Posts by: Alejandra Viviescas PhD

Alejandra Viviescas PhD

Alejandra has a PhD in Genetics from São Paulo State University (UNESP) and is currently working as a scientific writer, editor, and translator. As a writer for BioNews, she is fulfilling her passion for making scientific data easily available and understandable to the general public. Aside from her work with BioNews, she also works as a language editor for non-English speaking authors and is an author of science books for kids.

January 3, 2020January 3, 2020

Tislelizumab-Chemo Combo Induces Durable Responses in Patients with Stomach, Esophagus Cancers, Trial Data Show

News

Treatment with Beigene‘s experimental therapy tislelizumab and chemotherapy resulted in durable responses and was overall well-tolerated in Chinese people with gastric/gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) adenocarcinoma or esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), preliminary ... Read more

December 18, 2019December 18, 2019

Adding BL-8040 to Keytruda and Chemo Shows Good Disease Control in Pancreatic Cancer, Phase 2 Trial Shows

News

Treatment with investigational BL-8040, in combination with Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and chemotherapy, leads to promising response and disease control rates in people with metastatic pancreatic cancer who progressed after first-line therapy, ... Read more

December 9, 2019

FDA Grants N-803 Combo Breakthrough Therapy Status for Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to ImmunityBio‘s interleukin-15 (IL-15) agonist N-803, in combination with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) for the treatment of non-muscle invasive ... Read more

November 8, 2019

MDNA55 Increases Survival in Glioblastoma, Notably in Patients With High ILR4 Levels, Early Trial Data Show

News

The investigational therapy MDNA55 increases survival in people with recurrent glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer — especially in those who produce high levels of ILR4, a marker of aggressive ... Read more

September 27, 2019

Maeton’s OT101 Gets Rare Pediatric Disease Designation for Childhood Brain Tumor

News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation to Mateon‘s OT101 as a therapy for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a difficult-to-treat brain tumor that affects ... Read more

August 21, 2019

Esophagogastric Cancer Patients with High DKK1 Levels Respond Better to DKN-01, Keytruda Combo, Phase 1 Trial Shows

News

A combination of Leap Therapeutics‘ investigational therapy DKN-01 plus Keytruda (pembrolizumab) led to “highly encouraging” responses and survival outcomes in a population of advanced esophagogastric cancer patients with elevated levels of ... Read more

May 7, 2019May 7, 2019

Combining Radiation with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Improved Outcomes in Glioblastoma Mice

News

Combining radiation therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors induces an immune response to both irradiated and non-irradiated glioblastoma, a study in mice found, suggesting that a combination of these approaches could ... Read more

November 21, 2018November 21, 2018

Opdivo-Yervoy Combo Shows Durable Survival Benefits for Advanced Melanoma Patients in Phase 3 Trial

News

A combination of Bristol-Meyer Squibb‘s Opdivo (nivolumab) and Yervoy (ipilimumab) is more effective than either of the treatments alone as a first-line therapy for patients with advanced melanoma, according to ... Read more

November 14, 2018November 14, 2018

FDA Approves Keytruda for Liver Cancer Patients Who Had Received Nexavar

News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as a treatment for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) — the most common type of liver cancer — who previously had ... Read more

November 2, 2018November 2, 2018

Keytruda-Inlyta Combo Extends Survival in Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients, Phase 3 Trial Shows

News

A combination of Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and Inlyta (axitinib) significantly extended the lives of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and delayed disease progression or death, according to a Phase 3 clinical trial. ... Read more