Onco Actu du 12 juillet 2019

	1. BIOLOGIE
Scientists use time travel to trace how cancer evolves [UW Medicine] “We’ve established that we can go back and examine the natural history in any tumor, and then be able to recapitulate the tumor-development events in a dish. We can explore, for instance, why does mutation No. 1 need these cooperating events? Can we target mutation No. 1 for therapy?”
Ancient epigenetic changes silence cancer-linked genes [Garvan Institute] A study in zebrafish indicates that some genes linked to cancers in humans have been strictly regulated throughout evolution.
Enzyme responsible for dangerous properties of brain tumor stem cells [DKFZ] "All our results suggest that GPD1 is responsible for the "stemness" of brain tumor stem cells. In normal brain stem cells, the enzyme does not seem to play a special role."
	1.4 BIOLOGIE - TECHNOS
New CRISPR platform expands RNA editing capabilities [Broad Institute] RESCUE significantly expands the landscape that CRISPR tools can target to include modifiable positions in proteins, such as phosphorylation sites. Such sites act as on/off switches for protein activity and are notably found in signaling molecules and cancer-linked pathways.
	2.11 ETIOLOGIE - ALIMENTATION
Sugary drinks linked to cancer [NHS Choices] It's also worth noting that the study relied on people volunteering to take part, was mainly in women, and was only carried out in France. The results may not be representative of what they would be in the wider population in France, or in other countries.
	4. DÉPISTAGE, DIAGNOSTIC ET PRONOSTIC
APOLLO Project Launching Prospective Proteogenomic Trial, Expanding Cancer Analyses [Genome Web] Announced in July 2016, the project is a collaboration between the National Cancer Institute's Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC), the US Department of Defense, and the US Department of Veterans Affairs. It aims to use a variety of proteomic and genomic tools to analyze cancer samples from patients in the VA system with the ultimate goal of using proteogenomic information to guide patient therapy.
	4.2 DÉP., DIAG. & PRONO. - GÉNOME
Edward Hockings: Genomic sequencing, a brave new world [BMJ] Life insurers have, in most cases, already made the disclosure of any previous genetic tests obligatory. Like everything, a brave new world of national genome sequencing and genetic scoring will be good and bad—and it will have profound implications.
	5.1 TRAITEMENTS - PRÉ-CLINIQUE
Pairing targeted drugs for breast and lung cancer could overcome treatment resistance [Institute of Cancer Research] Scientists discovered that when the breast cancer drug palbociclib was combined with the lung cancer drug crizotinib, the two-drug combination was significantly more effective against cancer cells in the laboratory than either drug used on its own.
	5.12.11 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - PRÉ-CLINIQUE
New vaccine strategy boosts T-cell therapy [MIT] In a study of mice, the researchers found that they could completely eliminate solid tumors in 60 percent of the animals that were given T-cell therapy along with the booster vaccination. Engineered T cells on their own had almost no effect.
	5.12.2 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - CAR-T, THÉRAPIES CELLULAIRES
Fighting Cancer with Next-Gen Cell Engineering [NIH Director's Blog] When a protein binds the Notch receptor, a portion of the receptor breaks off and heads for the cell nucleus, where it acts as a switch to turn on other genes. They realized that engineering a cancer patient’s immune cells with synthetic SynNotch receptors could offer extraordinary flexibility in customized sensing and response behaviors. What’s more, the receptors could be tailored to respond to a number of user-specified cues outside of a cell.
	5.12.4 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - ESSAIS
Adding Immunotherapy After Initial Treatment Can Benefit Metastatic Lung Cancer Patients [Penn Medicine] Penn study treated patients with pembrolizumab after therapy with curative intent.
	5.12.5 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - PHARMA
Imfinzi granted US Orphan Drug Designation for small cell lung cancer [AstraZeneca] Imfinzi (durvalumab) is currently approved for unresectable, Stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after chemotherapy and radiation therapy in more than 45 countries including the US, EU, and Japan based on the Phase III PACIFIC trial.
Christi Shaw, inspired by her sister’s cancer, named CEO of Kite Pharma, Gilead’s anti-cancer unit [STAT] At Novartis, Shaw was responsible for the launch of the psoriasis drug Cosentyx, and was involved in the decision to in-license Novartis’ CAR-T technology. At Kite, she will face the challenge of restarting a product launch in a category that has not yet lived up to very high expectations.
