MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'erbitux'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:37:22 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4055959&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FByPBOCJFGeY%2F Welcome back, everyone. We hope the weekend was pleasant and relaxing. Now, of course, the routine has returned, although there is a holiday for some here in the states. With that in mind, we will brew our mandatory cup of stimulation and help you get caught up as the day unfolds, whatever your plans may be. Have a good one and stay in touch… Lilly Drops Alimta For Head And Neck Cancer After Study Fails (Reuters) Novartis Kidney Drug Failed To Slow Form Of Pancreatic Cancer (Bloomberg News) Merck KGgA To Ask EU To Reconsider MS Pill (Reuters) AstraZeneca’s Osteoarthritis Drug Wins EU Backing (Associated Press) Erbitux Fails In Colon Cancer Study (Indianapolis Business Journal) FDA Bounces Jazz Pharma Fibromyalgia Drug (Reuters) Gelesis Obesity Drugs Helps Rats Eat Less (Xconomy... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4055959 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 11:40:52 +0100 4055959 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3339766&cid=t_111610_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2010-02-11-cancer-treatment%2Ferbitux-erbitux-head-and-neck-cancer%2F Jim’s son is now getting better thanks to his holistic cancer treatments and Erbitux. Erbitux isn’t chemotherapy but in stead are antibodies helping your body to fight the cancer. Pretty logical approach to cure cancer: not using a poisonous chemotherapy in the hope to kill the cancer without killing the person buy making sure your body has an extra advantage in fighting the cancer by "adding antibodies". What is Erbitux? Erbitux is a mouse/human monoclonal antibody – monoclonal meaning all of them are cloned or made originating from the same cell. It is an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor and given by intravenous infusion for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer and Erbitux is also known to treat head and neck cancer. Jim’s son is now t... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3339766 Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:04:57 +0100 3339766 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3067313&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FnCqCy9SeLUc%2F The price for Folotyn, which was was approved to treat relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma, a rare blood cancer that hits about 5,600 people in the US each year, seems certain to cause controversy as health care reform legislation is debated. As The New York Times notes, the drug shrink tumors, but has not been shown to prolong lives. Allos defends the price, saying it made a significant investment to develop the first approved drug for this type of cancer. “It’s a very aggressive disease, and patients right now have no options,” Jim Caruso, chief commercial officer for Allos Therapeutics, which expects to begin selling the drug next month, tells the paper. “We believe we are fairly priced and we’re benchmarked” against other drugs. However, the paper points o... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3067313 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:57:54 +0100 3067313 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2035943&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F483040604%2F Drugmakers may be forced to change prescribing info on cancer meds already being sold in the US to advise patients that some treatments won’t work in people who carry certain genes, Bloomberg News writes. Prescribing drugs on the basis of genetic profiles can limit use of medicines to patients who will benefit most and increase their safe use, FDA staffers wrote in briefing materials for an advisory committee meeting on December 16. The change may also hinder sales of drugs that previously might have been given to more people, just on the chance they may work. The meeting is being held to discuss whether to recommend that doctors screen patients for the so-called KRAS gene mutation before prescribing Erbitux, which is marketed by Lilly and Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Amgen’s Vectib... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2035943 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:07:51 +0100 2035943 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2021726&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F478645039%2F The ink is barely dry on the acquisition papers, and already Lilly has directed its ImClone Systems unit to eliminate almost half of its sales reps. Lilly, you may recall, agreed two months ago to pay $6.5 billion for ImClone, which markets the Erbitux cancer med and figured in the Martha Stewart insider trading scandal, and beat out Bristol-Myers Squibb (back story). The drugmaker is not wasting any time in cutting costs. Late last week, nearly three dozen ImClone reps were told their services are no longer needed. A spokeswoman confirms the cuts and adds that further moves are planned. Here is what she wrote us… “About 30 of the nearly 70 roles that made up the ImClone sales force were eliminated. This takes the overall size of the sales force back to a mid-2007 sales model t... