A simplified method for monitoring the incorporation of radiolabeled acetate into lipids in a cellular system is described. The assay eliminates the commonly employed labor-intensive organic extraction step by plating the cells in 96-well tissue culture-treated ScintiPlates() that enable direct measurement of radiolabeled cell membrane-embedded lipids. Since the scintillant is entrenched in the plates, radioactivity in close proximity to the scintillant is measured without the need for liquid scintillation cocktail. The utility of this method for evaluating inhibitors of the de novo fatty acid synthetic pathway is demonstrated here with fatty acid synthase (FASN). Due to the upregulation of FASN activity in many tumor types, development of inhibitors to block the FASN activity in cells shows promise as an attractive and tractable approach for therapeutic intervention.

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c-KIT kinase is a validated drug discovery target for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Clinically used c-KIT kinase inhibitors, i.e., Imatinib and Sunitinib, bear other important targets such as ABL or FLT3 kinases. Here we report our discovery of a more selective c-KIT inhibitor, compound 13 (CHMFL-KIT-110), which completely abolished ABL and FLT3 kinase activity. KinomeScan selectivity profiling (468 kinases) of 13 exhibited a high selectivity (S score (1) = 0.01). 13 displayed great antiproliferative efficacy against GISTs cell lines GIST-T1 and GIST-882 (GI50: 0.021 and 0.043 μM, respectively). In the cellular context, it effectively affected c-KIT-mediated signaling pathways and induced apoptosis as well as cell cycle arrest. In addition, 13 possessed acceptable bioavailability (36%) and effectively suppressed the tumor growth in GIST-T1 cell inoculated xenograft model without apparent toxicity. 13 currently is undergoing extensive preclinical evaluation and might be a potential drug candidate for GISTs.

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To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the combination therapy of fluorouracil, leucovorin and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) and aflibercept in Asian patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), who had progressed after oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy.
This is a retrospective analysis of 19 mCRC patients who received FOLFIRI and aflibercept (4 mg/kg intravenously) every 2 weeks via a Named Patient Program (supported by Sanofi Aventis) in Singapore. Treatment was administered until disease progression or unacceptable toxicities. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Efficacy and toxicities were summarized using descriptive statistics. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA 12.0 software.
The majority (84%) of the patients were of chinese ethnicity. The median age was 59 years, with 63.2% of the patients having an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status of 1. Four patients (21.1%) achieved partial response and 8 patients (42.1%) achieved stable disease. After a median follow-up of 9.6 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.2-13.1 months], the median OS was 11.6 months (95% CI, 6.1 to not-estimable), and median PFS was 4.1 months (95% CI, 2.2-5.9). Majority of the toxicities were grade 1-2, and include leucopenia (84.2%), anemia (73.7%), liver enzyme elevation (68.4%) and fatigue (68.4%). The most frequently reported grade 3 toxicities were neutropenia and neutropenic complications (both 15.8%). All adverse events resolved with supportive management.
The clinical benefit and safety profile of the combination of FOLFIRI/aflibercept in Asian patients with mCRC are consistent with that of Western population. FOLFIRI/aflibercept may be an appropriate therapeutic option in Asian patients with mCRC previously treated with an oxaliplatin-based regimen.
© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

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On April 15, 2016 Incyte Corporation (Nasdaq: INCY) reported that will highlight the productivity of its drug discovery and development organization and aspects of its development portfolio at an investor event on Sunday, April 17, 2016 at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana (Press release, Incyte, APR 15, 2016, View Source [SID:1234510879]).

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The event will include a discussion of Incyte’s second-generation PI3Kδ inhibitor, INCB50465; the Company’s immuno-oncology portfolio, including its anti-GITR antibody, INCAGN1876, anti-OX40 antibody, INCAGN1949, and emerging data with its small molecule BRD inhibitor, INCB54329; as well as its targeted epigenetic therapies, including a novel LSD1 inhibitor entering Phase 1 development, INCB59872.

"Incyte operates with the conviction that investment in basic research can translate into innovative therapies that can address important unmet medical needs. To that end, we are pleased to be able to highlight such a broad collection of abstracts from our emerging development portfolio at this year’s AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting," stated Reid Huber, Ph.D., Incyte’s Chief Scientific Officer. "The research team’s productivity is a result of the quality of our scientific organization and the efficiency of our R&D model."

As part of its succession plan, Incyte also announced that after almost 13 years at the Company, Dr. Richard Levy, Chief Drug Development Officer, is retiring effective April 30, 2016. Dr. Steven Stein, Incyte’s Chief Medical Officer, will now assume all of Dr. Levy’s responsibilities. Dr. Levy was instrumental in building the broad and diverse portfolio Incyte has today, and developing Jakafi (ruxolitinib), the Company’s proprietary JAK 1/JAK 2 inhibitor.

Optimal sequencing of cabazitaxel (C) and abiraterone acetate (A) after docetaxel (D) for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is unclear. We assessed treatment patterns and outcomes in patients with mCRPC receiving different sequences of A or C, or both, after administration of D.
Retrospective analysis was conducted of US Oncology Network iKnowMed (iKM) electronic health record (EHR) data to assess patients with mCRPC who received treatment with D and were subsequently treated with C or A, or both, between April 2011 and May 2012. Patients received 2 or 3 drugs: DA, DC, DAC, or DCA. Overall survival (OS) and time to treatment failure (TTF) were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method from the start to the end of second-line therapy after administration of D (TTF1) and to the end of combined second- and third-line therapy (TTF2) for 3-drug sequences. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models evaluated the impact of baseline clinical prognostic factors and treatment sequence on OS and TTF.
Of 350 patients who were treated with D and subsequent therapies, 183 (52.3%) received DA, 54 (15.4%) received DC, 77 (22.0%) received DCA, and 36 (10.3%) received DAC. In a multivariable analysis, adjusted comparisons suggested that 3-drug sequences were associated with improved OS versus 2-drug sequences (hazard ratio [HR], 0.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.092-0.476; P = .0002). There were no statistically significant differences in OS and TTF for DC versus DA, and OS was significantly greater for DCA versus DAC (HR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.022-0.733; P = .0210). More cycles of C were administered in DCA than in DAC (median 6 vs. 4; t test P < .0001), whereas the duration of A treatment was similar.
Administration of 3 agents in the DCA sequence was more optimal for treating mCRPC in this hypothesis-generating study.
Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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