Hematology

FDA grants priority approval to arsenic trioxide (Trisenox) plus tretinoin for leukemia treatment.

Denosumab (Xgeva) demonstrated non-inferiority to zoledronic acid in patients with multiple myeloma.

Daratumumab combination therapy tripled the minimal residual disease negativity rate among patients with multiple myeloma.

Nilotinib (Tasigna) label includes information for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia who may stop treatment after achieving remission.

CAR T cell therapy resulted in a high response rate among previously-treated patients with multiple myeloma.

The FDA previously found that PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors may increase the mortality risk for patients with multiple myeloma.

The FDA granted approval to numerous specialty drugs last week.

Dasatinib (Sprycel) approved for pediatric patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia.

Nearly all patients treated with dasatinib (Sprycel) achieved a complete cyotgenic response.

Top news of the week from Specialty Pharmacy Times.

Vemurafenib is a kinase inhibitor indicated to treat patients with Erdheim-Chester disease with BRAF V600 mutations.

Vemurafenib (Zelboraf) receives priority review for Erdheim-Chester Disease.

Officials with the FDA have extended the approval of vemurafenib (Zelboraf, Genentech) to include the treatment of certain adult patients with Erdheim-Chester Disease (ECD), a rare blood cancer, making it the first approved treatment for ECD.

Novel drug causes apoptosis in leukemia cells, while leaving healthy blood cells unscathed.

PPARγ agonists may improve outcomes for patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

Patients undergoing chemotherapy can use Emend with other antiemetic medicines to prevent chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting.

Patients undergoing chemotherapy can use Emend with other antiemetic medicines to prevent CINV.

Targeting RNA methylation could treat acute myeloid leukemia.

The approval of tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah) brings in a new era of drug reimbursement.

Patients with peripheral neuropathy may experience pain, numbness, and tingling in the hands and feet, despite cessation of chemotherapy.

A blood cancer drug may kill certain esophageal cancer cells.

Clinical holds placed on Keytruda, Opdivo trials due to adverse event concerns.

Bristol-Myers Squibb and Celgene announce FDA clinical trial holds of PD-1 inhibitors being studied in multiple myeloma.

A patient with cancer died after treatment with a gene-edited allogeneic CAR T-cell treatment.

Leaky blood vessels in bone marrow can lead to chemotherapy failure in acute myeloid leukemia.