Posted by James
Multiple Myeloma: Oncogenomics for Targeting Tumor Cells in the Microenvironment
Speaker: Kenneth Anderson, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
Recent progress in the research on multiple myeloma (MM) demonstrates the tumor-promoting influence of the micro-environment. Growth factors promote tumor cell proliferation and survival, and cytokines and chemotactic factors promote tumor cell migration and invasion. Proteases break down the basement membrane, alter the architecture of tissue structures, and promote migration and invasion by tumor cells. The vasculature of tumor cells is composed of endothelial cells that are uniquely altered in different tumors. Tumors produce growth factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF), which recruit endothelial cells, thus affecting the growth of the tumor vasculature.
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Posted by James
Sodium Oxybate Oral Solution (Xyrem)
Manufacturer: Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Palo Alto, CA Indication: Sodium oxybate is indicated for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness in patients with narcolepsy. The drug was originally approved as the first and only treatment for cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy. (Cataplectic patients experience a sudden loss of muscle tone and fall to the floor.)
Biological Class: Sodium oxybate is a sodium salt of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB). GHB is a substance that is frequently abused when acquired illicitly and used illegally.
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Posted by James
Nelarabine (Arranon) Injection
Manufacturer: GlaxoSmithKline, Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC
Indication: Nelarabine is indicated for the treatment of adults and children with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL). It is used when the disease has not responded to or has returned after at least two chemotherapy regimens.
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Posted by James
Erlotinib (Tarceva)
Manufacturer: Genentech, Inc./OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Indication: Erlotinib (Tarceva), in combination with gemcitabine (Gemzar, Eli Lilly), is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Drug Class: Erlotinib is a human epidermal growth factor receptor type-1/epidermal growth factor receptor (HER1/EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Its chemical name is N-(3-ethynylphenyl)-6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-4-quinazo-linamine.
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Posted by James
Problem: The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has received a report about the unfortunate death of a patient whose intravenous (IV) tubing had been connected to his tracheostomy tube cuff inflation port. The patient had both a Shiley low-pressure tracheostomy tube and a triple-lumen central IV line catheter in place. Someone accidentally attached an IV fluid line to the tracheostomy cuff pilot line (used to inflate the balloon and regulate pressure) instead of the intended port on the triple-lumen catheter.
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Posted by James
Introduction
In the April 2006 issue of P&T, we published an article in the Drug Forecast column entitled “Rituximab for Patients with Refractory Rheumatoid Arthritis.” In that article, we detailed numerous clinical trials involving the use of rituximab (Rituxan, Genentech) in the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who experienced an inadequate response to traditional therapies such as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapies. These trials focused primarily on determining the efficacy and safety of rituximab in this patient population.
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Posted by James
Every year, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) publishes its Pharmaceutical Industry Profile} I had an opportunity to look over the 2006 Profile, and I thought many of our readers would be interested in a high-level overview of the report.
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