Category: Cancer
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STAT+: A rare disease drug was approvable, then it wasn’t. Inside a surprise rejection by the FDA
STAT+: A rare disease drug was approvable, then it wasn’t. Inside a surprise rejection by the FDA An experimental therapy for a rare blood cancer was on the path toward approval by the Food and Drug Administration last year — with internal reviewers recommending it be cleared — before the agency rejected the drug last…
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STAT+: Bayer sues J&J over ‘false and misleading claims’ about competing prostate cancer treatments
STAT+: Bayer sues J&J over ‘false and misleading claims’ about competing prostate cancer treatments Underscoring the high-stakes market for prostate cancer medicines, Bayer filed a lawsuit accusing Johnson & Johnson of launching a “false advertising campaign” that uses flawed data to wrongfully promote its rival drug as a more effective treatment. At issue are claims…
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STAT+: Nature Medicine to investigate study that found cancer treatment is better in morning
STAT+: Nature Medicine to investigate study that found cancer treatment is better in morning The notion that oncologists could boost immunotherapy responses simply by giving infusions in the morning, rather than late afternoon, is an attractive one. So when a clinical trial published in Nature Medicine this month showed that lung cancer patients treated in…
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STAT+: Key study of Grail’s cancer detection test fails in setback for company
STAT+: Key study of Grail’s cancer detection test fails in setback for company A blood test for detecting cancer early being developed by the diagnostics firm Grail failed to meet its main goal in a giant study being conducted with England’s National Health Service, the company said Thursday. Grail’s test has been the standard bearer…
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Bayer agrees to $7.25 billion proposed settlement over thousands of Roundup cancer lawsuits
Bayer agrees to $7.25 billion proposed settlement over thousands of Roundup cancer lawsuits JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Agrochemical maker Bayer and attorneys for cancer patients announced a proposed $7.25 billion settlement Tuesday to resolve thousands of U.S. lawsuits alleging the company failed to warn people that its popular weedkiller Roundup could cause cancer. The proposed…
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STAT+: Breakup between Brigham and Dana-Farber is getting messier fast
STAT+: Breakup between Brigham and Dana-Farber is getting messier fast What does it feel like to live in a house where your parents are getting divorced? Just ask some of the staff at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Things have been a bit awkward since the cancer hospital announced 2½ years ago that it was breaking its decades-long partnership…
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Do mornings make cancer immunotherapy more effective? Study: Maybe
Do mornings make cancer immunotherapy more effective? Study: Maybe Over the last few years, researchers have noticed that cancer patients who get immunotherapy infusions in the morning seem to do significantly better than those who get treated later. Many scientists, even some who had published such observations, were doubtful that time of day could truly…
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Opinion: STAT readers on shared decision-making, prostate cancer screening, and more
Opinion: STAT readers on shared decision-making, prostate cancer screening, and more First Opinion is STAT’s platform for interesting, illuminating, and provocative articles about the life sciences writ large, written by biotech insiders, health care workers, researchers, and others. To encourage robust, good-faith discussion about issues raised in First Opinion essays, STAT publishes selected Letters to…
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STAT+: What’s in Congress’ sweeping health care deal: PBM reform, telehealth, science funding
STAT+: What’s in Congress’ sweeping health care deal: PBM reform, telehealth, science funding WASHINGTON — Congress has reached a deal on several health care policies, including a crackdown on drug-industry middlemen, transparency measures for hospital billing, pediatric cancer research measures, and Medicare coverage of multi-cancer screening tests. Those measures are part of a bill to…
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STAT+: With a grin — and tight lips — Revolution Medicines’ CEO faces questions about acquisition
STAT+: With a grin — and tight lips — Revolution Medicines’ CEO faces questions about acquisition SAN FRANCISCO — Investors attending the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference packed themselves into a hotel meeting room Monday to hear Revolution Medicines CEO Mark Goldsmith explain why Merck — or some other pharma buyer — should pay $30 billion…
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Genetic variant appears to protect some people against certain blood cancers
