Pieter Droppert – Xconomy

A Revolution is Taking Place in the Treatment of Blood Cancers

I try to avoid sensationalizing early clinical trial results presented at medical conferences, what’s commonly known as “hype over hope.” But at this year’s annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in New Orleans I was struck by the thought that I was a witness to the beginning of a revolution in the … Continue reading “A Revolution is Taking Place in the Treatment of Blood Cancers”

Is Crowdfunding The Future For Biomedical Research?

Microryza.com (not the catchiest of names) is a crowdfunding platform for research that raises money over the Internet from individuals who are willing to donate small amounts to fund a specific project. The average donation according to Microryza is $92. In return for a 5 percent cut of funds raised and a 3 percent credit … Continue reading “Is Crowdfunding The Future For Biomedical Research?”

Prostate Cancer Drug Winners and Losers at ASCO GU

The latest clinical research in prostate cancer is being presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitorinary Cancers Symposium (ASCO GU) in Orlando, FL. Presentations started yesterday, and run through tomorrow, but here’s some quick commentary on three of the early “winners” and “losers” in the oral presentations. Winners San Francisco-based Medivation (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MDVN]]): … Continue reading “Prostate Cancer Drug Winners and Losers at ASCO GU”

Emerging Challenges of Prostate Cancer Drug Development

The world’s largest cancer meeting of scientists, physicians and industry has just ended in Chicago. The annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) attracted over 30,000 attendees to hear leading experts on the latest in cancer drug development. From what I heard at ASCO, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies with new prostate cancer … Continue reading “Emerging Challenges of Prostate Cancer Drug Development”

J&J Prostate Cancer Trial Shouldn’t Have Been Stopped Early

One of the more anticipated clinical trials at this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting was for Johnson & Johnson’s abiraterone (Zytiga) in prostate cancer patients. This study, known as COU-AA-302, was stopped early because independent monitors said the drug was clearly effective. But that decision to stop the trial early is questionable, … Continue reading “J&J Prostate Cancer Trial Shouldn’t Have Been Stopped Early”