Novartis announces findings from a real-world study of alpelisib demonstrating clinical benefit in people with PIK3CA-Related Overgrowth Spectrum (PROS)

  • PROS is a spectrum of rare disorders caused by PIK3CA mutations and is characterized by atypical, visible overgrowths and anomalies in blood vessels, the lymphatic system and other tissues

  • At 24 weeks, 38% of patients achieved ≥20% reduction in the volume of the PROS lesions assessed in the primary endpoint analysis; no patients experienced disease progression or death
     
  • Alpelisib is the first potential treatment to specifically address the root cause of PROS conditions
  • EPIK-P1 study …
/by

Novartis reports positive health-related quality of life data for 177Lu-PSMA-617 radioligand therapy in patients with advanced prostate cancer at ESMO 2021

  • New quality of life data for 177Lu-PSMA-617 plus standard of care shows delay in worsening of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and pain in heavily pre-treated patients with PSMA-positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) compared to standard of care alone1
     
  • US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to 177Lu-PSMA-617; Submission to FDA and European Medicines Agency on track for 2H21
     
  • Novartis committed to …
/by

Photographer Captures Patients Around the World Persevering With ITP

“I can’t imagine my life without ITP—it has always been a part of me.” Daniela is a patient from Germany diagnosed with the rare platelet disorder at the age of 14. While she has since grown up, raised a family—and now enjoys traveling, hiking, and building memories with her husband and sons—she has also learned how to become the day-to-day manager of her own health and best handle her condition to live her life to the fullest.

ITP (immune thrombocytopenia) is a rare blood disorder in which there are too few clotting cells, or platelets, in the blood. Patients diagnosed with ITP may …

/by

Doing the right thing is good business

Can a pharmaceutical company do good and run a profitable business at the same time? Lutz Hegemann believes not only that it is possible, but also that this is exactly what society expects. In fact, reframing the definition of business success around doing the right thing, he says, is both motivating and liberating.

“In the past, what was seen as a distraction from the core business is now being seen as an enhancement of our business,” says Hegemann, Group Head of Corporate Affairs and Global Health at Novartis.

Hegemann began his medical career working with patients with …

/by

Toward regrowing cartilage

In a recent wildlife documentary, a shark bites off an octopus’s arm. The octopus hides for days and then reappears. Its tentacle has started to grow back.

Unlike octopuses, humans can’t regrow body parts. At least, not yet.

Novartis researchers are inspired by these wild survival artists. They are developing a treatment that has the potential to regrow cartilage in the knees of patients with osteoarthritis. Though not quite equivalent to the regenerative powers of wildlife, it’s an ambitious attempt to regenerate tissue. The approach is part of a wider effort at Novartis to …

/by

Novartis announces first FDA filing acceptance for anti-PD-1 antibody tislelizumab for people with esophageal cancer

  • Biologics License Application (BLA) submission supported by Phase III RATIONALE 302 trial, which met primary endpoint of improvement in overall survival (OS) in people with advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who had received prior systemic therapy1
  • ESCC is most common type of esophageal cancer globally and sixth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with five-year survival rate at 19.9%2,3
  • Tislelizumab is a key cornerstone of …
/by
Sandoz strengthens pipeline by entering into agreement for biosimilar bevacizumab, a key oncology medicine
  • Sandoz enters into commercialization agreement for biosimilar bevacizumab with Bio-Thera Solutions, Ltd., for treatment of multiple types of cancers1,2
  • Sandoz is committed to building on its leading generic and biosimilar oncology portfolio to further expand patient access, while contributing to sustainability of healthcare systems

Basel, September 8, 2021 — Sandoz, a Novartis division, today announced that it has entered into a commercialization agreement with Bio-Thera …

/by
Sandoz strengthens pipeline by entering into agreement for biosimilar bevacizumab, a key oncology medicine
  • Sandoz enters into commercialization agreement for biosimilar bevacizumab with Bio-Thera Solutions, Ltd., for treatment of multiple types of cancers1,2
  • Sandoz is committed to building on its leading generic and biosimilar oncology portfolio to further expand patient access, while contributing to sustainability of healthcare systems

Basel, September 8, 2021 — Sandoz, a Novartis division, today announced that it has entered into a commercialization agreement with Bio-Thera …

/by

A blood cancer patient’s long road to diagnosis

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a group of rare blood cancers, including myelofibrosis (MF), polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET), that affect blood cell production in the bone marrow. These blood cancers may result in debilitating symptoms that can burden daily life. Unfortunately, patients often struggle to have their needs met when confronting their illness. The good news is, people all over the world living with MPNs, their caregivers and clinicians are working together to understand the unique physical, emotional and economic challenges that the MPN …

/by

Novartis announces discontinuation of CIRRUS-1 study of CFZ533 (iscalimab) in kidney transplant patients

Novartis today announced that following an interim analysis of data from the CIRRUS-1 study, a decision has been taken to discontinue the trial. 

  • The analysis indicated that CFZ533 (iscalimab)-based treatment is less efficacious compared to tacrolimus-based treatment in the prevention of organ rejection in patients receiving a kidney transplant. Both CFZ533 and tacrolimus were used in combination with other immunosuppressive therapies (induction therapy, mycophenolate and corticosteroids).
  • Study of CFZ533 in liver transplant continues, as do studies exploring CFZ533 as a …
/by