Genetic variant appears to protect some people against certain blood cancers Over time, hematopoietic or blood stem cells can quietly acquire mutations that push them to divide just a little more aggressively, creating a larger group of clones in the bone marrow. In a fraction of people with this phenomenon, called clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate…
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The top medical advances of 2025
The top medical advances of 2025 It has been a tough year for medicine. The U.S. research enterprise has been scrambled by a series of political decisions with long-reaching consequences. But make no mistake: Science didn’t stop, and medicine has had its share of major advances. As I have written for years, this is biology’s…
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Best of STAT 2025
Best of STAT 2025 What a year! Yes, it was our 10th anniversary, but it also brought an unprecedented blizzard of news, and while we weren’t added to a Signal chat on war plans, we did have a giant health insurer email us internal strategy documents by mistake. Our coverage featured everything from a piece…
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An advocate who offered a window on the experience of living with brain cancer dies at 43
An advocate who offered a window on the experience of living with brain cancer dies at 43 In 2018, I wrote a profile of a patient advocate named Adam Hayden. A few years earlier, at the age of 34, soon after he and his wife had had their third child, Adam was diagnosed with terminal…
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Dana-Farber to pay $15 million to settle Justice Department lawsuit over manipulated data
Dana-Farber to pay $15 million to settle Justice Department lawsuit over manipulated data Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, one of the nation’s premier cancer research and treatment centers, is paying $15 million to settle a lawsuit claiming that some of its top researchers authored papers containing manipulated data. In its settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice,…
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STAT+: J&J’s two-drug combo blocked tumors in advanced multiple myeloma
STAT+: J&J’s two-drug combo blocked tumors in advanced multiple myeloma This is the web version of ASH in 30 Seconds, STAT’s report from the American Society of Hematology meeting. And on the last day of ASH, the sun shone once again. Thanks for joining us on this hematology-oncology journey. We hope you’ve enjoyed our coverage.…
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STAT+: At ASH, Terns looks like rival to Novartis with drug for chronic myeloid leukemia
STAT+: At ASH, Terns looks like rival to Novartis with drug for chronic myeloid leukemia This is the online version of ASH in 30 Seconds, STAT’s report from the American Society of Hematology meeting. Sign up for the email version here. It rains in Florida. A lot. This ASH meeting started sunny and wonderful, but quickly…
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STAT+: New data from Gilead, Arcellx multiple myeloma CAR-T suggest benefit over rival treatment
STAT+: New data from Gilead, Arcellx multiple myeloma CAR-T suggest benefit over rival treatment ORLANDO, Fla. — With sales of its existing blood cancer CAR-T therapies weakening, Gilead Sciences needs anito-cel, its next CAR-T therapy for multiple myeloma — to succeed more than ever. On Saturday at the annual meeting of the American Society of…
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STAT+: Incyte study results suggest a new approach to treating myelofibrosis
STAT+: Incyte study results suggest a new approach to treating myelofibrosis ORLANDO, Fla — An experimental drug from Incyte achieved meaningful spleen response rates and improvements in disease symptoms in patients with advanced myelofibrosis, according to study results reported Sunday. The data, while preliminary, should bolster the company’s efforts to develop a new type of…
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STAT+: A promising sickle cell pill and a new way to treat myelofibrosis
STAT+: A promising sickle cell pill and a new way to treat myelofibrosis This is the online version of ASH in 30 Seconds, STAT’s report from the American Society of Hematology meeting. Sign up for the email version here. It’s Day 2 of the ASH meeting. Let’s get straight into the news. Fulcrum study suggests…
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STAT+: ‘Remarkable’ drug results against an aggressive leukemia
STAT+: ‘Remarkable’ drug results against an aggressive leukemia This is the online version of ASH in 30 Seconds, STAT’s report from the American Society of Hematology meeting. Sign up for the email version here. We hear most of the country is freezing. We wouldn’t know. We’re in Orlando, Fla. where the temps are in the…
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STAT+: Cancer detection firm Freenome to go public via $330 million SPAC deal
STAT+: Cancer detection firm Freenome to go public via $330 million SPAC deal Freenome, a Bay Area biotech that is part of the increasingly competitive race to accurately detect cancer early through blood-based tests, announced Friday that it plans to go public to advance the development of tests that can spot individual cancers and several…
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CDC panel recommends delaying birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine
