AMG 509 Personal Update

[Philly13]

The good news is that there is no bad news. Whole Body Bone Scan and CT scans for the Pelvis, Abdomen, and Chest are stable. PSA is also stable. I don't think stable is cause for celebration. It is certainly a relief and I will take it.

They are starting new trial participants at 3 times the dose I am getting. I started at .3, was increased to 1.0 and the next increment will be 3.0 mg/kg. I understand they have had some CRS (Cytokine Release Syndrome) at the higher dose level. I think it has not been long-lasting, I am not sure if they are doing anything to control it when it appears, or if everyone starting at that dose gets it.

My feeling is that it gets easier to tolerate every week. That could be because the psychology of the infusion is easier when I know what to expect or my body is getting used to the potion, or both.

The treating oncologists have a conference call every 2 weeks and will discuss raising ongoing participants dosage over the course of the month. I volunteer every week to take more. I was told today that will probably happen by the first week in July.

I have them burn extra copies of the disks and look at the scan images at home and then review them with my oncologist. The amount of metastatic disease looked a bit worse in February than in April and June. I feel like the increased dosage made a positive difference. I also feel like I will benefit from another increase.

My oncologist, who is not a fan of Auximen scans, thinks the Pylarify PET scan will be widely used by the end of the year. He doesn't think there is any possibility it will change treatment for me at this point in time, so I won't be getting it anytime soon. I have no issue with that.

Philly

[noirhole]

Great. I'll take stable every day, week and month! Good luck.

[tango65]

Good news. Stable, is good. I had immunological treatment in 2007 and I stayed "stable" for 7 years. What are the side effects you are having with the AMG?

[Tall_Allen]

Are you receiving a checkpoint inhibitor (e.g., Keytruda) with it?

[Philly13 in reply to Tall_Allen]

No. I don’t know very much about combining it with anything. I have a friend who is taking keytruda with pretty good results. She has glioblastoma.

I don’t know what a checkpoint inhibitor is either. I will look it up tonight.

Thanks

Philly

[Tall_Allen in reply to Philly13]

Many of the BiTE trials include a checkpoint inhibitor after the Phase 1 (dose finding) is done. Hopefully, it will keep it working longer without adding toxicity.

[Philly13 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thanks for planting the seed. I will inquire about it next week.

[monte1111]

Stable is great.