Advances in therapy
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Advances in therapy · Oct 2019
ReviewProgrammed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) as a Predictive Biomarker for Pembrolizumab Therapy in Patients with Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).
Recently, immunotherapy has been shown to be an effective and helpful therapeutic option for the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The activity of antitumor T cells may be restored through the checkpoint blockade using anti-programmed death 1 or anti-programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibodies, showing, in several cancer patients, an increased progression-free survival and overall survival compared with classical chemotherapy. ⋯ PD-L1, whose expression is evaluated by using immunohistochemistry analysis, is currently the only biomarker approved for clinical use in the first- and second-line monotherapy setting and therefore plays a central role in treatment decision-making for patients with advanced NSCLC. In this review we will discuss the key role of PD-L1 as a predictive biomarker of response to pembrolizumab therapy in NSCLC patients by describing the appropriate techniques and methodologies for immunohistochemical evaluation of PD-L1 expression and providing an overview of the clinical studies supporting its predictive significance.
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Advances in therapy · Oct 2019
ReviewRationale for the Early Use of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.
Diabetes-related complications including cardiovascular disease, heart failure (HF), chronic kidney disease, retinopathy, and neuropathy are associated with a high burden of disease. Early initiation of glucose-lowering therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes to achieve glycemic control is important for reduction of not only microvascular risk but also of CV (cardiovascular) risk. Clinical studies have indicated that early achievement of glycemic targets is likely to have the greatest effect on preventing microvascular and macrovascular complications. ⋯ These CVOTs and a renal outcomes study of canagliflozin (CREDENCE) support the early initiation of sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT)-2 inhibitors to potentially provide the most benefit toward glycemic control and CV and renal risk. Thus, current treatment recommendations include the early addition of SGLT-2 inhibitor therapy, not only in patients with established CVD, HF, and/or CKD but also in the general population of patients with T2D. Funding: AstraZeneca.
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Advances in therapy · Oct 2019
Cardiovascular Risks, Bleeding Risks, and Clinical Events from 3 Phase III Trials of Pirfenidone in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.
This study assessed baseline cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, concomitant CV medication use, risk of major adverse cardiac events-plus (MACE-plus), and bleeding adverse events (AEs) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in three randomized, placebo-controlled phase III trials of pirfenidone. ⋯ CV risk factors and comorbidities and use of concomitant CV medications are common in patients with IPF. Pirfenidone did not appear to increase the risk of CV or bleeding events. Use of several concomitant CV medications, including warfarin, did not appear to adversely impact pirfenidone's beneficial effect on efficacy outcomes.
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Advances in therapy · Sep 2019
Randomized Controlled TrialA Randomized, Crossover Study on the Effect of Food on the Pharmacokinetic Characteristics of Morphine ARER (MorphaBond™ ER), an Abuse-Deterrent Formulation of Extended-Release Morphine.
Food can alter the pharmacokinetics of certain abuse-deterrent formulations. Morphine ARER is an oral abuse-deterrent formulation of ER morphine sulfate tablets formulated with physical and chemical properties that contribute to the abuse-deterrent aspects of the drug. This study compared the relative bioavailability of Morphine ARER in the presence and absence of food. ⋯ Inspirion Delivery Sciences, LLC.
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Advances in therapy · Sep 2019
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyA Randomized, Double-Blind, Double-Dummy Study of Glycopyrrolate/Formoterol Fumarate Metered Dose Inhaler Relative to Umeclidinium/Vilanterol Dry Powder Inhaler in COPD.
Glycopyrrolate/formoterol fumarate metered dose inhaler (GFF MDI), formulated using co-suspension delivery technology, is the only approved fixed-dose combination long-acting muscarinic antagonist/long-acting β2-agonist (LAMA/LABA) delivered via MDI. Direct comparisons of GFF MDI versus other LAMA/LABAs have not previously been performed. We assessed the efficacy and safety of GFF MDI relative to umeclidinium/vilanterol dry powder inhaler (UV DPI) in patients with moderate-to-very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). ⋯ Over 24 weeks of treatment, GFF MDI was non-inferior to UV DPI for peak FEV1, but not for morning pre-dose trough FEV1. GFF MDI had a faster onset of action versus UV DPI. There were no clinically meaningful differences between treatments in symptom endpoints. Both treatments were well tolerated with similar safety profiles.