CDC panel recommends delaying birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine A panel that advises on U.S. vaccine policy voted on Friday to recommend a delay in when most babies begin to be vaccinated against hepatitis B, overturning a 30-year-old policy that has contributed to a massive decline in cases of the virus. The Advisory Committee…
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A single shot of HPV vaccine may be enough to fight cervical cancer, study finds
A single shot of HPV vaccine may be enough to fight cervical cancer, study finds WASHINGTON — A single HPV vaccination appears just as effective as two doses at preventing the viral infection that causes cervical cancer, researchers reported Wednesday. HPV, or human papillomavirus, is very common and spread through sex. Most HPV infections clear…
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Opinion: The hidden reason lung cancer screening is not working
Opinion: The hidden reason lung cancer screening is not working For years, federal policymakers have tweaked lung cancer screening guidelines as if the barrier to saving lives is a math problem. Add a few years to the eligibility age. Drop a few pack-years — a measure combining how much and how long someone has smoked.…
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STAT+: Johnson & Johnson acquires Halda Therapeutics for $3 billion, a big win for a buzzy new technology
STAT+: Johnson & Johnson acquires Halda Therapeutics for $3 billion, a big win for a buzzy new technology Johnson & Johnson said Monday it will purchase Halda Therapeutics and its experimental prostate cancer drugs for $3.05 billion, marking the first major buyout for a startup built around a field that has attracted significant investment but not…
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STAT+: Kura Oncology secures approval for leukemia drug, its first
STAT+: Kura Oncology secures approval for leukemia drug, its first The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved a drug made by Kura Oncology to treat patients with a certain type of genetically altered leukemia. The medicine will be sold under the brand name Komzifti. The FDA cleared the drug to treat patients with relapsed…
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Trump says he will help ‘Dilbert’ creator get cancer drug
Trump says he will help ‘Dilbert’ creator get cancer drug WASHINGTON — President Trump said Sunday that he planned to help the creator of the satirical comic strip “Dilbert” get access to a prostate cancer drug. Scott Adams, known for his office humor comic Dilbert as well as his controversial opinions live-streamed on YouTube, wrote…
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STAT+: Hope and ‘no regrets’: How pancreatic cancer surgeon Dr. Michael Zinner faced a pancreatic cancer diagnosis
STAT+: Hope and ‘no regrets’: How pancreatic cancer surgeon Dr. Michael Zinner faced a pancreatic cancer diagnosis “The irony’s not lost — going from the physician to the caregiver to the patient,” Michael Zinner mused in June. He was speaking by phone from his Florida home about the unusual and heart-rending way his professional life…
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STAT+: European oncology experts roll out guidance for use of large language models in clinical care
STAT+: European oncology experts roll out guidance for use of large language models in clinical care BERLIN — The leading professional organization for European oncologists has rolled out its first set of guidance on how its members should use large language models, a type of artificial intelligence, in cancer medicine. “The oncology community cannot ignore…
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STAT+: Effort to guide treatment of cancer with novel blood tests may get boost from new research
STAT+: Effort to guide treatment of cancer with novel blood tests may get boost from new research BERLIN — For years, scientists have held out hope that tests that look for the molecular fingerprints of a cancer’s presence could help clinicians determine which patients need further treatment after surgery, and which can be considered truly…
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STAT+: At ESMO, AstraZeneca and Gilead square off in triple-negative breast cancer
STAT+: At ESMO, AstraZeneca and Gilead square off in triple-negative breast cancer BERLIN — Patients with a highly aggressive form of breast cancer will likely have new treatment options for the first time in years after AstraZeneca and Gilead Sciences both presented successful trial results here Sunday, dual achievements that will also leave clinicians having…
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STAT+: mRNA Covid shots may boost the effects of certain cancer treatments, study suggests
STAT+: mRNA Covid shots may boost the effects of certain cancer treatments, study suggests mRNA-based Covid vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna may have an unexpected benefit for cancer patients who undergo immunotherapy. A new study suggests that these vaccines might boost the effects of immunotherapy drugs, perhaps by alerting the immune system and helping direct…
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STAT+: Roche, Celcuity detail successful advanced breast cancer studies
