Onco Actu du 14 janvier 2019

	1. BIOLOGIE
UCLA study overturns dogma of cancer metabolism theory – tumors not as addicted to glucose as previously thought [UCLA] When faced with insufficient glucose for their increased needs, the cancer cells in this model simply altered their metabolism to derive energy from the amino acid glutamine.
Researchers discover new protein to fight breast cancer [UPI] "This novel role for the tumor suppressor Nischarin not only increases our understanding of the exosome biology, but can be translated to identifying new targets for modulating cancer metastasis."
	2.6 ETIOLOGIE - ENVIRONNEMENT
Statement from Health Canada on Glyphosate [Health Canada] After a thorough scientific review, we have concluded that the concerns raised by the objectors could not be scientifically supported when considering the entire body of relevant data. The objections raised did not create doubt or concern regarding the scientific basis for the 2017 re-evaluation decision for glyphosate. Therefore, the Department’s final decision will stand.
	3.1.1 PRÉVENTION - TABAC - E-CIGS
Juul’s Convenient Smoke Screen [NY Times] Now, after making billions of dollars and joining forces with Big Tobacco, Juul is billing itself as a public-health crusader.
	3.8 PRÉVENTION - ALIMENTATION
Our milestones: Europe’s search for an anti-cancer diet [Cancer Research UK] Using money from Cancer Research UK and other funders such as the European Union, researchers in Oxford and Norfolk began adding to the EPIC database, linking their results with those collected at other research centres across Europe. Almost 30 years later, the results from EPIC have shaped our understanding of diet and cancer. And surprisingly, they’ve taught us more about what not to eat to help reduce our risk of cancer.
	4.3 DÉP., DIAG. & PRONO. - INDUSTRIELS
Foundation Medicine Says Tumor Mutational Burden Reporting Issue on CDx Test Is Resolved [Genome Web] "Our team quickly discovered during our routine curation of reports high TMB in an indication where it typically does not occur. As a critical component of our quality system, our team was able to halt testing temporarily, minimizing the impact to a limited number of FoundationOne CDx cases."
	5.1 TRAITEMENTS - PRÉ-CLINIQUE
Come One, Come All to These Kinases [In the Pipeline] Why do some proteins in a family prove very hard to target, while others bind a whole list of inhibitors? This paper takes a look at a particularly dramatic example in the kinase field. That’s a good place for studying such things, since there are a lot of kinases out there, and a lot of kinase inhibitors.
Computational scientists design a new IL-2 cancer drug and spin it out into a biotech startup [EndPoints] They also added a complementary component for IL-15 to increase the efficacy and dubbed the drug Neo-2/15, describing it as particularly small and stable. And the game plan is to continue to use their computational skills to improve the drug.
Early research suggests existing drugs could strangle building blocks of metastasis [EndPoints] The researchers used technology from UK-based ANGLE to identify clusters in patient blood, and consequently patients whose cancer would likely spread. In a study with mice, the team then tested 2486 FDA-approved drugs to ascertain their impact on breaking up these CTC cell clusters into individual cells. A small group of drugs were found capable.
	5.10 TRAITEMENTS - ESSAIS
ASCO and Tempus Announce Collaboration to Help Research Sites Identify Potential Participants for the Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization (TAPUR™) Study [ASCO] Clinicians who order the Tempus xT 596 gene assay will receive a report that has been “optimized for TAPUR participation” and includes a summary of those genomic alterations targeted by TAPUR study drugs. This designation is available to entities that demonstrate reporting of TAPUR-specific genes in a format that meets criteria established for the TAPUR Study.
Faced with public pressure, research institutions step up reporting of clinical trial results [STAT] For its analysis, STAT examined nearly 18,700 clinical trials whose results — based on publicly available data — should have been posted to ClinicalTrials.gov between 2008 and Sept. 11, 2017. The investigation follows a similar report by STAT two years ago, which found that prestigious medical research institutions were among the most flagrant violators of the reporting law.
	5.12 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES
Pancreatic Cancer Analysis Points to Possibility of Targeting VISTA Immune Checkpoint [Genome Web] In contrast to the melanoma tumors, the microenvironment of PDAC tumors was also marked by enhanced levels of CD68+ macrophage white blood cells that expressed the VISTA immune checkpoint protein, suggesting it may be feasible to tackle PDAC by interfering with VISTA activity or by otherwise targeting these cells to boost immune activity against the cancer.