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2021726 Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:22:14 +0100 2021726 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1961224&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F452971264%2F Somehow, we forgot to hit the send button earlier. So our usual morning greeting is appearing a bit out of sync. Apologies, everyone. As we wrote… And so the end of the week is upon us. What will you be doing this weekend? Taking in a movie? Throwing a football around? Puttering around the mansion? Our choice - raking leaves, which is good exercise, after all. Whatever your pleasure, we hope you enjoy. Meanwhile, here are a few items to digest as you prepare… Lupin Plant Slammed By FDA Inspectors (The Economic Times) Four Drug Combo Helps With Lung Cancer (Reuters) Actavis Unit Sued By FDA (Bloomberg News) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1961224 Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:20:12 +0100 1961224 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1930323&cid=t_111610_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2008-11-04-cancer-treatment%2Fstage-iv-colon-cancer%2F actually means Lisa’s father is dying…   Please give all your hugs, love, experience and support to Lisa.   Stage iv colon cancer story summarized   Lisa’s father underwent chemotherapy for colon cancer. The colon cancer metastized to his liver and the doctors stopped administering the chemotherapy drug Erbitux.   Immediately the chemotherapy effects subsided and all looked well again at first.   Now reality struck again as the pain in his abdomen begins to worsen.   Read Lisa’s father’s complete colon cancer story below.   I need someone to help me with some words of advice.   Please leave a comment if you have advice for Lisa.   First and foremost Lisa says:   I am so scared as to what I’ve read online a... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1930323 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:03:13 +0100 1930323 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1926686&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F437932856%2F Decisions, decisions. What will you be this Halloween? A sales rep? A cardiologist? A brand manager? Maybe a cost-cutting consultant? How about a compliance officer? Whatever your fancy, here are a few items to peruse while you mull this over… Erbitux Gets Priority FDA Review For Broader Use (The Wall Street Journal) AstraZeneca Posts Strong Sales Gain (The Financial Times) Sanofi Raises Guidance While Profits Rise Slightly (Yahoo/Reuters) Novo Nordisk May Spend $2 Billion On Acquisitions (Bloomberg News) Biogen & Genentech Develop Blood Cancer Drug (Reuters) Mylan Profit Jumps On Blood Pressure Drug (Bloomberg News) Vanda Pharmaceuticals Halts Development (Washington Business Journal) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1926686 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:10:52 +0100 1926686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1895595&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F427528195%2F Approximately one in four biologics approved since 1995 in the US and Europe have had at least one safety-related regulatory action issued for them 10 years after their approval, including about 11 percent receiving a Black Box warning, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The new study is the first comprehensive examination of biologics, and among those cited were the Humira and Remicade arthritis treatments; the Rituxan and Erbitux cancer meds, and the Natrecor drug for heart failure. Most warnings, by the way, came within five years after approval (here is the study). “Between 2003 and 2006, biologicals represented 24 percent and 22 percent of all new chemical entities approved by the US and EU regulatory authorities, respectively,” the author... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1895595 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:37:54 +0100 1895595 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1859776&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F412713688%2F After weeks of drama, a deal is finally done. Lilly will pay $70 a share, well above the $62 offered by Bristol-Myers Squibb. In doing so, Lilly gets access to the Erbitux cancer treatment and other cancer meds being developed. Plagued by expiring patents on other big sellers, drugmakers are increasingly looking to oncology as a lifeline. “This transaction will broaden our portfolio of marketed cancer therapies and boost Lilly’s oncology pipeline with up to three promising targeted therapies in Phase III in 2009,” Lilly ceo John Lechleiter says in a statement. “By bringing together ImClone’s and Lilly’s marketed oncology products, pipelines, and biotech capabilities, we are taking a very important step forward in addressing the challenges of patent expir... