Ogivri for cancer treatment

Food and Drug Administration approved Ogivri (trastuzumab-dkst) as a biosimilar to Herceptin (trastuzumab) for the treatment of patients with breast or metastatic stomach cancer (gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma) whose tumors overexpress the HER2 gene (HER2+).
Ogivri is the first biosimilar approved for the treatment of breast cancer or stomach cancer and the second biosimilar approved treatment of cancer.

Common expected side effects of Ogivri for the treatment of HER2+ breast cancer include headache, diarrhea, nausea, chills, fever, infection, congestive heart failure, difficulty sleeping (insomnia), cough and rash. Common expected side effects of Ogivri for the treatment of HER2+ metastatic stomach cancer include low levels of certain white blood cells (neutropenia), diarrhea, fatigue, low levels of red blood cells (anemia), inflammation of the mouth (stomatitis), weight loss, upper respiratory tract infections, fever, low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia), swelling of the mucous membranes (mucosal inflammation), common cold (nasopharyngitis) and unusual taste sensation (dysgeusia).

Serious expected side effects of Ogivri include worsening of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. Patients should stop taking Ogivri if cardiomyopathy, life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), swelling below the skin (angioedema), inflammation of the lungs (interstitial pneumonitis) or fluid in the lungs (acute respiratory distress syndrome) occur. Patients should be advised of the potential risk to a developing fetus and to use effective contraception.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Verzenio for treating breast cancer

Verzenio (abemaciclib) is approved to treat adult patients who have hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer that has progressed after taking therapy that alters a hormones (endocrine therapy).

Verzenio is approved to be given in combination with an endocrine therapy, called fulvestrant, after the cancer had grown on endocrine therapy. It is also approved to be given on its own, if patients were previously treated with endocrine therapy and chemotherapy after the cancer had spread (metastasized).

Verzenio provides a new targeted treatment option for some patients with breast cancer who are not responding to treatment, it can be given as a stand-alone treatment to patients who were previously treated with endocrine therapy and chemotherapy.

Verzenio works by blocking certain molecules (known as cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6), involved in promoting the growth of cancer cells. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer. The safety and efficacy of Verzenio in combination with fulvestrant were studied in a randomized trial in some patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer that had progressed after treatment with endocrine therapy and who had not received chemotherapy once the cancer had metastasized.

The study measured the length of time tumors did not grow after treatment (progression-free survival). The median progression-free survival for patients taking Verzenio with fulvestrant was 16.4 months compared to 9.3 months for patients taking a placebo with fulvestrant.

The safety and efficacy of Verzenio as a stand-alone treatment were studied in a single-arm trial of 132 patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer that had progressed after treatment with endocrine therapy and chemotherapy after the cancer metastasized.

 The study measured the percent of patients whose tumors completely or partially shrank after treatment. In the study, 19.7 percent of patients taking Verzenio experienced complete or partial shrinkage of their tumors for a median 8.6 months.

Common side effects of Verzenio include diarrhea, low levels of certain white blood cells (neutropenia and leukopenia), nausea, abdominal pain, infections, fatigue, low levels of red blood cells (anemia), decreased appetite, vomiting and headache.

Serious side effects of Verzenio include diarrhea, neutropenia, elevated liver blood tests and blood clots (deep venous thrombosis/pulmonary embolism). Women who are pregnant should not take Verzenio because it may cause harm to a developing fetus.
           haleplushearty.blogspot.com

Aliqopa for treating follicular lymphoma

Aliqopa drug (copanlisib) is for the treatment of adults with relapsed follicular lymphoma who have received systemic therapies. For patients with relapsed follicular lymphoma, the cancer often comes after multiple treatments.

Follicular lymphoma is a slow-growing type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph system. The lymph system is part of the body’s immune system and is made up of lymph tissue, lymph nodes, the spleen, thymus, tonsils and bone marrow.

Aliqopa is a kinase inhibitor that works by blocking several enzymes that promote cell growth. Common side effects of Aliqopa include high blood sugar levels, diarrhea, fatigue, high blood pressure, low levels of certain white blood cells, nausea, lower respiratory tract infections, and low levels of blood platelets.

Serious side effects include infections, high blood sugar levels, hypertension, inflammation of the lung tissues, low neutropenia and severe skin reactions. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take Aliqopa because it may cause harm to a developing fetus or newborn baby.
          haleplushearty.blogspot.com