Astrazeneca, Pfizer, Gilead releases cancer medicines data

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I am back in New York City after spending the last weekend in Chicago for the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

More than 5,000 research summaries were presented or published in disgust by pharmaceutical giants, biotechnology companies, researchers and oncologists. They included studies on existing medicines, experimental treatments, AI tools and ideas to improve patient care.

Here are some outstanding data and executive comments of the largest companies I follow:

Astrazeneca Win big (again) – The great success of Astrazeneca and the Japanese drug manufacturer Daiichi Sankyo arrested the growth of a common type of breast cancer in more than a year in a large test in late stage when used as an initial treatment. The results could expand the use of the drug and change the way the disease is treated for the first time in a decade.

The study evaluated Modru in combination with a standard medication called Pertuzumab as a first -line treatment, which means that it was used in freshly diagnosed patients with what is known as positive metastatic breast cancer for her2. Patients who obtained the combination of ENHERU lived for almost 41 months before their disease spread, while a group that received a standard treatment of three drugs lived for approximately 27 months before cancer advanced.

David Fredrickson, executive vice president of the Oncology business of Astrazeneca, told CNBC that one in three patients who begin treatment of this type of cancer cannot receive a second type of therapy because their health worsened or died.

But the results show that the combination of ENHERU could give “another third of patients the opportunity to have a longer progression -free survival time and benefit from a more effective frontline therapy than if it wait until a second.”

Pfizer Impresses in colorectal cancer – The company's Braftovi pill, combined with two other cancer treatments, doubled the survival time for patients with an aggressive form of colorectal cancer compared to a standard treatment in a late stage test. It is good news for Pfizer, which has presented the data to the Food and Medicines Administration to expand the Braftavi approval label.

The combination of three treatments included a standard chemotherapy, a drug of antibodies called CETUXIMAB and BRAFTOVI, which is directed to a cancer mutation called BRAF V600E. This combination also reduced deaths by 51% and reduced the risk of cancer progressing in 47% compared to standard treatment during the trial.

Pfizer's scientific director Chris Boshoff told CNBC that 10% to 15% of colorectal cancer patients have that specific mutation, and pointed out that their survival rates are “particularly poor.”

“We are very proud of [the data] Because for the first time, it really shows a real impact on the survival of a disease that is very difficult to treat, “he said.

Head and the victory of Merck Combo's breast cancer – Gilead's popular trodelvous drug in combination with the successful Merck Keytruda immunotherapy reduced the risk of an aggressive type of breast cancer that worsens at 35% when used as an initial treatment in a late test in a late stage. Gilead could benefit from higher sales in Trodelvia, since he competes with Modru.

The study examined patients with advanced triple negative breast cancer whose tumors express PD-L1, the protein directed by drugs such as Keytruda. According to Gilead, about 15% of breast cancer cases are triple negative, which makes them more aggressive and difficult to treat, according to Gilead.

The findings suggest that the combination of Trodelvy and Keytruda “will probably become a new first -line care standard in this environment,” Dr. Jane Lowe Meisel, co -director of Oncology of Breast at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Emory and an expert in disgusting disgust in a statement said in a statement.

TO MerckDaiichi Sankyo Drug disappoints in lung cancer – Merck and Daiichi Sanky said Thursday that they withdrew their US request. For an experimental treatment after he could not prolong the lives of lung cancer patients in a late stage essay.

The drug, Patritumab Deruxtecan, is one of the three called antibody medication conjugates in which Merck has been working with Daiichi Sankyo, since he runs to compensate for the next loss of exclusivity of Keytruda.

The medicine failed the secondary objective of the test of extending general survival, which is defined as the time that patients lived since the beginning of treatment. Those results, together with the subsequent discussions with the FDA, led the companies to withdraw the application.

But last year, the drug fulfilled the main objective of the study of helping to delay tumor progression compared to chemotherapy in patients who have been previously treated by non -small cell lung cancer with a mutation in a gene called EGFR.

Marjorie Greene, head of Merck Global Clinical Development, told CNBC that “all the data could not support” the application for the approval of the medication. She called him disappointment, but pointed out that the company is learning from “what worked and what did not work” and is still “completely inverting” to refine the medication.

Merck and Daiichi Sankyo plan to advance treatment in a late stage development for breast cancer.

AmgenPositive lung cancer data: The company's medication, IMDeltra, reduced the risk of death by 40% compared to chemotherapy for patients with small cell lung cancer whose disease had worsened after an initial round of chemotherapy, according to data from a latest stage test.

IMDELTRA also extended average general survival in more than five months compared to standard care chemotherapy.

Amgen said that the rehearsal results are intended to support the accelerated approval of IMDELTRA by the FDA.

PREMIUM: Bristol Myers Squibb inks deal with BIONTECH – Bristol Myers Squibb said on Monday that he agreed to pay up to $ 11.1 billion to associate with Bionntech and develop his next -generation cancer immunotherapy.

The medicine could assume Keytruda and new treatments in development by Summit Therapeutics and Pfizer. Biontech is running late studies on the medication in lung cancer and plans to start a phase test three in triple negative breast cancer this year.

Do not hesitate to send any advice, suggestion, stories ideas and data to Annika in [email protected].

The FDA approved this week the first AI platform for the prediction of Clairity's breast cancer, based in Boston, marking a great milestone for women's health technology and potentially for the detection of women's health.

I outlined the founder of Clairity, Dr. Connie Lehman, three years ago, as part of a story about investment in Femtech. At that time, he told CNBC that the accuracy of technology can help reduce the excess degrade of women who are supposed to be at risk, while helping to identify women who could not otherwise be monitored until they have already developed cancer.

“When delivering validated and equitable risk assessments, we can help expand access to early detection and prevention that save life for women everywhere,” he said in the announcement of the company's approval.

But to save lives, the next big step is to ensure that women have access to innovative technology as a preventive examination. The American Medical Association will first need to issue a billing code, which for some tools driven by AI has been slow. That code will be crucial to ensure insurance coverage.

Do not hesitate to send any advice, suggestion, stories ideas and data to Bertha in [email protected].

Amazon The pharmacy on Tuesday announced new updates for caregivers and more than 50 million beneficiaries of Medicare part.

Throwed in 2020, Amazon Pharmacy formed from the acquisition of the company in 2018 of the Pillpack online of the pharmacy. The offer is now a full -service digital pharmacy that can help support patients with unique and recurring recipes. The main members in cities such as Los Angeles and New York City are eligible for drug deliveries the same day.

Amazon said that customers with Medicare insurance can now directly access Pillpack services, which means that those with two or more recipes can have their medications classified in individual tear packages labeled with the date and time.

The company said that these monthly shipments will reduce the need for patients to track multiple bottles of pills and help them fulfill their routines, according to a statement. Patients interested in accessing medications previously organized through Pillpack can register starting Amazon Pharmacy.

Amazon Pharmacy also introduced a new way for verified caregivers to help manage medications on behalf of their loved ones. According to AARP, around one in five adults in the US.

Patients can invite trusted caregivers to help supervise their medications by presenting their phone number. The caregiver will receive a text with a link, must confirm details about the patient in question and then begin to handle the patient's medications through their own account.

“These updates deliver what our clients have been asking: the management of simplifiers for them and their loved ones,” said John Love, vice president of Amazon Pharmacy, in a statement on Tuesday.

Amazon's online pharmacy is part of the company's effort several years to boost the health care industry. The company acquired a primary care provider for approximately $ 3.9 billion in July 2022.

Read the full announcement here.

Do not hesitate to send any advice, suggestion, stories ideas and data to Ashley at [email protected].