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1859776 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:25:15 +0100 1859776 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1845072&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F408777535%2F Never mind reports earlier today that Eli Lilly - not Pfizer - is the mystery suitor willing to outbid Bristol-Myers Squibb. Carl Icahn, the biotech’s hard-nosed chairman, just issued a brief statement saying the proposal is going forward, but wouldn’t say anything about the identity of the suitor. Notably, he didn’t deny it was Lilly. And Lilly reportedly did not deny its interest in ImClone. Anyway… “Carl Icahn, Chairman of the Board of ImClone Systems Incorporated, stated that the large Pharma company has completed due diligence and made a proposal not subject to financing or further due diligence. Negotiations between the parties are underway and the large Pharma company has requested that ImClone not divulge its name until negotiations are completed.&#822... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1845072 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:33:20 +0100 1845072 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1802937&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F394197646%2F Now who’s playing chicken? The amusing exchange of letters last week between ImClone chair Carl Icahn and Bristol-Myers ceo Jim Cornelius (here and here) was all about maneuvering as they attempted to find the best deal. Icahn, you may recall, found a mystery suitor willing to pay $70 a share, rejecting Jim’s $60 offer and his insistence that Bristol holds rights to a follow-up to the Erbitux cancer drug. Now, Bristol’s cfo, Jean-Marc Huet told a Merrill Lynch pharma conference in London that the drugmaker may walk away from its offer. “There are situations in which we are willing to walk away,” Huet told the crowd, according to Dow Jones. While ImClone may make a “very nice bolt-on acquisition…you should never fall in love with an asset.” So... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1802937 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:27:36 +0100 1802937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1790488&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F390593183%2F The posturing and sniping that occurs during a hostile bid is so interesting, is it not? Yesterday, Bristol-Myers Squibb ceo Jim Cornelius yesterday fired off a letter to ImClone Systems chairman Carl Icahn (pictured left) to say his $60-a-share bid is firm and to chastise him for disclosing a mysterious suitor is lurking and may pay $70 a share. Last night, Icahn released a response upbraiding Cornelius (see below). A few important details can help with the context - Bristol already owns 16 percent of ImClone; Bristol and ImClone jointly market the Erbitux cancer treatment, and ImClone disputes Bristol’s rights to a follow-up med. September 11, 2008 Mr. James M. Cornelius Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bristol-Myers Squibb Company 345 Park Avenue New York, NY 10154 Dear Jim:... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1790488 Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:28:11 +0100 1790488 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1788918&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F389810862%2F The letter below is rather self-explanatory. Bristol ceo Jim Cornelius (pictured below left) isn’t pleased with Carl Icahn’s mysterious maneuvering to extract a higher price than $60 a share from the big drugmaker for ImClone Systems. Jim reminds Carl (pictured below right) that the “preliminary proposal” from the mystery suitor requires due dilingence, unlike the Bristol offer. And he reasserts Bristol’s claims to long-term US marketing rights for ImClone’s cash cow, the Erbitux cancer treatment and its follow-up compound. Remember, Bristol already owns 16 percent of ImClone. Perhaps this dance is a prelude to something larger involving yet another player? Board of Directors ImClone Systems Incorporated 180 Varick Street New York, NY 10014 Care of Mr. ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1788918 Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:50:59 +0100 1788918 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1786182&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F388683767%2F The drugmaker calls the $60-a-share bid by Bristol-Myers Squibb ‘inadequate,’ and goes on to say in a statement this morning that famed corporate raider Carl Icahn, who chairs ImClone’s board, has had ’several conversations with the ceo of a large pharmaceutical company,’ which was not named. The statement continues that ‘as a result of such conversations, the pharmaceutical company has submitted a proposal, subject to due diligence, but not subject to financing, to acquire ImClone for $70 per share in cash. “The special committee has determined, subject to the execution of a confidentiality agreement, to allow this company to conduct due diligence for a two week period, subject to extension by mutual consent. No determination has been made as to w... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1786182 Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:44:13 +0100 1786182 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1764222&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F382560553%2F Every so often, we like to bring you a few tidbits that are worth noting, if only briefly. This is especially true at lunch hour or during the time of day when a cat nap beckons. Rather than doze off, staying informed is a much better use of time, yes? So, here you go… Hershey Adds Former Pfizer CFO Shedlarz To Its Board (Yahoo/AP) Forest Labs Stock Sinks On Trial Results (Yahoo/AP) ImClone Seeks FDA Ok To Market Erbitux For Head, Neck Cancers (Yahoo/Reuters) OraSure AIDS Test Has High Error Rate (Bloomberg News) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1764222 Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:44:06 +0100 1764222 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1679625&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F355415368%2F Carl Icahn is showing his fangs. In a statement, ImClone’s chairman says Bristol-Myers Squibb’s $4.5 billion offer is way too low. He then maintains the bid was motivated, in part, because ImClone is developing a drug that may compete with Erbitux, the cancer med the two drugmakers jointly market. But Bristol may not have rights to this new drug. Bristol, you may recall, already owns 17 percent of ImClone. Here’s the fun part: Carl, essentially, accuses Bristol ceo Jim Cornelius of trying to pull a fast one. The statement says that Icahn “was disturbed that one of the directors on the ImClone Board, who is the Bristol-Myers designee, was privy to the information discussed at previous meetings concerning the potential separation of ImClone into two separate component... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1679625 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:20:36 +0100 1679625 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1671774&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F352019905%2F Now, that the drugmaker is offering to buy ImClone Systems, does this make it more likely another drugmaker would want to buy Bristol-Myers? One analyst, Sanford Bernstein’s Tim Anderson believes the answer is, drumroll, yes. In an investor note this afternoon, he writes that scooping up ImClone makes Bristol-Myers more “sellable,” because it would be “a more robust cancer company.” Why? Besides full rights to the Erbitux cancer med, ImClone also has a pipeline of five monoclonal antibodies that are in Phase I or Phase II development. Meanwhile, Bristol has been selling off businesses, such as ConvaTec, which heightens its appeal as a pure pharma play. And of course, Bristol has been throwing thousands of employees overboard - about 4,300 jobs are going with a... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1671774 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:06:34 +0100 1671774 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1637996&cid=t_111610_136_f&fid=36051&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FCancerCommentary%2F%7E3%2F339122109%2F ImClone Systems, Inc.’s advanced colorectal cancer drug has now received regulatory approval in Japan. ERBITUX(R) (cetuximab) has received marketing authorization in Japan for use in treating patients with advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Specifically, this approval allows for the use of ERBITUX to treat patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive, curatively unresectable (inoperable), advanced or recurrent CRC, and allows the use of ERBITUX plus irinotecan in second and further lines of mCRC. With this approval, ERBITUX is the first ever EGFR-targeted monoclonal antibody to be submitted for and receive marketing authorization in Japan. ERBITUX (cetuximab) is a monoclonal antibody (IgG1 Mab) designed to inhibit the function of a molecular structure ... Cancer Commentary blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1637996 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:00:28 +0100 1637996 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1488705&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F302917225%2F For drugmakers developing cancer meds, the future may be here - new genetic research on display at the ASCO meeting may help identify drugs most likely to work in particular people, but also sharply reduce the market for certain meds, The Wall Street Journal notes. This marks an important shift in cancer treatment and in attitudes of drugmakers and biotechs toward personalized medicine. Companies are beginning to accept a smaller market for some meds in return for a better chance that those who use them will have a good result, the paper writes. The focus of attention at ASCO is a gene called K-ras, which regulates cell growth and plays a crucial role in several cancers. A study indicated about 36 percent of patients with advanced colon cancer have a mutated form of the gene that assures t... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1488705 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:36:29 +0100 1488705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1482289&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F302184559%2F A clinical trial of 1,125 lung cancer patients who were treated with ImClone Systems’s Erbitux and chemo lived about five weeks longer than patients treated with chemo alone, according to a study released at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting. Here is the abstract. The results could make Erbitux, which is currently approved for colon tumors and head and neck cancer, the preferred therapy for half of non-small cell lung cancer patients who can’t take Genentech’s Avastin due to side effects. Patients getting Erbitux plus standard chemo had a median survival of 11.3 months, compared with 10.1 months for those given only chemo. In all, 36.3 percent responded to the combo, compared with 29.2 percent who improved after getting only chemo. Erbitux increased survi... