Onco Actu du 14 juin 2019

	1. BIOLOGIE
Special fibroblasts help pancreatic cancer cells evade immune detection [Cold Spring Harbor Lab] A new type of CAF called antigen-presenting CAFs (apCAFs) present in pancreatic tumors lack other components that activate T-cells. Elyada and her team hypothesize that this may result in incompletely activated T-cells that are unable to properly eliminate the cancer cells.
	4.1 DÉP., DIAG. & PRONO. - PROSTATE
New finding: Biomarker indicates tumor aggressiveness and poor prognosis in men with prostate cancer [Elsevier] Addition of the protein CCN3 on biomarker panel may further help predict prostate cancer metastasis to bone, according to a new study in The American Journal of Pathology.
Study shows more effective method for detecting prostate cancer [UCLA] The study is the first to directly compare the different biopsy sampling methods in the same group of men. Previous research demonstrated the advantages of MRI-guided biopsy, but exactly how to employ the new technology has not been clear. This trial establishes that lesion-targeted and systematic sampling are both required to maximize the accuracy of prostate biopsy.
	4.9 DÉP., DIAG. & PRONO. - SEIN
ASCO Data Pushes Boundaries for Genetic Testing in Localized Breast Cancer [Genome Web] However, they wrote, "the introduction of new panels runs into the market dominance of an assay [Oncotype DX] that has been established as clinically useful through many trials, including the current one." "In practice … barriers to innovation are high," they added.
Determining risk of recurrence in triple-negative breast cancer [Huntsman Cancer Institute] The research team is currently applying the test to triple-negative breast cancer patient samples from clinical trials of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Their next step is to validate that the test can be used to predict prognosis and choose the most effective and safest treatments.
	5. TRAITEMENTS
Cardiac toxicity risk factors identified with relapsed multiple myeloma therapy [VUMC] More than half of patients with relapsed multiple myeloma treated with carfilzomib experienced cardiac issues during treatment, according to a multi-institutional study published June 12 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The BCMA bonanza [Nature Reviews Drug Discovery] A long and growing list of anti-BCMA candidates — including chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapies, antibody–drug conjugates and bispecific antibodies — are contending to transform multiple myeloma treatment.
	5.1 TRAITEMENTS - PRÉ-CLINIQUE
Prostate Cancer Researchers Find Molecular “Switch” to Prolong Survival [University of Rochester] Wilmot Cancer Institute scientists believe they have figured out why a commonly used drug to treat late-stage prostate cancer often stops working after four or five months and appears to have a dual function that later turns the cancer into a relentless aggressor.
	5.12.2 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - CAR-T, THÉRAPIES CELLULAIRES
Following CAR-T pioneers' footsteps, Tessa launches China JV in $120M deal [EndPoints] While Tessa’s big idea is about adapting virus-specific T cells to swarm cancer, one of the key products is a CAR-T composed with these cells that it says can achieve better solid tumor penetration and persist for longer in the body.
	5.2.1 PHARMA - PARTENARIATS
GSK joins forces with the University of California to advance genomic research and improve drug discovery [GSK] New ‘Laboratory for Genomics Research’ unites CRISPR pioneers with industry expertise to help unravel mysteries of the human genome.
GSK partners with CRISPR pioneer Doudna to search for new drugs [STAT] Barron also said he hoped the collaboration would create a middle ground in how GSK works with researchers. Right now, relationships tend to be based on one of two models: Either the company funds academics, or academics create a company. This laboratory will represent a somewhat different model.
GSK's Barron joins hands with Doudna, Weissman to deploy CRISPR tech in drug discovery [EndPoints] Unlike the CRISPR biotechs that Doudna has helped found, though, the Laboratory for Genomics Research will use the tools not to create therapeutics or diagnostics, but to uncover how exactly gene mutations cause disease.
GSK signs up gene-editing pioneers in drug discovery alliance [Reuters] The new GSK lab will run tests on various irregularities in the human genome and track the malfunctions they trigger in cells, hoping to gain a clearer understanding of the causes of cancer as well as neurological and immunological diseases.
	5.3 TRAITEMENTS - FDA, EMA, NICE...
Merck helps FDA test blockchain for track and trace [Fierce Pharma] Merck learned some lessons about the vulnerability of its supply chain when it was one of the companies hit by the June 27, 2017, NotPetya cyberattack that infiltrated Microsoft systems that had not installed a security patch. The attack took out its API production and affected its formulation and packaging systems, as well as R&D and other operations. It took Merck about a year and cost it about $1 billion to restore its operations.
