Upping Immunotherapy Activity; A Win for Lung Screening; Looming Drug Price Break?

Finding a way to dissociate the activity of effector T cells from regulatory T cells could make immune checkpoint inhibitors more effective in the 60% of melanoma patients who do not benefit or develop resistance to the drugs. (University of California Irvine)

A laboratory study showed that administering a biodegradable “scaffold” restimulated CAR T cells in an animal model of aggressive lymphoma. (Wyss Institute at Harvard, Nature Biomedical Engineering)

In a study in laboratory mice, an “artificial lymph node” showed potential as a means to stimulate the immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells. (Johns Hopkins Medicine, Advanced Materials)

The FDA converted accelerated approval to full approval of selpercatinib (Retevmo) for RET fusion-positive thyroid cancer.

The agency also granted accelerated approval to repotrectinib (Augtyro) for adults and children with NTRK-positive solid tumors.

Therapy dog visits to pediatric oncology patients may help relieve parents’ anxiety. (National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, Journal of Pediatric Health Care)

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center announced MSK Partners, a program to help make high-quality cancer care more widely available across the U.S.

Participation in lung cancer screening almost doubled the diagnosis rate for stage I cancers and helped significantly lower lung cancer mortality in a study among U.S. military veterans. (Cancer)

Patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant reported less distress and improved quality of life after participating in a tailored, telephone-based, positive psychology program. (Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network)

Barriers to cancer care access often begin with a patient’s first call to ask about available services. (University of Michigan, JAMA Network Open)

A lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson (J&J), filed by one of its employees, alleges the company and its pharmacy benefit manager, Express Scripts, overpaid for drugs, leading to higher insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs. (STAT)

In other legal action, J&J agreed to pay $700 million to settle an investigation by 42 states and the District of Columbia into the company’s marketing practices related to talc-containing products. (Reuters)

Junshi Biosciences announced that its PD-1 inhibitor toripalimab (Loqtorzi) plus bevacizumab (Avastin) significantly improved progression-free and overall survival in untreated unresectable/metastatic liver cancer.

Will patent expirations in the next few years finally bring down the cost of blockbuster, but pricey, drugs? (Quartz)

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