STAT+: Roche, Celcuity detail successful advanced breast cancer studies BERLIN — They may be working on vastly different scales — the biotech Celcuity has a market cap of about $2 billion, while Roche reaped more than $60 billion in sales last year — but both companies unveiled data here Saturday that they hope will win…
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STAT+: Enhertu pushes into early breast cancer, as antibody-drug conjugates move up the line
STAT+: Enhertu pushes into early breast cancer, as antibody-drug conjugates move up the line BERLIN — Enhertu has become a staple treatment in advanced breast cancer, but new data presented Saturday at the European Society for Medical Oncology’s annual conference show the drug can have powerful benefits for patients when given earlier in the disease,…
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How to Classify Lung Cancer Subtype from DNA Copy Numbers Using PyTorch
How to Classify Lung Cancer Subtype from DNA Copy Numbers Using PyTorch A step-by-step introduction to understanding cancer from the perspective of a data scientist. The post How to Classify Lung Cancer Subtype from DNA Copy Numbers Using PyTorch appeared first on Towards Data Science. Adam Streck Go to original source
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STAT+: Grail says new data on multi-cancer screening test show improved performance
STAT+: Grail says new data on multi-cancer screening test show improved performance As part of its bid to transform the future of cancer screening and seize control of a potentially vast and increasingly competitive market, Grail announced fresh data on Friday from a large U.S. study of its flagship blood-based test for detecting dozens of…
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STAT+: Biotech leaders say uncertainty at FDA threatens drug development
STAT+: Biotech leaders say uncertainty at FDA threatens drug development BOSTON — Replimune Group and Capricor Therapeutics both seemed on track to receive long-awaited drug approvals from the Food and Drug Administration earlier this year. Then, amid tumult at the agency as the Trump administration took power, their applications were rejected. The companies’ CEOs talked…
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Biden is receiving radiation and hormone therapy to treat his prostate cancer
Biden is receiving radiation and hormone therapy to treat his prostate cancer WASHINGTON — Former President Joe Biden is receiving radiation and hormone therapy as part of a new phase of treating the aggressive form of prostate cancer he was diagnosed with after leaving office, a spokesperson said Saturday. “As part of a treatment plan for prostate cancer, President…
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Opinion: When patients don’t want to treat their cancer
Opinion: When patients don’t want to treat their cancer Below is a lightly edited, AI-generated transcript of the “First Opinion Podcast” episode with Joy Lisi Rankin and Samyukta Mullangi about decision-making around breast cancer treatment. Be sure to sign up for the weekly “First Opinion Podcast” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Get alerts…
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STAT+: Anthony Letai of Dana-Farber is front-runner to lead National Cancer Institute
STAT+: Anthony Letai of Dana-Farber is front-runner to lead National Cancer Institute Anthony Letai, a cancer researcher and oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard University, has emerged as a leading candidate to be the next director of the National Cancer Institute, according to multiple sources with direct knowledge of the situation. The NCI…
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STAT+: As medical AI use grows, industry payments to providers remain opaque
STAT+: As medical AI use grows, industry payments to providers remain opaque Artificial intelligence has danced around the fringes of prostate cancer for years, but in 2024, it got a profile-raising boost: An AI tool that could use biopsy images and clinical data to predict therapy benefits and a patient’s prognosis was recommended in a…
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STAT+: Fifty cancer types in one liquid biopsy test: Exact Sciences enters early-detection market
STAT+: Fifty cancer types in one liquid biopsy test: Exact Sciences enters early-detection market Consumers can now purchase Exact Sciences’ liquid biopsy early detection test, Cancerguard, and get an indication of whether they might have one of 50 different cancers included in the test’s analysis. The biotechnology company launched the test on Wednesday, and Tom…
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STAT+: FDA pushing non-opioid path for chronic pain
STAT+: FDA pushing non-opioid path for chronic pain Want to stay on top of the science and politics driving biotech today? Sign up to get our biotech newsletter in your inbox. Morning. Today, we note that psychedelics are suddenly a hot topic for larger pharmaceutical companies, dissect Patrick Soon-Shiong’s claims on his lung cancer drug, and more.…
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STAT+: Summit Therapeutics hits possible snag on lung cancer drug seen as a blockbuster
