Onco Actu du 24 juillet 2019

	1. BIOLOGIE
Cancer Survival, Drug Response Influenced by Coexpression of Gene Pairs [Genome Web] These gene interactions, Hannenhalli noted, could influence why some driver genes lead to tumor development in some tissue types but not others because their interacting partners could be expressed at varying levels in different tissues.
Scientists identify new genetic interactions that may impact cancer outcomes [MedicalXpress] Using data from 5,288 tumors representing 18 different cancer types, the team defined six interactions in which each gene in a pair could be expressed at a low, medium or high level. They then considered that each of those combinations could be associated with a "positive" or "negative" outcome for patient survival. That brought the total number of potential gene-pair relationship types to 12.
	3.1 PRÉVENTION - TABAC
Government health plans criticised as ‘missed opportunity’ [The Guardian] Doctors and health experts claim government plans to boost public health are too weak to deal with problems such as obesity, smoking and alcohol misuse that are claiming tens of thousands of lives a year.
Government says England will be smokefree by 2030. But how will it get there? [Cancer Research UK] A new ‘green paper’, published yesterday, poses some new and old ways that the Government might deliver on this. And when it comes to tackling smoking, the plan to make England smokefree by 2030 is bold.
	3.1.1 PRÉVENTION - TABAC - E-CIGS
Daily E-cigarette Use May Help Smokers Quit Regular Cigarettes [Mass. General Hospital] Using data from more than 8,000 adult smokers, the investigators measured how likely a smoker was to quit smoking and stay quit, comparing daily and non-daily e-cigarette users with those who smoked only regular cigarettes.
	3.8 PRÉVENTION - ALIMENTATION
Fish three times a week slashes risk of bowel cancer, new study suggests [The Telegraph] Scientists at the International Agency for Research on Cancer followed 476,160 people from across Europe for 15 years. Both lean and oily fish were associated with a reduction in colorectal cancers, however no link was observed in the case of shellfish.
	4.2 DÉP., DIAG. & PRONO. - GÉNOME
Pediatric Oncologists Employing Variety of Sequencing Strategies for Treatment, Research [Genome Web] The necessary breadth of sequencing is something researchers haven't yet agreed on: While some say that whole-genome and whole-transcriptome sequencing are necessary, others argue that whole-exome sequencing or targeted RNA panels may suffice, at least in certain circumstances.
	5.1 TRAITEMENTS - PRÉ-CLINIQUE
How resistance to important cancer drugs develops [DKFZ] Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center have now discovered how cancer cells degrade a protein that induces cell death in cases of failed mitosis. If this tumor brake is missing, the cancer cells survive and are resistant to the effect of taxanes.
Researchers unveil experimental compound to block therapeutic target in blood cancer [UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center] In the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers reported they have identified a novel therapeutic target for primary effusion lymphoma, a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma caused by infection with the Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, also known as human herpesvirus-8.
	5.10 TRAITEMENTS - ESSAIS
Virtual Clinical Trials Challenges and Opportunities: Proceedings of a Workshop (2019) [National Academies Press] The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a workshop to investigate the current clinical trials system and explore the potential benefits and challenges of implementing virtual clinical trials as an enhanced alternative for the future.
	5.12 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES
Encephalitis identified as rare toxicity of immunotherapy treatment [Vanderbilt University] The results, published July 22 in Nature Medicine, are the latest findings by VICC researchers chronicling rare but serious toxicities that may occur with immune checkpoint inhibitors, the most widely prescribed class of immunotherapies.
	5.12.1 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - PARTENARIATS
Jounce Therapeutics Announces Update on Strategic Collaboration with Celgene Corporation [Jounce] JTX-8064 is an anti-Leukocyte Immunoglobulin Like Receptor B2 (LILRB2) antibody and is the first candidate to emerge from Jounce’s Translational Science Platform efforts that focuses on tumor-associated macrophages. Preclinical data presented at the 2019 American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting supports the development of JTX-8064 as a novel immunotherapy to reprogram immune-suppressive macrophages and enhance anti-tumor immunity.
Why wait? Celgene restructures a big Jounce pact — zeroing in on new I/O pathway with $530M deal and bumping ICOS [EndPoints] Almost exactly three years ago Celgene signed a sprawling deal with Jounce that included that lead drug, plus a PD-1 that’s going into Phase I. Now they’re narrowing the scope while adding cash to grab a drug that is designed to reprogram human macrophages from an immune suppressive to immune active state by inhibiting the cell surface receptor LILRB2.
	5.12.2 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - CAR-T, THÉRAPIES CELLULAIRES
PACT Pharma says it's perfected the tech to select neoantigens for personalized therapy — now onto the clinic [EndPoints] Once PACT gets to clinical studies — and it’s recruiting for a Phase I now — it would also have to show it can quickly expand the population of those T cells and safely reinfuse them into the patients.
	5.12.5 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - PHARMA
Merck and Eisai Receive Third Breakthrough Therapy Designation from FDA for KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) plus LENVIMA® (lenvatinib) Combination Treatment [Merck] Designation Granted for Potential First-Line Treatment of Patients with Advanced Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Not Amenable to Locoregional Treatment.
	5.2 PHARMA
Astellas Announces Acceptance by the European Medicines Agency of a Variation Application for Regulatory Review for Use of XTANDITM (enzalutamide) in metastatic Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer [Astellas] The Type II Variation Application is based on data from both the pivotal Phase 3 ARCHES trial, and the Phase 3 ENZAMET trial, investigating enzalutamide in men with mHSPC.
	5.2.1 PHARMA - PARTENARIATS
Syapse Announces Collaboration with Pfizer in Oncology Precision Medicine Focused on Outcomes Research Using Real-World Evidence [Syapse] Pfizer will work with Syapse and its network of health system partners to generate insights from real-world evidence to advance cancer outcomes research.
	5.2.3 PHARMA - ÉCONOMIE
Do Biopharma Companies Really Spend More on Marketing Than R&D? [RAPS] At least part of the reason for the discrepancies between the 2018 figures and those from earlier years seems to be how companies and researchers define marketing and R&D.
	5.3.4 TRAITEMENTS - AMM (FDA, EMA,...)
FDA Approves Pfizer’s Biosimilar, RUXIENCE™ (rituximab-pvvr), for Certain Cancers and Autoimmune Conditions [Pfizer] The FDA approval was based on the review of a comprehensive data package, which demonstrated biosimilarity of RUXIENCE to the reference product.
	6. LUTTE CONTRE LES CANCERS
Can Big Data Science Deliver Precision Public Health? [CDC] There are numerous gaps and methodologic limitations that need to be overcome before big data can fulfill the promise of precision public health. For example, issues involving data inaccuracy, missing data, and selective measurement are substantial concerns that can potentially affect predictive modeling results and decision-making. In addition, deficiencies in model calibration can interfere with inferences.
	6.10 POLITIQUES
What Boris Johnson’s leadership could mean for science [Nature] Researchers fear a no-deal Brexit because the scenario could jeopardize the United Kingdom’s ability to take part in the EU’s flagship, research-funding programme, Horizon Europe, which is worth €100 billion (US$112 billion).
	6.10.1 POLITIQUES (USA)
Senate committee unveils ambitious plan to cap drug price hikes, out-of-pocket expenses [STAT] This package, similarly, is sure to be fiercely opposed by the pharmaceutical industry. The cap on price hikes in both Medicare Part B and Part D beyond the rate of inflation is among its most controversial elements.
Senators announce bipartisan proposal to lower drug prices [Reuters] The proposal aims to keep drug prices down - for both Medicare patients and those in the commercial market - by forcing pharmaceutical companies to pay rebates to Medicare if they raise prices of drugs more than the rate of inflation.
	6.5 MÉDECINES ALTERNATIVES/COMPLÉMENTAIRES
FDA warns company marketing unapproved cannabidiol products with unsubstantiated claims to treat cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, opioid withdrawal, pain and pet anxiety [FDA] As described in the warning letter issued to Curaleaf, the company used product webpages, its online store and social media websites to make unfounded claims about more than a dozen different CBD products.
	6.6 PUBLICATIONS
How a data detective exposed suspicious medical trials [Nature] At least two journals have taken things further and now use the statistical checks as part of the publication process for all papers. Carlisle’s own journal, Anaesthesia, uses it routinely, as do editors at the NEJM.
An innovative way to publish [Nature] The research community needs to find ways to reward study design and methodology as much as the final result. A publishing format called Registered Reports offers a means of addressing this challenge. The Children’s Tumor Foundation, Cancer Research UK and Pfizer have, on occasion, partnered with journals on Registered Reports.
	6.7 DMP, BIG DATA & APPLIS
Anonymising personal data ‘not enough to protect privacy’, shows new study [Imperial College London] The researchers say their findings should be a wake-up call for policymakers on tightening the rules for what constitutes truly anonymous data.
Your Data Were ‘Anonymized’? These Scientists Can Still Identify You [NY Times] Your medical records might be used for scientific research. But don’t worry, you’re told — personally identifying data were removed. On Tuesday, scientists showed that all this information may not be as anonymous as promised. The investigators developed a method to re-identify individuals from just bits of what were supposed to be anonymous data.