Study: Colon cancer risk extends to second and third-degree relatives

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Having second- or third-degree relatives with colorectal cancer increases a person’s risk of developing the disease, according to the findings of a study led by researchers from the University at Buffalo and the University of Utah. Early colonoscopy screening is often recommended for first-degree relatives of someone diagnosed with early-onset — meaning before age 50 — colorectal […]

FDA approves Invega Hayfera (6-month paliperidone palmitate), first and only twice-yearly treatment for adults with schizophrenia – Janssen Pharmaceuticals

The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson has announced the FDA has approved long-acting atypical antipsychotic Invega Hafyera (6-month paliperidone palmitate), the first-and-only twice-yearly injectable for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults. Before transitioning to Invega Hafyera, patients must be adequately treated with Invega Sustenna (1-month paliperidone palmitate) for at least four months, or Invega Trinza (3-month paliperidone palmitate) […]

Engineers grow pancreatic ‘organoids’ that mimic the real thing

Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT engineers, in collaboration with scientists at Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, have developed a new way to grow tiny replicas of the pancreas, using either healthy or cancerous pancreatic cells. Their new models could help researchers develop and test potential drugs for pancreatic cancer, which is currently one of the most difficult types of cancer […]

UK MHRA grants marketing authorisation for Cibinqo for adults and adolescents with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis – Pfizer

Pfizer Inc. announced that the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has granted Great Britain marketing authorization for Cibinqo (abrocitinib), an oral, once-daily, Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) inhibitor, for the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over, who are candidates for systemic therapy. Abrocitinib is licensed in Great […]

DisCoVeRy trial of Verklury concluded there was no clinical benefit in hospitalised patients with COVID 19 – Gilead Sciences

A study conducted in Europe of Gilead’s Verklury (remdesivir) concluded that the antiviral provided no clinical benefit in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 compared to existing treatments . The phase III open-label DisCoVeRy trial included patients admitted to hospital with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 and if they had evidence of pneumonia or required oxygen. Participants were randomized to standard of care alone or […]

Moderna highlights new clinical data on SpikeVax, its COVID-19 vaccine

Moderna, Inc. highlighted a new analysis suggesting that the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective against circulating variants of concern , including in a vaccine effectiveness study conducted in partnership with Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) and in a separate recent publication by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, the Company shared a new analysis of […]

Analyses published in NEJM of a third booster shot of the Comirnaty messenger RNA vaccine from Pfizer

Publication of two separate analyses in The New England Journal of Medicine comes before a meeting of FDA advisers to discuss Pfizer’s application for authorization of a third shot of Comirnaty. The larger dataset published in NEJM comes from an analysis of more than 1 million people in Israel aged 60 or older who received at least two doses of […]