STAT+: Summit Therapeutics hits possible snag on lung cancer drug seen as a blockbuster Summit Therapeutics may have a geography problem with its lung cancer drug ivonescimab. In a study update reported Sunday, patients from North America and Europe treated with the drug saw their lung cancer return and progress faster than patients from China…
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STAT+: Akeso says its closely watched drug improved patient survival in a lung cancer trial
STAT+: Akeso says its closely watched drug improved patient survival in a lung cancer trial Akeso, a Chinese biotech with a drug positioned to rival Merck’s megablockbuster Keytruda, has reported for the first time that the therapy can improve patient survival. The therapy, ivonescimab, showed a statistically significant survival benefit as a second-line treatment when…
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STAT+: MIT president Sally Kornbluth responds to Globe report on academic fraud case at Duke
STAT+: MIT president Sally Kornbluth responds to Globe report on academic fraud case at Duke MIT President Sally Kornbluth responded in a statement Wednesday to a Globe report detailing her time as an administrator at Duke amid a cancer research scandal more than a decade ago, saying she learned lessons from the case that “have powerfully shaped my approach to…
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STAT+: Duke scientists seemed to have developed a ‘Holy Grail’ of cancer treatment. Then the truth came out
STAT+: Duke scientists seemed to have developed a ‘Holy Grail’ of cancer treatment. Then the truth came out By the time Walter and Juliet Jacobs went to see Dr. Anil Potti, Juliet’s lung cancer was spreading through her torso. She was short of breath, could no longer play tennis, and was afraid she wouldn’t make…
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STAT+: Exact Sciences acquires rights to rival Freenome’s blood-based colon cancer test
STAT+: Exact Sciences acquires rights to rival Freenome’s blood-based colon cancer test Exact Sciences announced on Wednesday that it acquired the rights to a blood-based colon cancer screening test from rival firm Freenome. Exact is paying Freenome $75 million for exclusive rights in the United States to current and future versions of the Bay Area…
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Opinion: Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for Operation Warp Speed’s global impact
Opinion: Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for Operation Warp Speed’s global impact Cambodia recently announced that it plans to nominate President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. In response, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, naming other conflicts that Trump has “ended,” said that, “It’s well past time that President Trump was awarded the…
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Screening guideline change led to more colorectal cancers being detected early in younger adults
Screening guideline change led to more colorectal cancers being detected early in younger adults Over the last decade, researchers began to notice a sharp increase in the number of young patients coming in with colorectal cancer — often with more advanced disease. The trend spurred organizations like the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to eventually…
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A mother’s perspective on Sarepta’s gene therapy halt
A mother’s perspective on Sarepta’s gene therapy halt How are families of patients reacting to the removal of Sarepta’s gene therapy from the market? Why are investors excited about narcolpesy drugs? And why has there been less financing in oncology startups? We chat about all that and more on this on this week’s episode of…
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STAT+: Survival rates for cancer patients on immunotherapy depend on insurance coverage, study finds
STAT+: Survival rates for cancer patients on immunotherapy depend on insurance coverage, study finds As a cancer patient, access to innovative drugs can help extend your life — that is if you have health insurance, a new study finds. In a JAMA Open Network study published Monday, researchers from the American Cancer Society found that…
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STAT+: HHS to continue funding cancer prevention, tracking work in states after uncertainty
STAT+: HHS to continue funding cancer prevention, tracking work in states after uncertainty WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services will renew funding to states for cancer prevention and tracking efforts, alleviating anxieties among local officials about the future of their work. Over 50 notices had gone out as of Monday, an HHS spokesperson…
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Generic cancer drugs used around the world fail quality tests, investigation shows
Generic cancer drugs used around the world fail quality tests, investigation shows Vital chemotherapy drugs used around the world have failed quality tests, putting cancer patients in more than 100 countries at risk of ineffective treatments and potentially fatal side effects, an investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) reveals. The generic drugs in…
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STAT+: What we’re hearing on Chinese NewCos, AI, and BIO’s executive ranks
