Clinical

The placebo effect is a major problem in cough trials and can make it impossible to tell the true pharmacological effect of the medicine being studied, said Ron Eccles, BSc, PhD, DSc, emeritus professor at Cardiff University.

An interim analysis of the phase 3 ALPINE study demonstrated that zanubrutinib has a superior response rate, improved progressive-free survival, and lower rate of atrial fibrillation/flutter compared with ibrutinib in patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia/ small lymphocytic leukemia (CLL/SLL).

Human synthetic insulin may offer low-cost, effective treatment for certain patients with diabetes and financial constraints.

Results from 2 studies presented at this year’s European Hematology Association meeting demonstrate the long-term tolerability and efficacy of the Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

The P2X3 antagonists are the furthest along in the drug development process, but there are other potential drugs being evaluated to treat chronic cough, which currently has no FDA-approved therapies on the market, said Peter Dicpinigaitis, MD, chair of the American Cough Conference.

Desensitizing the cough reflex and new technologies based on artificial intelligence are some of the oral abstracts that Jacky Smith, MB, ChB, FRCP, PhD, professor of respiratory medicine at the University of Manchester and an honorary consultant at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, who chairs that session, is looking forward to at the American Cough Conference.

The populations represented in randomized controlled trials often do not match the populations being treated in the real world due to eligibility criteria, which can be challenging when translating those results to real-world decisions, explained speakers during a session at the European Hematology Association 2021 Virtual Congress.

The phase 2 ZUMA-3 trial of brexucabtagene autoleucel showed that it is possible to intervene early to prevent some toxicity, said Bijal Shah, MD, associate member in the Department of Malignant Hematology at Moffitt Cancer Center.

The prevalence of individuals with multiple chronic conditions continues to increase. Evidence-based modifications to care delivery processes can help to improve care management effectiveness.

New FDA guidance includes updates for assessing patient-reported outcomes in cancer trials.

Understanding why this difference exists could assist with finding new therapies, said the authors.

With 5 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies approved by the FDA, and 299 agents in the pipeline, it’s no surprise that the virtual meeting of the European Hematology Association (EHA) will have a heavy presence of CAR T research being presented in sessions and posters.

This is the first study to estimate the hospital lengths of stay and costs of male breast cancer at the US population level.

Robert Iannone, MD, MSCE, executive vice president of research and development for Jazz Pharmaceuticals, addresses findings of an abstract presented at ASCO 2021 which showed preliminary efficacy of lurbinectedin in combination with irinotecan in patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma.

The FDA said it is the first approved drug for chronic weight management in adults with general obesity or overweight since 2014.

ASCO officials characterized the results as practice changing and said they highlighted the need for genetic testing in patients who receive a diagnosis of high-risk breast cancer.

The 2-day meeting of the American Cough Conference will cover new developments in the treatment of cough, as well as insights into the mechanisms and management of cough, said Peter Dicpinigaitis, MD, chair of the American Cough Conference.

Treating cough can be difficult. There are no FDA-approved therapies on the market in the United States, and companies with drugs in clinical trials have to contend with a large placebo effect.

If 2020 was dominated by the news of how COVID-19 spread across the globe, then 2021 has so far been focused on ending the pandemic through vaccine distribution.

Celltrion Healthcare’s high-concentration adalimumab biosimilar demonstrated comparable safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity profiles to the reference product for up to a year, providing further evidence supporting use of the product.

About 5.4% of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who begin renal replacement therapy as children go on to have vascular events, and 4.1% of those patients die as a result of vascular events, though the real incidence rates are likely higher, according to new research.

The FDA releases label changes for ozanimod to treat multiple sclerosis; the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases initiated a study on mixing COVID-19 vaccines; gender-affirming hormones may affect the cardiovascular system.

Researchers outlined novel approaches to prevent and manage cytokine release syndrome (CRS), which occurs frequently in patients receiving chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy.

New studies evaluate the impact of age on overall survival in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, as well as response rates of rituximab in 2 combination regimens for hairy-cell leukemia and follicular lymphoma.

A phase 3 trial explored which treatment option for pemphigus vulgaris, a rare skin disease, resulted in better outcomes after 52 weeks.

Martin J. Edelman, MD, chair of the Department of Hematology/Oncology and associate director for Translational Research at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, discusses the the nuances of rescinded indications in small-cell lung cancer.

Recent coverage from Targeted Oncology® highlights how combination therapies are impacting the treatment spectrum for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

A recent analysis of The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young study found maternal diet has no impact on type 1 diabetes and islet autoimmunity (IA) risk.

Some recent oncology news includes research into factors impacting the well-being of childhood cancer survivors; whether COVID-19 accommodations will last post-pandemic; and a possible new therapy for patients with polycythemia vera.

Birth control guidance provided to women taking rheumatoid arthritis therapies is lacking, and other rheumatology news reported across MJH Life Sciences™.