FDA Approves Fixed-Dose Prostate Cancer Combination Treatment
The FDA approved the first fixed-dose combination of the PARP inhibitor niraparib and the androgen biosynthesis inhibitor abiraterone (Akeega) for metastatic BRCA-mutant castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). The approval stipulates use of the dual-action tablet with prednisone in patients with metastatic BRCA-mutant CRPC confirmed by an FDA-approved diagnostic test. Eligible patients must have had prior bilateral […]
Adcetris Plus Chemo Effective in HIV-Related Hodgkin Lymphoma
Brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris) in combination with doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (AVD) was effective for patients with HIV-related stages II-IV classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), according to results from the phase I/II AMC-085 study. All 37 patients who completed therapy in the 41-patient trial achieved a complete response; at 2 years, the progression-free survival (PFS) rate reached […]
FDA OKs Olaparib-Abiraterone for Metastatic Prostate Cancer
The FDA has approved the PARP inhibitor olaparib (Lynparza) in combination with abiraterone (Zytiga) for BRCA-mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), the agency announced Wednesday. Adult patients should be selected for the combination therapy — which is given with prednisone (or prednisolone) — based on an FDA-approved companion diagnostic test to detect deleterious or suspected […]
What makes ‘junk food’ junk? Study examines how three decades of U.S. policies define junk food for taxation and other regulations
How is “junk food” defined for food policies like taxes? A combination of food category, processing, and nutrients can determine which foods should be subject to health-related policies, according to a new analysis examining three decades of U.S. food policies by researchers at the NYU School of Global Public Health and the Friedman School of […]
Post-Immunotherapy Combo Promising in Advanced RCC
Combination treatment with a hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 2α inhibitor and tyrosine kinase inhibitor induced responses in nearly a third of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients previously treated with immunotherapy, a single-arm phase II study found. In the study of 52 patients, 30.8% (95% CI 18.7-45.1) had a confirmed objective response following treatment with belzutifan […]
Sutezolid With 3-Drug Combo Appears Safe and Effective in Multidrug-Resistant TB
SEATTLE — Adding the oxazolidinone antibiotic sutezolid to a three-drug combination appeared to be safe and effective for people with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), according to a dose-finding phase II study. Across five treatment arms that included four different doses of sutezolid with bedaquiline, delamanid, and moxifloxacin at standard doses, there was a similar increase in […]
Novel Capsid Inhibitor Approved for Super-Refractory HIV
The FDA approved lenacapavir (Sunlenca) in combination with antiretroviral therapy (ART) for heavily pretreated HIV-1 patients with drug-resistant infections, and for those who cannot tolerate other available options. Lenacapavir, a first-in-class long-acting HIV capsid inhibitor, is initially administered via oral tablets (300 mg) and subcutaneous shots (463.5 mg/1.5 mL), which are then followed by maintenance […]
Durvalumab-CRT Pairing Disappoints in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer
NEW YORK — An immunotherapy-chemoradiotherapy (CRT) combination did not boost progression-free survival (PFS) in untreated, locally advanced cervical cancer, according to CALLA trial findings. Newly diagnosed patients who received durvalumab (Imfinzi) plus standard CRT did not experience a statistically significant PFS improvement versus patients who received placebo plus CRT (hazard ratio 0.84, 95% CI 0.65-1.08, […]
Targeted Combo Flops as First-Line Treatment in Advanced Breast Cancer
PARIS — A novel combination failed to improve the clinical benefit rate (CBR) in advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) compared with chemoimmunotherapy, a randomized trial showed. Adding the anti-CD73 antibody oleclumab to durvalumab (Imfinzi) and chemotherapy led to clinical benefit (response plus stable disease) in 43% of patients by 24 weeks as compared with 44% […]
Rezvilutamide Bests Bicalutamide in Metastatic Prostate Cancer
In combination with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), the novel androgen-receptor inhibitor rezvilutamide significantly improved radiographic progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared with bicalutamide (Casodex) in patients with high-volume, metastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, the phase III CHART trial showed. Among 654 mostly Asian patients, median radiographic PFS was not reached in the rezvilutamide group […]