Onco Actu du 17 mai 2019

	1.1 BIOLOGIE - GÈNES
Andrew Cherniack mines tumor data for clues [Broad Institute] Cherniack now works as the group leader of computational biology for the Broad Institute’s Cancer Program, where he not only applies math to the cancer genomics datasets available for cancer tumor research, but has also been a key player in building some of the largest datasets generated to date.
	1.4 BIOLOGIE - TECHNOS
Next Generation Profiling of the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia [ESMO] Acceleration of cancer research by use of model cancer cell lines.
	2.10 ETIOLOGIE - ALCOOL
How Much Alcohol Can You Drink Safely? [NY Times] All of which advances a conclusion that health determines drinking rather than the other way around. If that’s the case, and abstainers are predisposed toward ill health, then comparing drinkers to them will underestimate any negative effects that alcohol has.
	2.6 ETIOLOGIE - ENVIRONNEMENT
Bayer bets on 'silver bullet' defense in Roundup litigation; experts see hurdles [Reuters] Lars Noah, a law professor at the University of Florida, said Bayer’s chances of success would increase significantly if the Supreme Court takes up the Roundup appeals.
	5.1 TRAITEMENTS - PRÉ-CLINIQUE
Greens and Genes [Harvard Medical School] In a new paper published May 16 in Science, researchers demonstrate that targeting the gene, known as WWP1, with the ingredient found in broccoli suppressed tumor growth in cancer-prone lab animals.
Can we stop cancer cells from evolving and developing drug resistance? British scientists take a leaf out of the HIV playbook [EndPoints] Once developed, these APOBEC inhibitors could be administered in tandem with existing targeted oncology therapies to keep the cancer at bay for longer periods, or indeed elevate it to the position of a chronic disease from an often incurable diagnosis.
Can a little known drug in AstraZeneca’s pipeline make a comeback as a PARP add-on? Yale scientists explain how [EndPoints] The theory has been that cediranib works by blocking the formation of new blood vessels, thus depriving tumors of the nutrition and oxygen necessary to live and grow. But in a mouse trial, a team out of Peter Glazer’s lab found that the drug also directly affects pathways involved in DNA repair — a potentially more useful function.
	5.12.8 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - ECONOMIE
Nivolumab with ipilimumab for untreated advanced renal cell carcinoma [NICE] More evidence on nivolumab with ipilimumab is being collected, until August 2021. After this NICE will decide whether or not to recommend it for use on the NHS and update the guidance. It will be available through the Cancer Drugs Fund until then.
	5.2.1 PHARMA - PARTENARIATS
After a long march with Cabo, Exelixis is expanding its focus with an antibody-drug conjugate deal [EndPoints] TF overexpression, while not oncogenic itself, facilitates angiogenesis, metastasis and other processes important to tumor development and progression. ICON-2 is a rationally designed second-generation ADC with potential for an improved therapeutic index and safety profile.
	5.3.4 TRAITEMENTS - AMM (FDA, EMA,...)
AbbVie, Roche snag another CLL nod, this time for Venclexta-Gazyva [Fierce Pharma] Both those green lights will help Venclexta toward the $2 billion peak sales mark that analysts have predicted for the drug. But at least for now, multiple myeloma indications won’t.
	5.4 TRAITEMENTS - ECONOMIE
Skin and breast cancer drugs approved for NHS use in Scotland [Cancer Research UK] Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) will now be an option for patients whose melanoma has spread to the lymph nodes and who have already had surgery.  The SMC also approved two combinations, including the drug abemaciclib for breast cancer, in their latest batch of decisions.
	5.5.1 ASCO (GÉNÉRAL)
ASCO Abstracts: Breast Cancer, Precision Treatments in the Spotlight [Xconomy] This year’s ASCO abstracts were posted online Wednesday, setting off an annual information frenzy. To provide context to the chaos, Xconomy has rounded up noteworthy data in two areas: advances in breast cancer treatment and drugs that target genetic subsets of various cancers.
ASCO 2019 Preview [OBR] In conjunction with the release of the abstracts for the upcoming 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting, a virtual press cast previewed five noteworthy studies that showcase the range of research that will be presented at the meeting. Here are summaries of the key findings.
Biotech in the spotlight as pharma takes back seat at ASCO [Biopharma Dive] This year, fewer blockbuster trial results are expected. And both Merck and Bristol-Myers are taking a lower-profile approach, with neither planning to hold investor events for the first time since 2013.
