Biotech Strategy Blog

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Posts tagged ‘pharma strategy blog’

BAY 86-9766 shows early promise at AACR Pancreatic Cancer Conference

By on June 25, 2012

A diagnosis of stage IV pancreatic cancer is pretty much a death sentence.

People are often diagnosed in the advanced stage of the disease – 49.5% are diagnosed in stage IV – and the prognosis is generally not good.  Sadly most don’t live long, even with the latest treatments.

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) SEER survival monograph, the relative survival rates are extremely poor. Across all types of pancreatic cancer, only 5% of people live for 5 years, and only 23% survive 1 year.  Three to five months is the median survival time for those with untreated metastatic pancreatic cancer.

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Innovation in combination trials of cancer targeted therapies

By on October 12, 2011

Academic institutions are now bringing pharma/biotech companies together and facilitating rational combination trials that make solid scientific sense.

Combining at least two targeted drugs looks to be increasingly necessary in order to develop innovative new cancer treatments, where turning off one target may stimulate another, thus both need to be targeted for there to be an overall effect.

However, one company may not have all the pathways and drug targets covered by their portfolio.  The result is that companies may have to work together in combination trials with each providing one drug from their portfolio.

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AB Science – realizing the potential of masitinib in cancer and inflammation

By on February 23, 2011

Following on from yesterday’s news that Gilead had acquired Calistoga and CAL-101, another company that is exploring the interface between cancer and inflammation is Paris based AB Science.

Pharma Strategy Blog has an excellent interview with the CEO, Alain Moussy.  AB Science is an emerging French biopharmaceutical company, and I previously wrote about its IPO.

The company has adopted a unique market entry strategy of obtaining approval first in animal health for their tyrosine kinase inhibitor, masitinib.  In 2008, AB Science gained European approval for canine mast cell tumors and in December 2010 FDA approval.

This is a preview of AB Science – realizing the potential of masitinib in cancer and inflammation. Read the full post

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Gilead acquires Calistoga and CAL-101 for $375M

By on February 22, 2011

Gilead Sciences Logo 300x120 Gilead acquires Calistoga and CAL 101 for $375M

In an acquisition that highlights the importance of cancer and inflammation, Gilead Sciences today announced the acquisition of Seattle based Calistoga Pharmaceuticals for $375M.

Calistoga’s pipeline is focused on the development of PI3 kinase inhibitors for cancer and inflammation. Sally Church on Pharma Strategy Blog has written extensively about “The potential of the PI3K pathway inhibitors in lung cancer”, and discussed Calistoga’s CAL-101 compound and its development for hematological malignancies in her report on “What’s hot at ASH in 2010”.

This is a preview of Gilead acquires Calistoga and CAL-101 for $375M. Read the full post

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