San Francisco – it’s day 2 of the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. Yesterday, data was presented to the media on “Directing the Immune System to Attack Hard-to-Treat Blood Cancers.”

ASH 2014 San Francisco Media Briefing

The press briefing included four presentations on some the latest developments in blood cancer immunotherapy:

  • Phase 1 trial of nivolumab in classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL) – Abstract 289.
  • Phase 1 trial of pembrolizumab in classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL) – Abstract 290.
  • Phase 2 trial of blinatumomab in acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) – Abstract 379
  • Phase 2 trial of CTL019 CAR-T therapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) – Abstract 380

Delegates to the meeting will hear the above abstracts presented in oral sessions tomorrow. However the media heard the results yesterday which led to stories being published about data that “researchers reported on Saturday” and described the “results presented at the American Society of Hematology,” not the results to be presented!

We also saw the publication of two New England Journal of Medicine papers to coincide with the presentations to the media yesterday.

The New England Journal published the nivolumab data in cHL. BMS seem to have a talent for obtaining publication of early PD-1 clinical trial data in the NEJM to coincide with meeting presentations.

Irrespective of when data is presented at ASH or how it is shared, data on its own is meaningless without context and interpretation. The majority of our conference coverage will be after we have heard the full presentations of data, talked to experts and can do in-depth pieces.

However, on our daily live blog (or as live as we can make it) we will be sharing rolling insights from the sessions we are in and top line thoughts on what captures our attention.

Today, for those of you looking for a photo with our antibuddies (@gene_antibody), they are having a photo opportunity – do check it out, they will be at the Genentech booth 1909 from 12 -1.30.

What Genentech are doing is fun and educational – but do remember to brush up on your antibody structures before asking for a photo, you wouldn’t want the embarrassment of not knowing which was which would you?

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