Weekend Highlights from 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting
There was a flurry of activity during the first few days of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, with multiple presentations made showing the benefits of various oncology treatments.
AbbVie Halts Brain Tumor Late-Stage Study
AbbVie halted the Phase III INTELLANCE-1 trial of depatuxizumab mafodotin in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma whose tumors have epidermal growth factor receptor amplification.
Agios Pharma’s Tibsovo Shows Positive Results in Phase III for Another Cancer Indication
Cambridge, Mass.-based Agios Pharmaceuticals announced that Tibsovo (ivosidenib) hit the primary endpoint in the Phase III ClarIDHy trial in patients with cholangiocarcinoma with an isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutation.
Teva stops testing migraine drug as cluster headache treatment
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. will stop developing the migraine drug Ajovy for treating cluster headaches after finding the treatment was unlikely to meet the main goal of a late-stage trial.
AMAG’s PROLONG Study Fails to Hit Endpoints
Shares of AMAG Pharmaceuticals plunged after the company’s Phase III PROLONG trial of Makena failed to show a statistically significant difference from placebo in preventing preterm births.
Merck’s Keytruda fails late-stage study in liver cancer
Merck & Co. Inc.’s blockbuster anti-PD-1 immunotherapy Keytruda failed a late-stage trial’s main goals of slowing disease progression and extending the life of patients with a common type of liver cancer.
Sanofi Cuts 38 R&D Programs to Refocus on Cancer, Immunology, and Rare Diseases
Sanofi reportedly ended 38 R&D programs and is prioritizing oncology, immunology, rare disease and rare blood disorders.
Exclusive: Teva’s generic EpiPen launch stalls months after approval
Many of the largest U.S. pharmacies and drug distributors do not have Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.’s generic version of EpiPen five months after the life-saving allergy treatment was approved for sale in the United States, pharmacy chains and a group that tracks drug shortages told Reuters.
FDA Approves Imbruvica for 10th Time
FDA approved Imbruvica combined with Gazyva for adult patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma.
Lilly’s cancer therapy Lartruvo fails study, shares drop
Eli Lilly’s shares fell after the cancer treatment Lartruvo – approved on an accelerated basis in 2016 – failed to improve patient survival in a long-term study and will no longer be prescribed.
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June 2019 Focus: Payer access, biotech/biopharma, DTC, rare diseases, and more!