Early-phase Trial Demonstrates Shrinkage in Pediatric Neural Tumors

In an early-phase clinical trial of a new oral drug, selumetinib, children with the common genetic disorder neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and plexiform neurofibromas, tumors of the peripheral nerves, tolerated selumetinib and, in most cases, responded to it with tumor shrinkage. NF1 affects 1 in 3,000 people. The study results appeared Dec. 29, 2016, in the New England Journal of Medicine [1].

Early-phase trial demonstrates shrinkage in pediatric neural tumors

Johnson & Johnson to Make Clinical Trial Data Open

In a move that promotes open science, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) announced last week that it will make all of its clinical trial data publicly available.

Data sharing

Pharma Company Success Depends on More Efficient R&D

According to a new report from Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (Tufts CSDD), although many pharmaceutical companies are increasing the pace of new products by improving the efficiency of clinical trial operations, their medium- and long-term success will increasingly depend on their ability to support more efficient research and development (R&D) models.

Worldwide total pharma R&D spending 2004-2018

NIH and Lilly Collaborate, Aim to Make Drug Development Pipelines More Productive

Over the past decade, collaborative research efforts to support the discovery and development of medicines has increased dramatically. Last month, the National Institutes of Health and Eli Lilly and Company announced a new collaboration: they will generate a publicly available resource to profile the effects of thousands of approved and investigational medicines in a variety of advanced disease-relevant testing systems [1]. In-depth knowledge of the biological profiles of these medicines may enable researchers to better predict treatment outcomes, improve drug development, and lead to more specific and effective approaches.

NCATS/Lilly collaboration

You Can Control Your Asthma

World Asthma Day is an annual event organized by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). The event raises awareness about asthma and works to improve asthma care around the world. This year’s theme is “You Can Control Your Asthma”. It aims to continue the focus on asthma control described in the latest version of the GINA guidelines [1].

World Asthma Day 2011