Researchers at four University of California Health medical centers have begun recruiting participants for a Phase II clinical trial to investigate the safety and efficacy of treating adult patients with COVID-19 with remdesivir, a drug that has shown promising activity against multiple viruses.
Tag: Clinical Trial
Radiation/immunotherapy combo shows promise for recurrent/metastatic head and neck cancers
A new phase II trial finds that a combination of radiation therapy and immunotherapy led to encouraging survival outcomes and acceptable toxicity for patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The combination of radiation and pembrolizumab may offer a new treatment option for patients who are ineligible for cisplatin chemotherapy, part of standard treatment for the disease. Findings will be presented at the 2020 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium.
Drug used for breast, kidney cancers may also extend survival for patients with advanced head and neck cancer
A targeted therapy drug used for breast and kidney cancers may also extend progression-free survival for patients with advanced head and neck cancer who are at high risk for recurrence after standard treatment. Patients enrolled in a randomized phase II trial who received the mTOR inhibitor everolimus were more likely to be cancer-free a year after therapy than those who took a placebo drug, and the benefit persisted for those with mutations in their TP53 gene.
Pre-operative immunotherapy triggers encouraging response in oral cancers
A new clinical trial suggests that immunotherapy given before other treatments for oral cavity cancers can elicit an immune response that shrinks tumors, which could provide long-term benefit for patients. In the randomized trial, two neoadjuvant doses of nivolumab given with or without ipilimumab led to complete or partial tumor shrinkage in most cases and did not delay any patients from continuing on to standard treatment. Findings will be presented at the 2020 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium.
Ohio State First in U.S. to Use New Atrial Fibrillation Device
Cardiologists at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center are the first in the U.S. to test a new type of ablation technology for patients suffering from atrial fibrillation, a common type of irregular heartbeat.
Kisspeptin hormone injection can boost brain activity associated with attraction
The researchers behind the early-stage work, published in JCI Insight, are exploring whether kisspeptin can ultimately be used to treat men with common psychosexual disorders – sexual problems which are psychological in origin such as low libido.
Six patients with rare blood disease are doing well after gene therapy clinical trial
UCLA researchers are part of an international team that reported the use of a stem cell gene therapy to treat nine people with the rare, inherited blood disease known as X-linked chronic granulomatous disease, or X-CGD. Six of those patients are now in remission and have stopped other treatments. Before now, people with X-CGD – which causes recurrent infections, prolonged hospitalizations for treatment, and a shortened lifespan – had to rely on bone marrow donations for a chance at remission.
GW Cancer Center Expands Clinical Trial Offerings for Patients with High Risk Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
The Cutaneous Oncology Program at the GW Cancer Center was selected as the first global site for a clinical trial for patients with high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. The study, sponsored by Regeneron, will examine outcomes for patients treated with Libtayo® (cemiplimab) — an immunotherapy treatment — prior to surgery and radiation therapy.
Select few cancer patients enroll in potentially life-extending clinical trials
Patient enrollment in clinical trials as the first course of treatment after cancer diagnosis is low, despite the fact that enrollment may increase life expectancy, according to researchers at Penn State.
Partnership with China prompts change in care for high-risk type of leukemia
Researchers from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Chinese Children’s Cancer Group led the first randomized, Phase III clinical trial comparing targeted therapies for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) driven by the Philadelphia chromosome. Results showed that the drug dasatinib provides more benefit than the standard of care, which led to changes in the way this leukemia is treated. The findings were reported today in JAMA Oncology.
Expert in #expandedaccess to experimental drugs and diversity in clinical trials to speak at D.C. conf., and is available for interviews
An international expert in expanded access to experimental drugs, Marjorie A. Speers, Ph.D., will speak at the third annual Expanded Access Summit Jan. 27-29 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Speers, a former CDC official, is the executive…
Elizabeth Fox, M.D., named senior vice president of clinical trials research
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital announced today that Elizabeth Fox, M.D., has been named senior vice president of clinical trials research.
Rutgers-led Team Launches Science and Medicine Research Initiative to Transform Health Care in New Jersey
At an event Thursday at Rutgers, thought leaders from academia, health care, government and the pharmaceutical industry discussed the future of scientific and clinical trial innovation in the state, as a result of an innovative consortium between Rutgers University, Princeton University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Case report: Stem cells a step toward improving motor, sensory function after spinal cord injury
Stem cells derived from a patient’s own fat offer a step toward improving — not just stabilizing — motor and sensory function of people with spinal cord injuries, according to early research from Mayo Clinic.
Treating the TOTAL patient: clinical trial reduces relapse
A St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital study lowered the rate of relapse for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
CAR T Cell Clinical Trial for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Begins at Atlantic Health System
Atlantic Health System is treating patients in a new Phase 2 clinical trial of CAR T-cell therapy at Morristown Medical Center. A select number of sites across the U.S. are involved in this study, which is done on an outpatient basis. The study is sponsored by Juno Therapeutics, Inc. The study’s principal investigator, Mohamad Cherry, MD, medical director of hematology for Atlantic Health System Cancer Care, is a nationally known expert at treating and researching blood-related cancers such as lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma. Dr. Cherry is triple board-certified in internal medicine, hematology and medical oncology
Artificial Pancreas System Better Controls Blood Glucose Levels than Current Technology
Study based at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and other centers finds new system has safety, efficacy benefits for people with type 1 diabetes
New Study Evaluates Hand-Held Device for Non-Surgical Therapy of Kidney Stones
UC San Diego Health has enrolled its first patient to evaluate a hand-held technology to fragment kidney stones. The clinical trial will assess the safety and effectiveness of breaking up kidney stones using acoustic energy.
How Effective is Body Cooling in Patients that Experience Cardiac Arrest?
A new nationwide clinical trial hopes to discover if patients that experience cardiac arrest survive more often and have a better recovery based on how long they have their body temperature cooled.
Coronary Stent Patients May Not Need Long-Term Aspirin
Results from international clinical trial ‘TWILIGHT’ could change standard of care for high-risk cases
First Patient Receives Surgery in UNC-Led International Pivotal Trial for Repair of Thoracoabdominal and Pararenal Aortic Aneurysms
The pivotal trial to determine the safety and effectiveness of a modular device designed to be the first completely off-the-shelf endovascular solution for aortic aneurysms involving the visceral branch vessels is successfully underway with its first surgery at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, NC.