Category: Clinical trials

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Dr. Nima Sharifi
Dr. Nima Sharifi

PSA Rising /DALLAS/ – July 25, 2011 – UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have narrowed the potential drug targets for advanced prostate cancer by demonstrating that late-stage tumors are driven by a different hormonal pathway than previously was thought.

"We have recently discovered that castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is unexpectedly driven by dihydrotestosterone synthesis from adrenal precursors in a pathway that circumvents testosterone," says Dr. Nima Sharifi, assistant professor of internal medicine and senior author of a  study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
...continue reading "New Pathway to Potential Therapies for Advanced Prostate Cancer"

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In light of favorable results from the Phase 1-2 trial of MDV 3100 for advanced prostate cancer, a Phase 3 trial is enrolling at sites in the US, Canada, South America, UK, Europe, Australia, and South Africa. Results from the earlier trial are published online by the UK medical journal The Lancet. ...continue reading "Phase 3 Trial Underway for MDV 3100 for Advanced Prostate Cancer"

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An open-label study of Sipuleucel-T (Provenge) is ongoing at 8 centers across the USA. This is a Phase 2 Study enrolling men with Metastatic Castrate Resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC).

The aim of this study is to measure the immune responses to treatment with sipuleucel-T (Provenge). All participants will receive the drug. ...continue reading "Provenge Trial Ongoing & Recruiting At Eight US Centers"

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Androgen-deprivation therapy is well-established for treating prostate cancer but is associated with bone loss and an increased risk of fracture. Matthew R. Smith and an international team investigated the effects of denosumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody against receptor activator of nuclear factor-{kappa}B ligand, on bone mineral density and fractures in men receiving androgen-deprivation therapy for nonmetastatic prostate cancer. In today's New England Journal of Medicine, August 20, they report positive results:
...continue reading "Denosumab in Men Receiving Androgen-Deprivation Therapy for Prostate Cancer"

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Today's New York Times reports:  "A unit in Philadelphia operating with virtually no outside scrutiny botched 92 of 116 prostate cancer treatments over a span of more than six years." Dr. Gary D. Kao, according to the report, ran a "rogue" cancer unit which covered up botched procedures in which radioactive "seeds" intended for the cancerous prostate landed in the bladder or near the rectum. Dr. Kao's team rewrote treatment plans, according to the Times, to cover up his bad aim. ...continue reading "VA Hospital Botches Prostate Treatments, Report"

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Hyam Levitsky
Hyam Levitsky

A four part interview with  Hy Levitsky M.D., professor of oncology and tumor immunology at Johns Hopkins Medical School and co-inventor GVAX anti-cancer vaccine, is posted on Dendreon Investor Village website.

Interview conducted by rufustoehee, a dentist and Dendreon investor, published 4/22/2009.

By way of introduction, Dr Levitsky's bio is posted alphabetically downpage among those of other speakers at Cancer Immunology & Immunotherapy 2008: From Discovery to Development to Drug.

EXCERPTS FROM INTERVIEW

Conversation with Dr. Levitsky Part 1
". . . . how this impacts on the field of tumor immunology, I feel it will very much depend on the nature of the data they present, assuming for the sake of discussion, that this is an unequivocal and unambiguous win, then I think it will have a very significant impact. Number one, I think that unless there are aspects to this that have not been made public, I think the FDA would in this instance need to move it forward in the approval process and I think that how it ultimately gets integrated into clinical practice will be a fascinating thing to watch.

". . . . It is important to acknowledge that tumor response is a surrogate endpoint. It is a surrogate endpoint for perhaps 2 other endpoints that might be more meaningful. One is overall survival which is the gold standard and the other perhaps is the quality of life. No one can argue that those two things have sort of the paramount importance where as to an objective 50% or greater reduction in the mean diameter of all measurable tumor masses is an interesting yard stick, but it is only a yard stick."
...continue reading "Investor Interviews Hy Levitsky M.D. on Provenge"

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SEATTLE, April 13, 2009 -Dendreon Corporation (Nasdaq: DNDN) will host a conference call tomorrow, Tuesday, April 14, 2009, at 9:00 AM ET (6:00 AM PT) to review the outcome of the FINAL analysis of its IMPACT (IMmunotherapy for Prostate AdenoCarcinoma Treatment, also known as D9902B) clinical trial of PROVENGE® (sipuleucel-T), the Company's investigational active cellular immunotherapy for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.

Those interested may access the call with the following information:

Time:         9:00 AM ET/6:00 AM PT

Date:          April 14, 2009

Dial-in:        1-877-419-6594 (domestic) or +1-719-325-4855 (international)

Webcast:       www.dendreon.com (homepage and investor relations section)

A recorded rebroadcast will be available for interested parties unable to participate in the live conference call by dialing 888-203-1112 or 719-457-0820 for international callers; the conference ID number is 8182435. The replay will be available from 12:00 pm ET on April 14, 2009 until midnight ET on April 16, 2009.  In addition the webcast will be archived for on-demand listening for 30 days at www.dendreon.com.