October 2016

Researchers have prevented the development of Alzheimer’s disease in mice by using a virus to deliver a specific gene into the brain.  The early-stage findings, by scientists from Imperial College London, open avenues for potential new treatments for the disease. 

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital researchers report a topotecan-based chemotherapy regimen should be considered front-line therapy for patients with advanced bilateral retinoblastoma; an eye cancer in young children.

Clever Culture Systems AG (CCS), the Swiss based joint venture between Australian medical technology company LBT Innovations Limited (ASX: LBT) and Hettich AG (Switzerland) has received clearance of its 510(k) de novo submission to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for APAS® as a Class II medical device.

Novartis announced data from the phase III COMBI-v study demonstrating an overall survival (OS) and a progression-free survival benefit for patients with BRAF V600 mutation-positive advanced melanoma when treated first-line with the combination of Tafinlar (dabrafenib) + Mekinist (trametinib) compared to vemurafenib monotherapy. The results of this study, which was conducted in 704 patients, are being presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2016 Congress in Copenhagen.

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Novartis announced updated results from a Phase II study (ASCEND-3), which demonstrated that anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients taking Zykadia® (ceritinib) as their first ALK inhibitor (post-chemotherapy) had a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 18.4 months [95% CI: 10.9-26.3; median follow-up time of 25.9 months, as measured by blinded independent review committee (BIRC).Results were presented during an oral session at the Annual European Society for Medical Oncology Congress (ESMO) in Copenhagen.

Nicox S.A. announced that it has received a Complete Response Letter (CRL) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the New Drug Application (NDA) for AC-170, its novel, proprietary, cetirizine eye drop formulation, for the treatment of ocular itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis.