Trending News on Targeted Oncology, Week of October 16, 2020

This week, the FDA granted approval to pembrolizumab (Keytruda) as treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma. The FDA accepted an investigational New Drug Application (NDA) for an investigational CDK2/4/6 inhibitor for high-grade gliomas. A rolling New Drug Application was initiated seeking approval of a treatment for patients with myelofibrosis with severe thrombocytopenia.

A novel small molecule received a Fast Track designation for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors. The FDA also granted an Orphan Drug designation to a novel monoclonal antibody in multiple gastrointestinal malignancies.

These updates and others were trending this week:

Optimal Strategies for Treatment of Multiple Myeloma in Newly Diagnosed Patients

During a presentation at the National Comprehensive Cancer Institute 2020 Virtual Congress: Hematologic Malignancies, Shaji K. Kumar, MD, explained that each case of multiple myeloma requires a long-term strategy that starts with a strong approach in the frontline setting.

Expert Insights on Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day: Treating Patients by Subtype

A number of targeted agents have been approved in the setting of metastatic breast cancer, which has allowed for more personalized treatment approaches and underscores the importance of genomic testing.

Patient-Reported Outcomes Confirm Tolerability of Selpercatinib in RET-Driven Thyroid Cancer

Lori J. Wirth, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital, discussed the findings from an analysis of the patient-reported outcomes observed in the LIBRETTO-001 study of selpercatinib in patients with RET-driven thyroid cancers.

Tazemetostat Monotherapy Generates Durable Responses in Heavily Pretreated Follicular Lymphoma

Tazemetostat (Tazverik) as a single agent demonstrated clinically meaningful durable responses as treatment of patients with heavily pretreated relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma, according to findings from a phase 2 study.

AUTO3 CAR T Cell Appears Promising as Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory DLBCL

The first CD19/22-directed dual targeting chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell AUTO3 demonstrated a tolerable and best-in-class safety profile as treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, according to findings from the phase 1 cohorts of the ALEXANDER study.

CAR T-Cell Therapy Appears Promising for Heavily Pretreated Multiple Myeloma

Natalie S. Callander, MD, of the University of Wisconsin, discusses the role of CAR T-cell therapy as treatment of patients with multiple myeloma.

Multiple Myeloma Treatment Paradigm Improved Markedly In Recent Years

Kenneth C. Anderson, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses how he has seen the treatment paradigm transform over the last decade in multiple myeloma.