On this week’s MPR pod we take a look at the current status of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate; Considerations in assessing blood donors during pandemic times; A newly approved drug to treat heart failure; Promising results for a potential Alzheimer treatment; And changes declared for vinca alkaloid labeling.
The approval was based on data from the phase 2 DESTINY-Gastric01 trial.
This week we have news of the neutralizing response of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to the new COVID-19 variant; A trial investigated ravulizumab in adults with severe COVID is halted; A rapid blood test for concussions gets the all clear; A novel treatment for chronic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes; And the drug manufacturer Fresenius Kabi announces a voluntary recall of one lot of an NSAID treatment.
On the first MPR pod of 2021 we cover the latest COVID-19 vaccine news including admin. scheduling and production; A diagnostics test that may be giving false negative results; Bristol Myers Squibb withdraws an indication for Opdivo; And experts vote on the best diets for 2021.
Results presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Virtual Congress 2020showed significant improvements in the primary endpoints for the pembrolizumab group.
The biosimilar has been approved for the treatment of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis, and Microscopic Polyangiitis.
Its been a long year, but the monumental efforts to achieve a COVID-19 vaccine are bearing some fruits, we about that, and also a fully at home diagnostic COVID test, as well as new findings related to glucosamine supplements and a novel treatment for eosinophilic esophagitis. And as ever, one final movie trivia ‘guess the quote’ to end the year!
Phase 3 trial results showed that the objective response rate for margetuximab plus chemotherapy was 22% vs 16% for trastuzumab plus chemotherapy.
Belimumab is already indicated for the treatment of active, autoantibody-positive systemic lupus erythematosus in individuals aged 5 years and over.
This week we cover new findings for the diabetes drug sitagliptin in pediatrics; An obesity treatment has its approval expanded; The FDA issue a Complete Response Letter for an outpatient alternative treatment; And news of availability for a transdermal contraceptive patch.
