How Does AR Antagonist ARN-509 Work

Mechanism of Action Series: ARN 509

ARN-509 is an androgen receptor signaling inhibitor currently in phase 2 clinical trial for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).  How does ARN-509 work to block prostate cancer cells is described below.

Notes on Prostate Cancer From ASCO 2012

Phase 3 date on abiraterone trial in asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) was profiled in the ASCO daily news.  These results have the potential of changing the standard of care in mCRPC.

Zytiga is the Darling of the Day. Really!

Zytiga was in news today, but more so were its competitors, Provenge and MDV3100. The big news was early unblinding of Zytiga trial in metastatic prostate cancer patients due to significant improvement seen in progression-free survival (PFS) and other endpoints.

MDV1300 Making a Mark While Provenge Takes a Deep Plunge

Today San Francisco-based Medivation, Inc., ($MDVN) saw its stock value scale El Capitan within a day.  This coming on the heels of Dendreon Corp. ($DNDN) losing a huge chunk of its stock value yesterday is a good example of human psychology.  We reward "optimism" over "cautious behavior."  

Astellas Oncology: Dora's Estrellas in Astellas' Star-Pocket

Many of you may recall the spring of 2010 when Astellas tried to acquire OSI Pharmaceuticals - the barbs flew, as expected, until tons of Yens (to the tune of $4B) were offered to calm OSI and bring it into the Astelles family.  That event signaled the maturing of Astellas as an oncology firm. 

Diagnosed with cancer! So, what are my chances?

"One in four deaths in the United States is due to cancer." [...]  Statements such as this will make people sit up and really take notice.   Also true are the facts that, "among men, cancers of the prostate, lung and bronchus, and colorectum account for 52% of all newly diagnosed cancers. Prostate cancer alone accounts for 28% (217,730) of incident cases in men. . . The 3 most commonly diagnosed types of cancer among women in 2010 will be cancers of the breast, lung and bronchus, and colorectum, accounting for 52% of estimated cancer cases in women. Breast cancer alone is expected to account for 28% (207,090) of all new cancer cases" [read here].

The Prostate Cancer: New drugs in the post “Abiraterone-Jevtana-Provenge” world

The success of three new drugs (Abiraterone, Jevtana and Provenge) for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) this year, each targeting different pathways, and all showing an overall survival benefit, has raised the bar for those dreaming to join the club.  There is at least one riding the popularity vote, MDV3100, which may complete phase 3 next year.  Still, many struggle and plough through phase  1 and 2.  One way to understand, what may make some of them unique – and the reason they may evolve into serious competition one day – is to lay them out in separate classes or targets.  This is what I have done below.

And the three co-winners in the 2010 race to beat Metastatic Advanced Prostate Cancer are Abiraterone, Jevtana and Provenge

Following the results of a randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 3 study COU-AA-301  released at the 35th Annual European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress on October 11, 2010 (ESMO abstract LBA5), abiraterone has emerged as a third new treatment option for metastatic advanced prostate cancer (also referred to as hormone-refractory or castration-resistant prostate cancer [HRPC or CRPC]) this year.