Specialty Pharmacy

The investigators found that using the vaccine in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor—an established immunotherapy drug with a 20% success rate overall for patients—can vastly improve the proportion of individuals who respond to treatments, eliminating tumors in 75% of cases in mice.

Topline results from the phase 2/3 XIRIUS study of cotoretigene toliparvovec (BIIB112), a gene therapy being investigated as a one-time therapy for patients with X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP), found that the study did not meet its primary endpoint of demonstrating a statistically significant improvement in the proportion of treated study eyes.

The trial found positive results in both the overall study population of patients with advanced cervical cancer as well as subgroups with squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma.

The durvalumab plus chemotherapy arm demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in PFS versus chemotherapy in the previous analysis, but the OS trend observed in this analysis did not achieve statistical significance.

As breast cancer becomes an increasingly treatable disease, clinicians should provide personalized follow-up care to address varying burdens of symptoms up to 5 years after diagnosis.

The KEYNOTE-522 trial met its dual primary endpoints of pathologic complete response and event-free survival, showing a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in EFS compared to neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone.

The research is a follow-up to a previous study published in March in which the researchers reported that only 17% of participating transplant recipients produced sufficient antibodies after just 1 dose of a 2-dose COVID-19 vaccine regimen.

In June 2020, the FDA granted a fast track designation to fruquintinib for patients with mCRC previously treated with other therapies.

In an interview with Pharmacy Times®, Melissa Santibañez, PharmD, BCCCP, assistant professor at Nova Southeastern University College of Pharmacy, Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and critical care clinical pharmacist at Memorial Regional Hospital, Hollywood, Florida, discusses the value of a pharmacist on a patient care team.

Tivozanib was the first therapy approved by the FDA for adult patients with relapsed or refractory advanced renal cell carcinoma following 2 or more prior systemic therapies.

Suzanne Soliman, PharmD, BCMAS, and Sally Arif, PharmD, BCPS, BCCP, discussed the important role of working mothers in the pharmacy field.

Data can not only provide visibility into the process, day-to-day operations, and the patient journey, but can also help specialty pharmacies meet contractual obligations and provide a closer look at performance and improvement opportunities.

This indication has received accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and durability of response, though the results of confirmatory trials may change the approval status.

The study is most comprehensive analysis to date of changes in hospital mortality throughout the pandemic, reviewing data on more than 20,000 patients admitted to hospitals for COVID-19 over 9 months, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

IQVIA researchers saw a sharp uptick in medication usage shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic began, followed by a steep fall in the first few months of the pandemic.

The study also found that patients with comorbidities such as heart disease and diabetes were more likely to experience a high symptom burden.

An interim analysis from the phase 3 ALPINE trial comparing zanubrutinib against ibrutinib demonstrated positive results in the treatment of relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma.

Health care practitioners and manufacturers must change practice patterns and management strategies.

The Pharmacy Times® Pharmacy Focus podcast provides the latest industry news and information, thought-leader insights, clinical updates, patient counseling tools, and innovative solutions for the everyday practice and business of pharmacy.

Individuals with an average risk of colorectal cancer said they would prefer a stool-based screening test for colorectal cancer over colonoscopy.

The relatively new combination of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors with VEGF inhibitors represents a promising option for patients with various malignancies.

Although therapeutics and vaccines for COVID-19 have dominated the news in the last year, development of other drugs has continued.

A metanalysis published in SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine found that administering the therapies early in a patient’s treatment could be associated with better outcomes.

Directions in Oncology Pharmacy® is getting to know oncology pharmacy professionals through a series of interviews. In this issue, we talk to David DeRemer, PharmD, BCOP, FCCP, FHOPA, president of the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) Board of Directors, whose term ends this month.

The Star Rating for Biosimilars Act, HR 2855, aims to create a biosimilars access measure in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Star Ratings Program.

Cynthia Lynch, MD, breast cancer program clinical advisor with Cancer Treatment Centers of America, said oncology pharmacists are vital team members who can help ensure optimal treatment and safety for patients with breast cancer.

This week on Pharmacy Times, there are a number of important topics that will be covered and posted throughout the week.

B cell activating factor appears to promote antibodies against, and inhibitors of, the missing blood clotting factor that is given to patients with hemophilia A to control their bleeding.

The study further explored the various aspects of financial hardships, including material, psychological, and behavioral measures.

Community pharmacists should consider leaning on their specialty pharmacist peers, where available, as we continue to navigate the new, more virtual normal and attempt to expand these types of services in the future.