STAT+: What we’re hearing on Chinese NewCos, AI, and BIO’s executive ranks This is the online version of our BIO 2025 newsletter. Get more BIO updates directly to your inbox by signing up here, and sign up for our morning biotech news roundup newsletter here. Hello everyone! Allison DeAngelis here, coming to you from Boston’s…
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STAT+: Merck gets lift from U.S. patent office in battle over injectable form of Keytruda
STAT+: Merck gets lift from U.S. patent office in battle over injectable form of Keytruda In a boost for Merck, a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office panel agreed to reconsider a patent granted to another company that could affect plans to broaden use of its franchise product, the Keytruda cancer treatment. The dispute with Halozyme…
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STAT+: On ASCO Day 4, J&J bets on Rybrevant and airs ‘innovation ecosystem’ concerns
STAT+: On ASCO Day 4, J&J bets on Rybrevant and airs ‘innovation ecosystem’ concerns This is the web version of STAT’s special newsletter from the annual meeting of the American Society of Oncology. For more updates on the latest in cancer news, sign up for our Cancer Briefing newsletter here. ASCO ends tomorrow, but alas, dear readers,…
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STAT+: At ASCO Day 3, AstraZeneca dominates, Takeda reveals experimental drug data, Eli Lilly serves salad
STAT+: At ASCO Day 3, AstraZeneca dominates, Takeda reveals experimental drug data, Eli Lilly serves salad This is the web version of STAT’s special newsletter from the annual meeting of the American Society of Oncology. For more updates on the latest in cancer news, sign up for our Cancer Briefing newsletter here. We’re going to get to…
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Study finds exercise can keep colon cancer from recurring
Study finds exercise can keep colon cancer from recurring CHICAGO — An exercise program can reduce the risk that colorectal cancer will return after surgery and chemotherapy, according to a new study. The benefit from the study’s exercise program was about as large as what researchers might expect from a new drug, experts said, and…
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STAT+: AstraZeneca’s CEO balances cancer-fighting opportunities with political uncertainty
STAT+: AstraZeneca’s CEO balances cancer-fighting opportunities with political uncertainty CHICAGO — Each year, 40,000 cancer researchers, doctors, and industry executives gather here for the biggest meeting in oncology. And for seven years, it has been almost assumed that the medicines generating the most buzz will come from AstraZeneca. Perhaps that’s why, in a wood-paneled conference…
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STAT+: Combination treatment reduces risk of tumor progression in aggressive form of breast cancer, study shows
STAT+: Combination treatment reduces risk of tumor progression in aggressive form of breast cancer, study shows CHICAGO — A treatment that combines two different types of cancer-fighting medicines — Gilead Sciences’ Trodelvy with Merck’s Keytruda — reduced the risk of tumor progression by more than one-third in women with an aggressive form of breast cancer. …
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STAT+: As Trump proposes NIH cuts, a top Merck executive sees fragility in a ‘super-highway for biomedicine’
STAT+: As Trump proposes NIH cuts, a top Merck executive sees fragility in a ‘super-highway for biomedicine’ CHICAGO — Amid ongoing uncertainty around funding for the National Institutes of Health, and what it could mean for U.S. innovation, a top Merck executive stressed that the agency is “an incredible super-highway for biomedicine,” and that it’s “a…
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STAT+: ASCO day 2: A tragic paradox, Gilead updates, and lots of Pfizer news
STAT+: ASCO day 2: A tragic paradox, Gilead updates, and lots of Pfizer news This is the web version of STAT’s special newsletter from the annual meeting of the American Society of Oncology. For more updates on the latest in cancer news, sign up for our Cancer Briefing newsletter here. ASCO is usually sweltering, but it’s…
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At ASCO 2025, attendees see reason for hope, despite worries
At ASCO 2025, attendees see reason for hope, despite worries For more updates on the latest in cancer news, sign up for our Cancer Briefing newsletter here. The annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology is now in session. As always, STAT has your appetite for cancer news covered. Reporters Matt Herper, Adam…
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Moderna’s vaccine hit, the MAHA report, and an ASCO preview
Moderna’s vaccine hit, the MAHA report, and an ASCO preview What does the MAHA Commission have planned for the drug industry? Why is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. targeting mRNA vaccines? And what are Adam and Elaine getting up to in Chicago? We discuss all that and more on this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,”…
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Uncertainty in CRISPR world and the start of more M&A