Uncovering more options in cancer immunotherapy [Emory University] Xiulei Mo, PhD and colleagues created a system that can test whether compounds enhance the ability of human immune cells to suppress cancer cell growth. They call it HTiP, for "High-Throughput Immunomodulator Phenotypic Screening Platform." The HTiP system uses a mixture of human immune cells, combined with cancer cells carrying a known growth-driving mutation.
VISTA checkpoint implicated in pancreatic cancer immunotherapy resistance [MD Anderson Cancer Center] Comparison of pancreatic and melanoma tumors highlights importance of stroma.
	5.2 PHARMA
Deciphera CBO Morl talks lines of therapy for kinase inhibitor ripretinib [Fierce Biotech] In 2019, Deciphera is teeing up for data from its phase 3 study testing ripretinib, its KIT/PDGFRα-targeted kinase inhibitor in resistant gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).
Here’s what happened when I tried to develop a new drug for a deadly cancer. [Washington Post] Still, I’m proud of our work; that we took the shot. We developed the first molecules against a novel therapeutic target, broke new ground in the chemistry and biology of a key biochemical system and did it faster than industry standards despite our initial inexperience. We ran the go/no-go experiment and the results were negative. No go. In this field unfortunately, that’s how it goes.
Lilly eyes more cancer deals, but wary of CAR-T, gene therapy [Reuters] “The data is amazing, but practically, it’s not reaching many people,” Ricks said of CAR-T therapy, which involves extracting disease-fighting T-cells from a patient, re-engineering them to better recognize and attack cancer, and reinfusing them into the body.
	5.2.2 PHARMA - FUSIONS & ACQUISITIONS
Want to buy Clovis? Step up. ‘Everybody knows where to find me,’ CEO says [Fierce Pharma] Fact is, Clovis could use a big partner to help market its main asset, ovarian cancer therapy Rubraca. The company has struggled to set the drug apart from its PARP competitors, which include AstraZeneca and Merck's Lynparza.
Big Pharma Faces the Curse of the Billion-Dollar Blockbuster [Bloomberg] The biggest pharmaceutical companies count on multibillion-dollar drugs to fund their expensive research units and justify high share prices. But now investors want more, demanding that companies queue up the next crop of top products before the current generation even hits peak profitability.
	5.4 TRAITEMENTS - ECONOMIE
Drug pricing conversations must take the cost of innovation into consideration [STAT] We must ultimately tackle the fundamental question of how much innovation we are willing to pay for. This conversation must be informed by the economic realities underpinning the business model of how new drugs are developed, not with invectives about the greed of drug companies or hopes that breakthrough drugs will materialize out of thin air.
California Adds Its Clout to States Battling High Drug Prices [NY Times] His idea: Find strength in numbers. Within hours of taking office on Monday, Mr. Newsom signed an executive order proposing a plan that would allow California to directly negotiate with drug manufacturers.
	6.10.1 POLITIQUES (USA)
Trump falsely claims ‘drug prices declined in 2018’ [STAT] The report argued that “relative growth” in drug prices has slowed — not that there has been a broad-based decline in prices.
Trump summons advisers to White House over drug price hikes [Politico] Trump’s frustration spilled into public view after reports last week that pharmaceutical companies were raising prices in the new year on hundreds of drugs.
	6.12 ETHIQUE
Statement by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory addressing remarks by Dr. James D. Watson in “American Masters: Decoding Watson” [Cold Spring Harbor Lab] Dr. Watson’s statements are reprehensible, unsupported by science, and in no way represent the views of CSHL, its trustees, faculty, staff, or students. The Laboratory condemns the misuse of science to justify prejudice.
Lab strips James Watson of final honorary roles after his continuing racist statements [STAT] The lab that James Watson led for decades has stripped the Nobel laureate of his last remaining honorary positions, it announced on Friday, in reaction to Watson’s refusal (in a recent documentary) to take back statements widely regarded as racist.
Competitive Culture Brings Out the Worst in Scientists [Bloomberg] The Chinese “Crispr babies” researcher so badly wanted to be a pioneer that he ignored ethical boundaries. Others win a Nobel and think it’s a license to rant.