March 2007

This year in the US, the American Cancer Society estimates that lung cancer will kill more people than breast, prostate, colon, liver, and kidney cancers combined, making it the leading cause of cancer death among Americans.

Additional breaking news from the biotech industry. In this issue: 1) FDA OKs Ikonisys' Bladder Cancer Test 2) Good News From China for Peregrine 3) Introgen Sees Advances on Two Fronts 4) Debiopharm Procures Cancer Therapy from Kirin Brewery

Fast biotech facts and figures. In this issue: 1) Cancer Risk Factors and Mortality 2) Bladder Cancer 3) Testicular Cancer 4) Breast Cancer

The Academy delivers the latest news on biotech and oncology research, providing a link between the clinical world of cancer care and the university researchers who are pushing the envelope of knowledge and discovery. In this issue: 1) University of California, San Diego (UCSD)/Salk Institute for Biological Studies/La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology 2) University of Michigan's Comprehensive Cancer Center/Stanford University School of Medicine 3) University of Rochester 4) Yale School of Medicine 5) University of Illinois at Chicago

The Politics and Policy page provides a concise and timely round-up of key government-related oncology and biotechnology news. Content is focused upon the public sector activities that are most likely to impact the evolving oncology and biotech industries.

Novel immunotherapy approaches to metastatic prostate cancer: Stimulating the immune response ex vivo with autologous antigen presenting cells.

The latest business and financial biotech news. In this issue: 1) Adherex Buys Back GSK's Rights to Failed Cancer Drug 2) Archemix and Merck Partner on Aptamer-Based Cancer Therapeutics 3) CEL-SCI Receives $15 Million Commitment for Cancer Drug Manufacturing Facility 4) Genentech and Seattle Genetics Ink Deal Potentially Worth $860 Million 5) Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Launches $1-Billion Campaign

Successful research into new therapies for cancer requires a ready supply of patients willing to participate in clinical trials, and physicians and other health care professionals who will refer their patients to the appropriate studies. In each issue, we provide up-to-date information on current or recently announced phase I, II, and III clinical trials focused on biotech-related oncology pharmaceutical therapies.

News items reported in this issue: 1) 186-Gene Signature in Cancer Stem Cells Predicts Recurrence 2) National Prostate Cancer Coalition Commences Clinical Trial Education Program 3) Concomitant High-Dose Radiation Therapy Plus Cetuximab Improves Locoregional Control and Reduces Mortality, with No Increase in Radiation Therapy–Associated Toxicity in Patients with Advanced Squamous-Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck 4) STAT3 Pathway Inhibitor (Degrasyn) Drug Class Shows Promise in the Treatment of Malignant Brain Tumors

Analysis of molecular genetic markers in biological fluids has often been proposed as a potential tool for cancer diagnosis. Markers are needed for lung cancer in particular because the disease is notorious for presenting late in its course.

New pancreatic cancer vaccine findings were presented at the 2007 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, held January 19-21 in Orlando, FL.

A simple blood test may soon be able to identify persons at risk for developing smoking-related head and neck cancer.

The fields of oncology and biotechnology are entering a period of rapid growth and transformation. It is an exciting time for physicians, researchers, and allied healthcare professionals. We are honored to be apart of the process.