Uncertainty in CRISPR world and the start of more M&A What was the mood like at a big gene therapy conference last week? Why is Novo Nordisk’s CEO stepping down? And why has Adam been in such a good mood? We discuss all that and more on this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s…
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STAT+: Merus drug, with immunotherapy, shows preliminary survival boost for patients with head and neck cancer
STAT+: Merus drug, with immunotherapy, shows preliminary survival boost for patients with head and neck cancer Merus said Thursday that a combination of its experimental drug petosemtamab with the checkpoint inhibitor Keytruda has kept 79% of patients with newly diagnosed metastatic head and cancer alive for at least one year, according to a new analysis…
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STAT+: ASCO and Google create ‘walled garden’ AI tool for doctors to query group’s guidelines
STAT+: ASCO and Google create ‘walled garden’ AI tool for doctors to query group’s guidelines The American Society of Clinical Oncology, the largest professional organization in cancer care, announced Wednesday that it had partnered with Google Cloud to develop an AI-based tool to help physicians rapidly question the organization’s guidelines on best practices in diagnosing…
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Opinion: I’ve reported on presidents’ health for 53 years. No public evidence suggests Biden’s doctors mishandled prostate cancer testing
Opinion: I’ve reported on presidents’ health for 53 years. No public evidence suggests Biden’s doctors mishandled prostate cancer testing News of former President Biden’s aggressive and incurable prostate cancer has surprised the public (and presumably him). Based on the public record of Biden’s medical care and standard medical recommendations, as recently as a year ago there was…
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Former President Biden diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer
Former President Biden diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer WASHINGTON — Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office said Sunday. Biden was seen last week by doctors after urinary symptoms and a prostate nodule was found. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to…
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STAT+: Trump is moving to terminate hundreds of federal grants across Harvard
STAT+: Trump is moving to terminate hundreds of federal grants across Harvard In yet another escalation of its fight against higher education, the Trump administration has moved to terminate hundreds of research grants at Harvard University and its medical school, imperiling dozens of research projects and potentially upending the futures of young scientists. Harvard researchers studying cancer,…
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First at-home test kit for cervical cancer approved by the FDA, company says
First at-home test kit for cervical cancer approved by the FDA, company says WASHINGTON — U.S. regulators have approved the first cervical cancer testing kit that allows women to collect their own sample at home before shipping it to a laboratory, according to a medical device company. Teal Health said Friday the Food and Drug Administration approved…
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STAT+: Vinay Prasad, in his own words, outlines the philosophy he’ll bring to the FDA
STAT+: Vinay Prasad, in his own words, outlines the philosophy he’ll bring to the FDA People seeking roles in government are often careful about what they say in public, or at least somewhat hesitant to freely share their opinions. It’s difficult to know exactly what’s going on in their heads. Not Vinay Prasad. The new…
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STAT+: AACR Recap: Excitement about cancer prevention, new immunotherapies and advocacy
STAT+: AACR Recap: Excitement about cancer prevention, new immunotherapies and advocacy CHICAGO — With thousands of abstracts presented at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting, it’s hard to keep up with all the latest advances and data. Like every meeting, this year’s conference was full of presentations and posters detailing new innovations in…
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STAT+: At AACR, leading cancer researchers urge colleagues to ‘fight for your science’
STAT+: At AACR, leading cancer researchers urge colleagues to ‘fight for your science’ CHICAGO — In the first few weeks of President Trump’s second term, many leaders and top scientists in cancer research found themselves questioning if they could have communicated better to the public. After all, experts told STAT, maybe if people understood how…
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STAT+: Collins and fellow GOP senators speak out in opposition to Trump’s cuts to biomedical research
STAT+: Collins and fellow GOP senators speak out in opposition to Trump’s cuts to biomedical research WASHINGTON — There was broad bipartisan support at a Senate hearing Wednesday to reverse course on the Trump administration’s cuts to federally funded biomedical research. Sen. Susan Collins (Maine), the Republican chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, kicked off…
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STAT+: What was big at AACR? A drug, a diagnostic, and a dog. Oh and a vaccine, too.
