESTIAL trial, CABOMETYX provided a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement versus placebo in overall survival.
Janssen Announces U.S. FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for Erdafitinib in the Treatment of Metastatic Urothelial Cancer [Janssen] Erdafitinib, an oral pan-fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor, shows promise as the first targeted agent for patients with metastatic urothelial cancer, one of the most common cancers.
J&J’s blockbuster hopeful erdafitinib gets ‘breakthrough’ moniker [EndPoints] The drug, an FGFR inhibitor, got the designation for its potential to treat patients with metastatic urothelial cancer.
	5.4 Traitements - Economie
The Imperative of Addressing Cancer Drug Costs and Value [NCI] I’ve been member and chair of the panel since 2011. The topic of drug costs and value was, in many ways, the most challenging we have taken on during my tenure.
	5.9 AACR
AACR Previews Research from Annual Meeting 2018 [Cancer Research Catalyst] This year’s Annual Meeting features the theme “Driving Innovative Science to Patient Care.” In a recent interview, Caligiuri, along with Program Chair Elaine Mardis, PhD, discussed how the diverse range of program offerings should appeal to attendees from all parts of the cancer research continuum.
	6.6 Publications
“The ‘1’ key was not pressed hard enough:” Did a typo kill a cancer paper? [Retraction Watch] Errors in a 2017 paper about a new cancer test may have occurred because of a simple typo while performing calculations of the tool’s effectiveness. The error, however small, affected key values “so greatly that the conclusions of the paper can no longer be supported,” the editor said, which prompted the journal to retract the paper.
Are research papers less accurate and truthful than in the past? [The Economist] That is a myth, according to the latest investigation.