Articles By Marcus Johnson

  1. Lung-MAP Study Quickens Pace Of Lung Cancer Drug Testing 6/17/2014
    A new study developed by the FDA and conducted at hospitals around the US stands to quicken the pace of lung cancer drug testing. The study, Lung-MAP, tests patients’ genes and unique tumor profiles to determine which drugs have the highest likelihood of success in treatment. More than five pharmaceutical companies are participating in the study. The FDA has agreed to work with the companies in interpreting the results of the study and determining the next steps.
  2. Bortezomib Used To Enhance Cancer Fighting Virus Therapy 6/17/2014
    Researchers at the Ohio State University Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute have announced that low doses of bortezomib could help to improve the effectiveness of a cancer killing virus. Oncolytic viruses have been developed to kill cancer cells. Research has suggested that oncolytic viruses have potential in treating different cancers, including brain cancer and other solid tumors. The Ohio State researchers found that combining bortezomib with cancer fighting virus therapy could improve the effectiveness of the virus and allow it to kill more cancer cells.
  3. Breast Cancer Drug Connected To Higher Risk Of Heart Problems 6/17/2014

    A study conducted at the Avera Cancer Institute in Sioux Falls has concluded that the breast cancer drug Herceptin (trastuzumab) is linked to higher risks of heart problems. Although the risk of heart problems is real, the researchers also found that the issues usually reverse once Herceptin treatment is completed. The study was funded by Roche, the drug company that produces Herceptin. Roche also included company researchers and consultants as study co-authors. Dr. Brian Leyland-Jones, the vice president of molecular and experimental medicine at the Avera Cancer Institute, said that the overall result of the study was one of “tremendous reassurance.” The study was published online in the June edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

  4. Study Shows Ibrutinib Increases Leukaemia Survival Rates To 90 Percent 6/5/2014

    A new global phase III clinical trial completed at the Melbourne Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre has shown that patients taking the leukaemia drug Ibrutinib encountered a 90 percent chance of survival, which was 9 percent higher than the 81 percent who survive when treated with standard chemotherapy treatments.

  5. UCL Researchers Eye Leukemia Drugs To Treat Vision Loss 5/29/2014

    UCL researchers have turned to leukemia drugs to find new ways to treat eye diseases. In a recent study, the researchers found that abnormal blood vessel growth in the eye, which can lead to blindness, can be treated with leukemia drugs. The researchers noted that leukemia drugs could also potentially be used to treat patients with a variety of eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and other eye blood vessel diseases.

  6. NCSU Researchers Use "Nanodaisies" To Deliver Drug Cocktail 5/29/2014

    Researchers in the biomedical engineering field at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed a new delivery system for a “cocktail” of anti-cancer drugs. The two universities, which share a biomedical engineering program, developed nanoscale structures that are shaped like a daisy. These structures are able to deliver anti-cancer drugs effectively and quickly, particularly when being used to treat lung cancer. However, the structures were also tested on various other cancer cell lines.

  7. Sanford-Burnham, Daiichi Sankyo Enter Into Drug Research Collaboration 5/23/2014

    Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute has entered into an agreement with Daiichi Sankyo to study drugs that could one day help deter metabolic diseases. The two companies will work to develop drugs to fight cardiovascular metabolic diseases, which can lead to heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, peripheral artery diseases, and other serious problems.

  8. University Of Huddersfield Expands Laboratory With £1m Investment 5/22/2014

    The University of Huddersfield has announced that it has made a £1 million investment which will help make its lab more capable of improving drug research. The investment will be beneficial for the lab to make improvements in field of x-ray crystallography, which allows researchers to examine of the make-up of certain molecules. Being able to visually inspect molecules on a graphic level allows for more effective and efficient drug production, which is a goal of pharmaceutical companies.

  9. UCSD Researchers Use Cancer Avatars To Determine Best Treatment For Tumors 5/22/2014

    Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center are working on virtual cell models that can help drug companies and doctors figure out the best course of action to follow in the treatment of cancer patients.

  10. Pfizer Seeks Early FDA Approval For Breast Cancer Drug 5/22/2014

    Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is in the process of acquiring early FDA approval for the company’s experimental breast cancer drug palbociclib. Pfizer is reportedly going to file their application for FDA approval of their breast cancer drug in the third quarter of this year.