1. Iovance (advanced biotech company for use of Adoptive Cell Therapy/Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TIL) reports data at the 33 month follow up point. Early Intervention with Lifileucel Following Progression on Anti-PD-1 Therapy May Maximize Benefit.
yahoo.com/now/iovance-bioth...
2. ASC0 released adjuvant clinical trial from 2015-17 cohort comparing Keytruda vs Yervoy vs high dose interferon for Stage 3A-4 melanoma patients. Adjuvant Anti-PD-1 Misses on Overall Survival (OS) in High-Risk Melanoma, but pembrolizumab topped active controls for relapse-free survival. Read more:
medpagetoday.com/meetingcov...
3. Alkermes released its IL-2 fusion protein nemvaleukin alfa data with melanoma results. However, results presented at Asco today show a dwindling response rate in melanoma patients receiving nemva monotherapy.
But Alkermes reckons it has found a way forward here, and plans to focus on a rare subtype of the disease called mucosal melanoma, where data look more impressive – with the caveat of small patient numbers. And there is better news for the company with a nemvaleukin/Keytruda combination. Note the cohort sizes are very tiny in the report:
evaluate.com/vantage/articl...
4. Worldwide Clinical trial of 714 previously untreated adults: Results from the phase 2/3 RELATIVITY-047 clinical trial show that a combination of immunotherapy medications, relatlimab and nivolumab (Opdivo), can help slow the growth of advanced melanoma. The researchers found that the immunotherapy combination doubled the amount of time that the melanoma was stopped compared with giving nivolumab alone. At 12 months, the cancer was still stopped in about 48% of the people receiving the treatment combination, compared with 36% of the people receiving the single drug.
cancer.net/blog/2021-05/202...
5. Blog entry on CancerNet from a caregiver: Holding Space
cancer.net/blog/2021-04/how...
The treatment combination did cause more side effects in study participants, including serious side effects.
6. Abstract recommendations from ASCO from 3 different experts with "take home" comments are quick reads of what was presented for melanoma this past month.
practiceupdate.com/content/...
practiceupdate.com/content/...
practiceupdate.com/content/...
Whew! So many updates, but many of us like to keep up with the research so we have next step options in our pockets. Others of us are encouraged by the reports of longer term cohorts connected to treatments our loved ones have experienced.
I also like to simpler things to balance my life, like having sand in my toes, so looking forward to an evening walk at Buckroe Beach soon. By the end of the week I look forward to another visit with my 1 month old grandson.
What is bringing you balance and helping to fill you up these days?
Peace,
Missy