FDA taps Merck for blockchain pilot project [Biopharma Dive] The companies said they expect to complete the program in the fourth quarter of this year, with results slated for publication in an FDA report.
IBM, KPMG, Merck and Walmart to collaborate as part of FDA’s program to evaluate the use of blockchain to protect pharmaceutical product integrity [Merck] The FDA pilot program explores innovative and emerging approaches for the tracing and verification of prescription products.
IBM, Walmart, Merck in blockchain collaboration with FDA [Reuters] The new project is aimed at reducing the time needed to track and trace prescription drugs, improving access to reliable distribution information and ensuring products are handled appropriately and stored at the right temperature while being distributed, the companies said in a statement.
	5.3.4 TRAITEMENTS - AMM (FDA, EMA,...)
Pixuvri approved for use in EU [Pharma Times] Servier has announced that its non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma drug, Pixuvri (pixantrone), has been granted the conversion of the conditional approval into standard marketing authorisation as a single agent.
FDA Approves Amgen And Allergan's KANJINTI™ (trastuzumab-anns), A Biosimilar To Herceptin® (trastuzumab) [Amgen] Approval Based on Totality of Evidence Demonstrating KANJINTI is Biosimilar to Herceptin.
	6. LUTTE CONTRE LES CANCERS
Penn Researchers Influence CDC’s Clarification on Prescribing Opioids for Cancer Pain [University of Pennsylvania] A JAMA Oncology article by two Penn researchers calling for consistency in clinical practice guidelines for pain control in individuals with cancer-related pain has helped to bridge the divide in pain management guidelines. As a result, The CDC has issued key clarification on its Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain.
Cancer And The “Cure” [Dr. Len] I firmly believe that if we optimized cancer care starting today, we could vastly reduce deaths from cancer, maybe even avoid hundreds of thousands of deaths by simply doing what we already know. That may not be as provocative as “cures,” however the impact would be the same: avoiding a cancer, finding it at a more treatable moment, getting the best available treatment.
Dr. Henry Lynch, 91, Dies; Found Hereditary Link in Cancer [NY Times] A half-century ago, when researchers said cancers were caused by exposure to toxins in the environment, Dr. Henry T. Lynch begged to differ. Many cancers, he said, were hereditary. To prove his point he traveled to gatherings of families that he suspected had histories of hereditary cancer.
	6.1 OBSERVATION
Declining Use of Chemotherapy in the Last 2 Weeks of Life for Older Patients With Solid Tumor Cancers [Cancer Therapy Advisor] An important finding of this study was that from 2007 to 2013, only 5.8% of patients received chemotherapy during the last 2 weeks of life. Interestingly, this rate declined from 6.7% in 2007 to 5.5%, 5.6%, and 4.9% during 2010, 2012, and 2013, respectively.
Age-Adjusted Death Rates* from Prostate Cancer,† by Race/ Ethnicity — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 1999–2017 [CDC] In 2017, the age-adjusted prostate cancer death rate among all males was 18.7 per 100,000, down from 31.3 in 1999.
	6.6 PUBLICATIONS
‘Broken access’ publishing corrodes quality [Nature] I propose a model in which journals compete not for libraries’ or authors’ money, but for funds allocated by public-research agencies. The major agencies should call for proposals, similar to research-grant applications. Any publisher could apply with its strategic plans and multi-year budgets; applications would be reviewed by panels of scientists and specialists in scientific publishing.
New ERIH PLUS features shows Dimensions data through a humanities and social sciences lens [Dimensions] Through the NSD-Dimensions partnership, we aim to set a new standard: that HSS research can and should be as easy to find as other fields are in multidisciplinary discovery and analytics products.
	6.7 DMP, BIG DATA & APPLIS
Risk, Benefit, and Fairness in a Big Data World [JAMA Forum] The potential for harms in big data research are also greater than they are in most epidemiological studies. This is related not only to the privacy risk and its ensuing consequences, but also to the potential for study participants to feel exploited.
	6.9 CONTROVERSES
Johnson & Johnson takes a $4.8M hit in talc case, but once again pledges to appeal [Fierce Pharma] In fact, of every verdict against the company to make it through appeals, each has been overturned, Montagnino said earlier this month. And the company has won other cases along the way, she said. It’s prevailed after trials in five cases in recent months.