STAT+: What was big at AACR? A drug, a diagnostic, and a dog. Oh and a vaccine, too. You’re reading the web edition of AACR in 30 Seconds, STAT’s guide to the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting. We’d like to introduce you to the fellow above, whose name is Jae. When asked what…
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U.S. government researchers present ‘phenomenal’ new data on HPV vaccines
U.S. government researchers present ‘phenomenal’ new data on HPV vaccines CHICAGO — A clinical trial run by the National Cancer Institute seems to confirm that a single dose of the vaccine used to prevent infection with the human papilloma virus is just as effective as two — and, therefore, also helps to prevent cancer. The result…
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STAT+: HPV vaccine news ‘that will save millions of lives’ from cancer, and other AACR news
STAT+: HPV vaccine news ‘that will save millions of lives’ from cancer, and other AACR news You’re reading the web edition of AACR in 30 Seconds, STAT’s guide to the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting. There’s one more day: sign up for email here. Despite the shadow cast over cancer research by recent…
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STAT+: ‘Fight for your science’: Researchers urged to speak out at AACR
STAT+: ‘Fight for your science’: Researchers urged to speak out at AACR You’re reading the web edition of AACR in 30 Seconds, STAT’s guide to the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting. Sign up for email here. AACR’s big annual meeting began as usual with its large opening ceremony, but AACR CEO Margaret Foti’s closing…
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STAT+: Taking science’s temperature at the annual AACR meeting
STAT+: Taking science’s temperature at the annual AACR meeting You’re reading the web edition of AACR in 30 Seconds, STAT’s guide to the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting. Sign up for email here. Welcome to STAT’s annual newsletter covering the meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. We’re glad you’re here. AACR…
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STAT+: Caribou delays readout, discontinues programs, betting on off-the-shelf CAR-T therapies
STAT+: Caribou delays readout, discontinues programs, betting on off-the-shelf CAR-T therapies Caribou Biosciences is delaying the readout of clinical trials involving its CRISPR T-cell therapies for blood cancer — hoping that longer follow-up will deliver enough positive data to keep the programs and the struggling biotech company alive. The company’s decision, announced Thursday, amounts to…
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STAT+: GSK blood cancer therapy, once pulled from the market, is approved in the U.K.
STAT+: GSK blood cancer therapy, once pulled from the market, is approved in the U.K. GSK’s blood cancer drug Blenrep won regulatory approval in the U.K. on Thursday, marking the medicine’s return to the market after it was withdrawn several years ago. The drug, which treats multiple myeloma, will be used in combination with other…
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Weedkiller maker asks U.S. Supreme Court to block lawsuits claiming it failed to warn about cancer
Weedkiller maker asks U.S. Supreme Court to block lawsuits claiming it failed to warn about cancer JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Global agrochemical manufacturer Bayer has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether federal law preempts thousands of state lawsuits alleging it failed to warn people that its popular weedkiller could cause cancer. Bayer’s new…
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STAT+: Two of FDA’s top cancer regulators to depart, heightening worries about drug reviews
STAT+: Two of FDA’s top cancer regulators to depart, heightening worries about drug reviews Both deputy directors at the key Food and Drug Administration center that oversees the regulation of cancer drugs plan on departing the agency, sources told STAT Thursday, highlighting the drain on talent at the FDA created by layoffs, uncertainty, and shifts…