A selection of recent news items about MSK and staff….
- Treatment of tenosynovial giant-cell tumors, a rare disorder of the joints, with an investigational drug (PLX3397) resulted in a prolonged regression in tumor volume in most patients. The findings from this phase 2 trial were published in the July 30 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Lead author is William Tap, MD, Chief of the Sarcoma Medical Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01004861)
- Based on encouraging results of JCAR015 in its Phase 1 adult relapsed-refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) trial conducted by Memorial Sloan Kettering, Juno will in the near future begin its first pivotal trial investigating this product candidate in a multi-center study.
- IBM Watson has come a long way since gaining fame in 2011 when it was able to defeat two human champions on the TV game show, Jeopardy. Now, Watson EMR Assistant support physicians by providing additional information “…through a process of collaborative problem-solving during which the computer recommends treatment options and explains in natural language what it found in the patient and the literature that led to its conclusions.” Memorial Sloan Kettering is mentioned.
- How much is a cancer drug really worth? Drugabacus.org, an online calculator that can compare the cost of 54 cancer drugs with hypothetical prices based on certain considerations is mentioned. The site is run by Peter Bach, MD, who heads the Center for Health Policy and Outcomes at Memorial Sloan Kettering.
- CURE Childhood Cancer, an Atlanta-based non-profit announced their fiscal year 2015-2016 funding for research projects and fellowship awards totaling more than $2.5 million. One of the award recipients includes Memorial Sloan Kettering.