CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase 2 clinical trial of MM-121, a fully human monoclonal antibody that targets ErbB3, in combination with erlotinib (Tarceva®), a small molecule directed at the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), in three groups of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Campaign Highlights Importance of Molecular Testing in Lung Cancer

NEW YORK, Nov 14, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — –People with Lung Cancer Invited to Submit Their Personal Stories

Kathryn Joosten, two-time Emmy(R) Award-winning actress and star of Desperate Housewives and The West Wing, is opening up about her 10-year battle with lung cancer as part of a new national campaign, Lung Cancer Profiles. Lung Cancer Profiles aims to reduce the stigma associated with lung cancer by educating about the diversity of the disease inside and out. The campaign, created by Pfizer Oncology in collaboration with the nation’s leading lung cancer advocacy groups, also seeks to educate about the role of molecular testing and its potential to uncover the unique genetic drivers of each person’s cancer, which can help doctors devise an individualized treatment plan rather than using a one-size-fits all approach.

“I have lung cancer and it’s nothing to hide–anyone can get lung cancer, everyone’s cancer is different and it’s reassuring that the science is catching on,” Ms. Joosten said. “When my cancer returned after eight years, I was discouraged, but my doctor recommended I get my tumor tested to see if it would affect my treatment plan. We were able to identify my particular type of lung cancer and find a clinical trial designed specifically for people with my tumor type. I am passionate about this campaign because I know, first-hand, how hard it can be to learn you have lung cancer, how important it is to get tested and how impactful sharing my story might be on the lives of others with lung cancer.”

Experimental Vaccine Targets a Protein Linked to Many Cases of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

By Matt McMillen, WebMD Health News, Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Oct. 21, 2011 — A cancer vaccine shows potential to slow the spread of cancer among lung cancer patients, a study shows.

The experimental vaccine targets a protein linked to more than half of all cases of non-small-cell lung cancer, the most common form of lung cancer.

The study is published in The Lancet Oncology.

The study was conducted in Europe and included 148 patients with advanced lung cancer. It was led by Elisabeth Quiox, MD, a professor of pneumonology at the Université de Strasbourg, France.

The patients were divided into two groups. Both groups received standard chemotherapy while one group received the experimental vaccine known as TG4010. The vaccine stimulates the immune system to destroy cancer cells.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands: A new type of diagnostic imaging – which can better differentiate benign lung lesions from those which are cancerous – could be used to prevent unnecessary surgery by enabling more accurate diagnosis of the disease.

A study by Belgian researchers, which will be presented today (25 September 2011) at the European Respiratory Society’s Annual Congress in Amsterdam, found that the new technique can more accurately determine whether people have the disease when compared with the current method of PET-CT scans.

By Frederik Joelving

NEW YORK | Fri Aug 26, 2011 6:57pm EDT

(Reuters Health) – Very few patients who’ve had cancer surgery end up participating in clinical trials to test new treatments, researchers have found.

And those who do participate are younger and usually white, fueling concerns that new drugs may not fare as well once they hit the market because trial subjects don’t match real-world users.