Having breast cancer in your 20s or 30s brings a unique set of considerations – and agonies https://t.co/1dclD5ZmNP ...

Core Perspective - Sona Nanotech Inc has initiated its first-in-human clinical trial for its THT therapy aimed at late-stage melanoma patients, marking a significant transition from preclinical to clinical testing [1][2][6] Company Developments - The first patient has been dosed in Santiago, Chile, which is a critical milestone for the company [2][3] - The therapy is classified as a device rather than a drug, designed to enhance tumor visibility to the immune system, potentially leading to tumor shrinkage and improved survival rates [2][4] Clinical Trial Details - The clinical trial will begin with an early feasibility study to assess safety, tolerability, and practical usage of the device, alongside efficacy data [4] - The protocol includes patient check-ins on days 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28, with initial results expected by the end of summer [5] Patient Impact - The therapy aims to help patients who have exhausted other treatment options, focusing on making tumors recognizable to the immune system for potential elimination [6]

Core Insights - Merus N.V. (MRUS) shares have increased by 29.9% over the past three months, driven by positive interim results from a phase II study of its bispecific antibody, petosemtamab (MCLA-158), in combination with Merck's Keytruda for treating PD-L1-positive recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) [1][4] Study Results - As of February 27, 2025, 45 patients were treated, with 43 deemed efficacy-evaluable, resulting in a confirmed overall response rate (ORR) of 63%, which included six complete responses and 21 partial responses [2] - The ORR varied with PD-L1 expression levels, showing a 73% ORR in patients with a combined positive score (CPS) greater than 20 and 47% in those with CPS 1–19 [2] - Median progression-free survival was reported at nine months, with an overall survival rate of 79% at 12 months [3] Safety Profile - The safety profile of the combination therapy was manageable, with no significant overlapping toxicities reported with Keytruda; treatment-related adverse events occurred in all patients, with infusion-related reactions observed in 38% [5][6] Future Prospects - The promising data suggests that the petosemtamab combination therapy could become a new standard of care for HNSCC, a cancer type with poor prognosis [6] - Merus is also conducting a registrational phase III study (LiGeR-HN1) for the combination therapy and another study (LiGeR-HN2) for petosemtamab monotherapy [7][8] Market Context - Merck's Keytruda, a leading anti-PD-1 therapy, generated $7.21 billion in sales in Q1 2025, reflecting a 6% year-over-year increase, and continues to expand into new indications and markets [8][10]

So, if you take this risk assessment test and you get above 20%. Um, what are you supposed to do. And and why is 20% the marker.So, our lifetime risk as women in America is 13%. Once it's above 20%, that means we want to be more proactive to find it because we might not just find it if we only do the annual screening tests. So the supplemental screening typically would be a breast MRI and then going forward you would do a mammogram and ultrasound once a year. Six months later you would do an MRI which would ...

Legal & Regulatory - The Delaware Supreme Court rejected expert testimony linking Zantac to cancer [1] - This is a major win for the drug makers involved [1]

NEW YORK, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via InvestorWire — Calidi Biotherapeutics Inc. (NYSE American: CLDI) today announces its placement in an editorial published by NetworkNewsWire ("NNW"), one of 70+ brands within the Dynamic Brand Portfolio@IBN (InvestorBrandNetwork), a specialized communications platform with a focus on financial news and content distribution for private and public companies and the investment community. To view the full publication, “Breaking Through: Systemic Genetic Medicines f ...

New York, NY, July 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spartan Capital Securities, LLC, a premier investment banking firm, is pleased to announce the closing of a $1.5 million registered direct offering for Lixte Biotechnology Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: LIXT), in which it served as the exclusive placement agent. Lixte Biotechnology Holdings, Inc., a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on cancer drug development, completed the offering on July 8, 2025. The offering consisted of the sale of an aggregate of 97 ...

Summary of Processa Pharmaceuticals (PCSA) Update / Briefing July 09, 2025 Company Overview - **Company**: Processa Pharmaceuticals - **Ticker**: PCSA - **Industry**: Pharmaceuticals, specifically oncology drug development Core Points and Arguments 1. **Derisked Approach**: Processa Pharmaceuticals adopts a derisked approach to drug development, focusing on improving existing cancer therapies rather than creating entirely new drugs. This strategy aims to enhance efficacy and safety of current treatments [15][29][40] 2. **Regulatory Science**: The company has a proprietary regulatory science approach that has led to 30 regulatory approvals, aligning with FDA's new project optimist requirements for oncology drugs [15][16][30] 3. **Pipeline Overview**: - **PCS 6422**: A combination therapy with capecitabine, showing a 67% response rate in a phase 1b trial, significantly higher than the 20-40% response rate for capecitabine alone. The drug also demonstrated better safety, with only 6% of patients experiencing hand and foot syndrome compared to 50% for capecitabine alone [18][19][34] - **PCS 11T**: An altered version of SN-38, aiming to reduce off-target effects and improve safety by preferentially drawing the drug into tumor cells. The goal is to potentially remove black box warnings associated with existing drugs [22][35] - **PCS 12852**: Recently partnered with Intact Therapeutics, with a deal valued at approximately $454 million, including milestone payments and royalties [24][25] - **PCS 499**: Pivoting back to renal and nephropathy space, with plans for a phase 3 adaptive study, potentially being the only drug in its category without a black box warning [26][27][45] Market Position and Competitive Advantage 1. **High Unmet Need**: Despite advancements in oncology, cancer remains the second leading cause of death, indicating a significant market opportunity for better therapies [16] 2. **Competitive Differentiation**: Processa's derisked approach allows it to focus on enhancing existing therapies, which is seen as a lower bar compared to developing new drugs from scratch. This strategy is supported by a seasoned management team with extensive experience in public companies and regulatory approvals [30][40][48] 3. **Strategic Partnerships**: The company is actively seeking partnerships to accelerate drug development, particularly for PCS 499 and oncology assets, with ongoing discussions with major players in the renal space [44][46] Upcoming Catalysts 1. **Phase 2 Preliminary Analysis**: Expected results for PCS 6422 in the second half of the year, which could provide significant data for future partnerships [31][49] 2. **FDA Interactions**: Ongoing engagement with the FDA regarding study protocols and potential approvals, particularly for PCS 499 and the phase 2 study for PCS 6422 [41][43] Additional Important Information 1. **Market Potential**: The ability to make capecitabine safer and more effective could expand the patient population, particularly among those who are currently not prescribed the drug due to its side effects [34][38] 2. **Investor Sentiment**: The CEO expressed confidence in the company's undervaluation and the potential for significant returns due to the derisked approach and multiple drug candidates in the pipeline [47][48] This summary encapsulates the key points from the Processa Pharmaceuticals update, highlighting the company's strategic focus, pipeline developments, and market positioning within the oncology sector.

[Applause] All right. So, today I'm going to talk to you about cancer and about three very important words. You have cancer.I remember those words sort of tumbling out of my mouth. They weren't elegantly polished in the way I had sort of learned in medical school, actually here at Duke, sitting in the building across the street. They didn't have any of the the poignant pauses that I had practiced in the mirror on my first day as a doctor at the University of Chicago.None of the elegance, just words. Sort of ...

It's Monday afternoon and I am meeting Donna for the first time in my busy clinic at Boston Healthcare for the Homeless program. Donna can't sit still. She's twisting her scarf and her hands and she appears to be on the verge of tears as she tells me more about her situation.She had been doing great in a treatment program, but was kicked out over an argument. She's been back in the shelter, and then last night, all of her belongings and medication were stolen from underneath her bunk. This is not at all the ...