Pharma Strategy Blog

Pazopanib belongs to a growing class of anti-cancer drugs that prevent the growth of new blood vessels which feed tumours, ie VEGF inhibitors. Data presented at the annual American Society for Clinical Oncology meeting in 2009 showed the median progression free survival (PFS) — the time without tumour growth or death — for patients on pazopanib was 9.2 months compared with 4.2 months for those on placebo. Renal cancer has consistently been shown to be partly mediated by VEGF.

Over time, as cells reproduce, the telomeres become shorter and eventually no longer do their job. The cells then have a higher risk of mutating into cancer. A new study found that if the telomere becomes dysfunctional at any point – regardless of shortening – it can trigger a cancer event. The study was done in mice generally prone to develop cancer. The mice that also had dysfunctional telomeres were particularly prone to develop the usually ultra-rare adrenocortical cancer. This is the first mouse model to specifically address this rare but lethal type of cancer.

Recent studies show that antibodies in the sera of some HIV-1–infected individuals can neutralize diverse HIV-1 isolates. Detailed analyses of these sera provide new insights into the viral epitopes targeted by broadly reactive NAbs. The findings discussed here suggest that the natural NAb response to HIV-1 can inform future vaccine design. A concerted effort of structure-based vaccine design will help guide the development of improved antibody-based vaccines for HIV-1.

Research published online in The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) describes how scientists from St George's, University of London have devised a one-two punch to stop HIV. First the report describes a new protein that can kill the virus when used as a microbicide. Then the report shows how it might be possible to manufacture this protein in quantities large enough to make it affordable for people in developing countries.

A discovery by a team of Canadian and American researchers could provide new ways to fight HIV-AIDS. According to a new study published in Nature Medicine, HIV-AIDS could be treated through a combination of targeted chemotherapy and current Highly Active Retroviral (HAART) treatments. This radical new therapy would make it possible to destroy both the viruses circulating in the body as well as those playing hide-and-seek in immune system cells.