Fresh out of Eli Lilly, Christi Shaw surfaces as Daniel O'Day's new CEO at CAR-T pioneer Kite [EndPoints] Shaw brings a rare personal approach to drug development. A veteran pharma exec, she left a big job running Novartis’ US business to help care for her ailing sister.
	5.2 PHARMA
GSK hires Branson from Genentech to boost AI team [Fierce Biotech] The appointment is the latest in a series of moves by GSK designed to revitalize its R&D operation through the use of technology.
Forging Into The Unknown [Genentech] In the next decade, I predict that the lines dividing biology, chemistry, protein engineering and computer science will blur and maybe disappear completely.
	5.3 TRAITEMENTS - FDA, EMA, NICE...
Early benefit assessment reveals weaknesses in the development of new drugs [IQWIG] One reason for these information deficits could be the accelerated drug approval procedures, which leave less and less time to collect meaningful data for the use of drugs. The hope that the information deficits could be remedied by so-called post-marketing studies has so far not been fulfilled.
	5.4 TRAITEMENTS - ECONOMIE
Three new cancer treatments available for NHS patients in Scotland [Cancer Research UK] A breast cancer drug and two blood cancer treatments have been recommended for use on the NHS in Scotland. The latest Scottish Medical Consortium (SMC) decisions will see a mix of targeted treatments and chemotherapy added to the options available to NHS patients. But a melanoma drug was rejected because it wasn’t deemed cost effective.
	6.1 OBSERVATION
Johns Hopkins Medicine Researchers Identify Health Conditions Likely to be Misdiagnosed [Johns Hopkins] Diagnostic errors leading to death or serious, permanent disability were associated with misdiagnosed cancers (37.8%), vascular events (22.8%) and infections (13.5%).
	6.10.1 POLITIQUES (USA)
White House pulls drug rebate rule to relief of payers [Biopharma Dive] Withdrawal of the rule, which drugmakers supported, puts greater focus on the administration's plans for an international price index for certain drugs.
Sorry, pharma: White House pulls industry's favored rebate proposal [Fierce Pharma] Thursday’s development shows just how tricky it is to implement drug-pricing reforms in Washington, even when an idea has broad support from the pharma industry.
The White House’s about-face on drug rebates is a loss for public health [STAT] What happens to health care reform when all we’re left with are silly soundbite solutions like “drugs from Canada” or “price controls from Slovakia”? That’s no win for patients.
As Its Drug Pricing Plans Fall Through, Trump Administration Turns To Congress To Act [NPR] Drugmakers were in favor of trying to bring consumer prices down by targeting middlemen. The drug industry trade group PhRMA called the rollback of the plan "a blow to seniors who could have paid less for their medicines at the pharmacy counter."
Trump leaning on Sanders-style ideas to save his drug plan [Politico] Another told POLITICO that the call to pull the rule shocked drug makers, prompting a scramble to figure out what happened and how to react after spending enormous sums promoting it.
Trump’s Efforts to Rein In Drug Prices Face Setbacks [NY Times] He has hinted that he is focusing in on a more audacious proposal, especially from a Republican president. It would tie some drug prices to those set by European governments, an idea that is tantamount to price controls and opposed by members of his own party. Yet Mr. Trump is said to be particularly taken with the idea because it fits with his “America First” approach.
White House scraps key plan to lower U.S. drug prices; may target drugmakers [Reuters] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on Thursday that Americans overpay for medicines, subsidizing socialist European systems.
	6.6 PUBLICATIONS
Potential Causes of Irreproducibility Revealed [The Scientist] In a multi-lab study published this week in Cell Systems, researchers have attempted to reproduce the results of an assay in which cultured cells were treated with cancer drugs. Their lack of success highlights the role that technical variables play in the ability to repeat experiments.
Cancer specialists in Mexico earn third retraction following questions about their data [Retraction Watch] Neither the new retraction, in the journal Hematology, nor the previous two, cite misconduct as the reason for the removals. However, the statements do refer to lack of reliability of results, “ambiguities and inconsistencies” in the findings and other serious issues.