Asco 2019 – Abstract drop fires the starting gun [Vantage] The most notable presentation being held back concerns the results from the Polo study of Astrazeneca’s Lynparza in pancreatic cancer, which is known to have improved progression free survival, and which will feature at the conference’s main plenary session.
	5.5.1.1 ASCO (GÉNÉRAL) - INDUSTRIELS
Clovis Oncology Announces Presentations At 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting [Clovis] Accepted abstracts highlight additional data from phase 3 ARIEL3 clinical trial, genomic data from phase 2 TRITON2 clinical trial, and the designs of other ongoing rucaparib trials.
Foundation Medicine and Collaborators to Present New Data at ASCO 2019 Further Supporting the Utility of Comprehensive Genomic Profiling (CGP) to Inform Precision Medicine in Advanced Cancer [Foundation Medicine] Data to be presented support the clinical use of tissue and liquid CGP tests and demonstrate the importance of genomic biomarkers to help inform selection of targeted therapies, including immunotherapies, across a variety of advanced tumor types.
Amgen posts early clinical data on closely watched KRAS drug [Fierce Biotech] The next step in the race will come at ASCO, when Amgen will share updated data that may shed more light on the potential efficacy of AMG 510 as a monotherapy. Most of the patients who were enrolled but not evaluable as of the ASCO abstract cutoff had colorectal cancer.
Blueprint Medicines Announces Data Presentations at ASCO and EHA Meetings from Registration-Enabling Clinical Trials of Avapritinib and BLU-667 Across Multiple Patient Populations [Blueprint] The datasets reflect the rapid development of avapritinib and BLU-667, including in four indications that have received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA.
Novartis data at ASCO and EHA demonstrate novel approaches to reimagining medicine in cancer and serious blood disorders [Novartis] Overall survival results from MONALEESA-7 with Kisqali® (ribociclib)* plus endocrine therapy in premenopausal women with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer, to be presented at ASCO .
Kite to Present New Data From Leading Cell Therapy Portfolio at ASCO 2019 [Gilead] New Safety Data Involving Steroid Use and New Subpopulation Analyses from Pivotal ZUMA-1 Trial to Provide Greater Understanding of Yescarta® in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Large B-cell Lymphoma. End of Phase 1 Results from ZUMA-3 Evaluating KTE-X19 in Adults with Relapsed or Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia to be Presented.
Takeda to Showcase Growing Pipeline and Diversified Portfolio of Oncology Products at Upcoming Scientific Congresses [Takeda] Results from a Phase 1/2 first-in-human, open-label, multicenter study of TAK-788 will be presented orally. The ongoing study is investigating the antitumor activity and safety of TAK-788 in patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors harbor epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion mutations.
Bristol-Myers Squibb to Present New Data on 20 Types of Cancer from Across its Oncology Portfolio at ASCO and EHA 2019 [BMS] Presentations will highlight the role of Immuno-Oncology (I-O) monotherapy and combination approaches in improving survival and quality of life outcomes, as well as translational research investigating novel biomarkers and diagnostics to aid in the selection of tailored treatments for each patient based on their unique disease biology.
	5.5.10 ASCO (HÉMATO)
ASCO data won't help AZ's Calquence rival Imbruvica in CLL: analyst [Fierce Pharma] If AZ wants to make a serious dent in Imbruvica’s CLL share, it’s going to need head-to-head data, Leuchten predicted. And that won’t be around for a while, with only one trial, for high-risk CLL patients only, currently in progress and set to wrap up late next year.
	5.5.11 ASCO (SNC]
Roche's Gene-Targeting Drug Shows Promise in Child Brain Tumors [Bloomberg] The results are preliminary and it’s too soon to tell how long the effects will last, but many of the young patients have been on treatment for more than 1O months. The drug’s potential side effects including weight gain, fatigue and taste disturbances.
	5.5.16 ASCO (MÉDECINE DE PRÉCISION)
Pediatric MATCH Study Finds More Targetable Genetic Changes than Expected [NCI] One possible reason that potentially targetable alterations are being found in more patients than researchers had predicted is that children with cancers that have returned or do not respond to standard therapies may develop more genetic changes than they had at diagnosis, Dr. Parsons said.