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1482289 Sat, 31 May 2008 15:58:57 +0100 1482289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1478214&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F300773805%2F Potential advances in the treatment of lung cancer will be a major focus as the American Society of Clinical Oncology gets under way in Chicago on Friday. In particular, ImClone Systems will unveil long-awaited results from a pivotal trial of its Erbitux drug, in combination with chemotherapy, in patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer, Reuters writes. The drugmaker has already said its Flex study met its main goal of boosting survival, but what is not clear is how much longer patients were shown to live. “The Flex study will be one of the most important presentations at ASCO,” Roy Herbst, chief of thoracic oncology at Houston’s MD Anderson Cancer Center, tells Reuters. “Lung cancer doctors and patients would like to know more details.” The Chicago m... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1478214 Thu, 29 May 2008 20:28:10 +0100 1478214 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1404198&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F279352738%2F Two years ago, the drugmaker refused to sell the cancer med in Canada because the government board that regulates the cost of patented meds decided the price would have been too high. Now, though, Bristol-Myers has agreed to sell Erbiux and at a price lower than it had wanted, The Globe and Mail reports. A Bristol-Myers spokesman says Erbitux will be marketed some time this year at a price agreed to by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board, but insists the decision was largely due studies showing the drug can prolong the lives of metastatic colorectal cancer patients, in addition to patients with certain head and neck cancers. “The price issue is behind us,” he tells the paper. ”We’re going to work at making sure it’s available to Canadians beyond th... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1404198 Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:17:16 +0100 1404198 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1301914&cid=t_111610_136_f&fid=36051&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FCancerCommentary%2F%7E3%2F251076162%2F An allergic reaction to the cancer drug cetuximab has been found. Sometimes the reaction includes anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition characterized by a drop in blood pressure, fainting, difficulty breathing, and wheezing. Now researchers funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, have discovered that specific pre-existing antibodies cause the severe reaction to the drug. Cetuximab is an immune-based therapy commonly used to treat persons diagnosed with head and neck cancer, or colon cancer, marketed as the popular brand Erbitux — a product of ImClone Systems Inc. and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Find more details from NIAD/NIH. Tags: allergic reaction, cancer-drug, cetuximab, colorectal-cancer, Erbit... Cancer Commentary blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1301914 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:19:39 +0100 1301914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1300632&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F250706099%2F Remember what the morning mayor used to say: Every brand new day should be unwrapped like a precious gift. So what if a meeting or deadline has you vexed? That bigger picture counts. So grab your cup of stimulation or bottle of water - even if the Associated Press found that it, too, is loaded with your favorite medicines - and get caught up with us… ImClone Systems and Bristol-Myers Squibb may test some US cancer patients for a tick-bite antibody that can cause severe allergic reactions with Erbitux, according to a study. Researchers found an antibody in some patients, particularly in southeastern states, that reacts against a sugar in Erbitux to make them allergic to the treatment. The antibody probably comes from being bitten by ticks, study senior author Thomas Platts-Mills tells... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1300632 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:28:06 +0100 1300632 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1028333&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F185181887%2F A haze is hovering over the nation’s medicine chest this morning, but our vision remains clear. And we foresee yet another busy day. We hope this briefing will help you prepare for the challenges ahead… Roche Anemia Drugs Gets FDA OK, But Patent Is An Issue (Yahoo/AP) GPC Biotech Cutting 44 Percent Of Workforce (Bloomberg News) Schering-Plough and OraSure End Patent Dispute (nj.com) Novartis And Speedel Battle Over Tekturna Royalties (PharmaTimes) Erbitux Improves Survival Rate Of Colon Cancer Patients (Forbes/Associated Press) Hungary’s Gedeon Richter To Buy Poland’s Polpharma For $1.4B (Bloomberg News) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1028333 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 