Posts by: Janet Stewart, MSc

Janet Stewart, MSc

Janet Stewart is a life sciences writer and editor, who completed both PhD course work and oral examinations in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at McGill University, and holds an M.Sc. in Virology and Immunology.

July 17, 2018July 17, 2018

‘Backpacks’ for T-cells Boost Immune Responses Against Tumors, Mouse Study Shows

News

Attaching “backpacks” carrying immune-stimulating molecules to T-cells effectively enhances their activity, a study found. The approach can be used in any kind of tumor-fighting T-cell, including engineered cells, and has ... Read more

March 27, 2018March 27, 2018

New Y-trap Technology Shows Promise as Cancer Immunotherapy

News

A new technology has shown promise in treating several types of tumors in mice that do not respond to cancer immunotherapy medications called checkpoint inhibitors. Results from tests of the ... Read more

March 5, 2018March 5, 2018

Fate Receives $4 Million to Advance Natural Killer Cell Immunotherapy Into Trials

News

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine has given Fate Therapeutics a $4 million grant to advance its natural killer cell immunotherapy FT516 into clinical trials. At the heart of Fate’s therapy is engineering white blood cells ... Read more

February 28, 2018March 1, 2018

Kite and Sagamo Are Partnering on Cell-engineered Treatments for Cancer

News

Kite Pharma and Sagamo Therapeutics are combining the proprietary cell-engineering strategies that each is known for, to develop treatments for cancer. In Kite’s case, the strategy is gene therapy. In Sagamo’s ... Read more

February 5, 2018February 5, 2018

New Test Accurately Detects Early-stage Solid Tumors Using Only Blood Samples

News

A blood test can detect solid tumors with a high degree of accuracy, according to new data presented by the ITUS Corporation, which developed the technology. The test uses artificial ... Read more

November 28, 2017November 28, 2017

Imfinzi Increases Time for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer to Progress, Phase 3 Trial Shows

News

AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi (durvalumab) significantly lengthened the time it took for a patient’s non-small cell lung cancer to progress after chemotherapy and radiation, a Phase 3 clinical trial showed. The trial compared the ... Read more

October 23, 2017October 23, 2017

Opdivo Not Recommended for Treating Urothelial Carcinoma in the UK

News

The U.K.’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) does not recommend Opdivo (nivolumab) treatment for locally advanced unresectable or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) after platinum-containing chemotherapy. NICE provides national guidance ... Read more

October 17, 2017October 17, 2017

SCLC Patients with High Tumor Mutation Burden Show Promising Responses to Opdivo Alone or with Yervoy

News

Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Opdivo (nivolumab), with or without Yervoy (ipilimumab), showed promising overall survival rates in previously treated patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) who had high tumor mutation burden ... Read more

October 13, 2017October 13, 2017

Presage Biosciences Awarded Grant to Develop CIVO Microdosing Platform Used Inside Tumors

News

The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research, a newly formed nonprofit organization, announced that its first grant will be awarded to Presage Biosciences to advance CIVO, a drug-development platform that injects therapies and ... Read more

September 21, 2017September 21, 2017

Opdivo, HPV Cancer Vaccine Combo Improves Response Rates in Oropharyngeal Cancer Patients

News

A Phase 2 clinical trial found that the combination of Opdivo (nivolumab) and a cancer vaccine increased response rates in patients with throat tumors (oropharyngeal tumors) caused by the human ... Read more