	5.5.2 ASCO (SEIN)
Breast cancer survival data buoys Macrogenics and Puma [Biopharma Dive] Macrogenics said its experimental drug margetuximab, when combined with chemotherapy, helped previously treated patients with HER2-expressing metastatic breast cancer live 1.7 months longer than patients treated with Roche's Herceptin and chemo. Meanwhile, in a similar setting Puma Biotechnology's Nerlynx plus chemotherapy reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 24% when compared to Novartis' Tykerb plus chemo.
Healthy diet cuts risk of dying from breast cancer in older women [Reuters] The trial enrolled 48,835 postmenopausal women with no previous breast cancer and with dietary fat accounting for at least 32 percent of total daily calories. From 1993 to 1998, the women were randomly allocated to a usual-diet comparison group or a dietary intervention group that aimed to reduce fat intake to 20 percent of daily calories and increase consumption of vegetables, fruit and grains.
MacroGenics Announces Positive Results from Phase 3 SOPHIA Study of Margetuximab in Patients with HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer [MacroGenics] The study met its first sequential primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS). The median PFS of patients treated with margetuximab and chemotherapy was 5.8 months compared to 4.9 months in patients treated with trastuzumab and chemotherapy (hazard ratio [HR]=0.76; 95% CI: 0.59-0.98; P=0.033).
	6.1 OBSERVATION
Calls for bowel cancer screening to be introduced earlier amid rise in cases in under 50s [The Telegraph] The NHS is currently piloting checks from the age of 55 in some areas, while in others, screening is not offered until the age of 60. Officials have said they intend to lower the age to 50. In Scotland it is offered from the age of 50, while in Wales it starts at 60, and in Northern Ireland it starts at 55.
Colorectal cancer incidence on the rise among young adults in several high-income countries [Medical XPress] The authors of the study suggest that the decrease in incidence of colorectal cancer in people over 50 years old in most of the countries studied could be attributed to the introduction of routine screening programmes for premalignant polyps. In Australia, Canada, and the UK, where age-based screening began in 2006, overall decreases in incidence were more pronounced.
Bowel cancer rates rising 'among young adults' [BBC News] "The new studies show a clear need to dedicate more efforts to understanding the lifestyle factors that trigger bowel cancers in young people and to rethink how screening may need to be adjusted to prevent such devastating cancers."
Bowel cancer rise among UK under-50s prompts screening call [The Guardian] The authors of the study said it was too early to use their findings to support lowering the screening age to 45 across Europe but if the trend continues screening guidelines may need to be reconsidered.
Transgender women have increased risk of breast cancer compared to cisgender men [Cancer Research UK] Researchers studied 2,260 trans women and 1,229 trans men who received gender affirming hormone treatment between 1972 and 2016. Out of the 2,260 trans women, seventeen developed breast cancer. And around 8 in 10 cancers were driven by the female sex hormones oestrogen and/ or progesterone.
The Remarkable Story No One Is Talking About: The Substantial Decline In Deaths From Advanced Melanoma [Dr. Len] In whites, from 2012 to 2016 (the latest year for which data is available) melanoma deaths dropped an average of 4.8% a year—every year for 5 years. In blacks over that period, melanoma deaths have declined a remarkable 9% a year. Read that again: a 9% drop in mortality each year from 2012 to 2016.
	6.11 PATIENTS
Letter to myself: In Merck campaign, cancer patients look back on their diagnoses with heartfelt advice [Fierce Pharma] Patients and caregivers recount their stories and offer advice to themselves, looking back to the time when they were diagnosed, in Merck’s new “With Love, Me” campaign. The heartfelt videos recount fears and worries and struggles and triumphs through the lens of each patient.
	6.5 MÉDECINES ALTERNATIVES/COMPLÉMENTAIRES
CAM and cancer: Who uses CAM, and why? [Science-Based Medicine] This systematic review confirms that many to most people with cancer are using some form of CAM. Given the variety of approaches and therapies that now encompass CAM, cancer patients should be made to feel comfortable discussing CAM with their health care providers.
	6.8 COMMUNICATION
Claims of causality in health news: a randomised trial [BMC Medicine] Misleading news claims can be detrimental to public health. We aimed to improve the alignment between causal claims and evidence, without losing news interest (counter to assumptions that news is not interested in communicating caution).
	6.9 CONTROVERSES
Judge rips insurance company for 'immoral, barbaric' cancer denials [CNN] "The judge is wrong. He does not know the facts, and he has fallen for some of the advertising," said Dr. Otis Brawley, a professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins University's School of Medicine and the former chief medical officer at the American Cancer Society.