12:10:25 +0100 1028333 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=886436&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F159007265%2F Shannon Lipskey, 36, was diagnosed with colorectal cancer two years and underwent surgery to remove much of her liver and one lung after the cancer spread. Today, the London, Ontario, mom is cancer free and wants to remain that way. So she hopes Erbitux will help, but because of a squabble beween the drugmaker and Canadian agencies over the cost of the medication, she must travel to Buffalo, NY, to receive treatment. The cancer med costs almost $10,000 a month and must be given weekly for six months, which adds up to between $200,000 and $250,000. But the Lipskeys expect they’ll be reimbursed only about $180,000 because of costs not covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan. The OHIP will pay for Erbitux for some patients who travel to the US, but not if it’s given here. Why... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=886436 Thu, 20 Sep 2007 13:16:17 +0100 886436 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=864406&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F155183897%2F ImClose stock rocketed skyward today on the news that Erbitux, which is currently approved to treat cancer in the colon, head and neck, extended survival in patients with small-cell lung cancer. The stock moved because the results were unexpected. At the same time, though, the full story isn’t really known, because full details weren’t released, so it’s not completely clear how much longer patients lived. Here are a couple of interpretations…. “The purpose of the trial was to investigate the efficacy of Erbitux in combination with chemotherapy in comparison to chemotherapy alone in patients with advanced non small cell lung cancer who had not received prior chemotherapy. In our opinion, this news is clearly positive; however we will reserve judgment until we s... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=864406 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 20:25:32 +0100 864406 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=862235&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F155010894%2F Yes, indeed, time for another day. And so here are a few items to help you get caught up. And please do take our latest poll in which we ask whether medical journals should disclose all variety of financial ties to drugmakers (click here or scroll down). Roche Sues Teva Over Boniva Osteoporosis Drug (Yahoo/AP) Sepracor Signs Glaxo To Market Lunesta Outside US And Japan (Yahoo/AP) Arena To Continue Studies For Obesity Pill (Yahoo/Reuters) Patent Reform Moves To US Senate (eWeek.com) Erbitux Improves Survival In Lung-Cancer Patients; Merck Shares Jump (Bloomberg News) Swedish Politician Defends Thailand In Compulsory Licensing Dispute (ScandAsia.com) Novartis’ Sandoz To Launch Generic EPO In Europe Next Month (MSNBC.com) Palatin’s Plan For Sexual Dysfunction Drug Goes Limp (The S... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=862235 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:23:44 +0100 862235 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=814344&cid=t_111610_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F146563819%2F And no one knows why. The med - which is used to treat colon cancer and head and neck tumors - is being studied for treating ovarian, lung, breast and gastrointestinal tumors at various sites in the Southeast US. And that’s where researchers noticed an unusually high rate of allergic reaction in cancer patients, according to the Journal of Clinical Oncology (subscription required). When Erbitux was first approved, the first three patients treated as part of a study conducted at the University of North Carolina had severe reactions to the drug. Docs at two sites in Nashville also had more patients than expected react with a drop in blood pressure and shortness of breath or other hypersensitivity reactions within minutes of infusion, according to a UNC statement. The patients were clus... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=814344 Tue, 21 Aug 2007 16:08:27 +0100 814344 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=539095&cid=t_111610_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F04%2F12%2Ferbitux-fails-in-pancreatic-cancer-trials%2F Filed under: Drug, Pancreatic Cancer, Research, Daily newsImClone Systems Inc.'s drug Erbitux has failed to help pancreatic cancer patients live longer. It's also failed to grow ImClone's market -- not surprising since it's the company's only drug.Imclone, partnering with Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., wanted to see Erbitux -- already cleared for use with colon, head, and neck cancers -- extend the lives of patients with cancer marked by a spread to the pancreas.No one is giving up just yet, and Imclone plans additional tests on Erbitux's use in pancreatic cancer. A study using a combination of Erbitux and Avastin and chemotherapy is up next. "There are reasons to think Erbitux works in pancreatic cancer, but the current results are not as dramatic as we hoped," said Alex Denner, lead for an ex... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=539095 Thu, 12 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 539095