Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs 

About: Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs is an academic journal published by Informa. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Clinical trial & Cancer. It has an ISSN identifier of 1354-3784. Over the lifetime, 4026 publications have been published receiving 117498 citations.

American Association for Cancer Research

Abstract: A major session at this annual gathering of the cancer researchers from around the globe dealt with the current state of immunotherapy for cancer. Immunotherapy is a form of cancer treatment that enhances its scientific promise and legitimacy with each passing year. As a result, this topic has become one of the most highly attended and anticipated of all the sessions during the AACR. This year’s session included further progress from the laboratory to the clinic involving an ever-increasing number of cancers. For example, brain, lung and prostate cancer are now as well-represented as melanoma and lymphoma at such forums. This year’s session continued the trend of impressive biosafety of both cell- and antibody-based vaccines. Therefore, these cancer vaccines offer optimism in treatment benefit as well as a minimal impact on quality of life. Lastly, the increasing number of clinical responses allows for true immunological monitoring, as scientists strive to unlock the mysteries behind what makes one patien...

Glioblastoma multiforme: a review of where we have been and where we are going

Abstract: Malignant gliomas such as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) present some of the greatest challenges in the management of cancer patients worldwide, despite notable recent achievements in oncology. Even with aggressive surgical resections using state-of-the-art preoperative and intraoperative neuroimaging, along with recent advances in radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the prognosis for GBM patients remains dismal: median survival after diagnosis is about 14 months. Established good prognostic factors are limited, but include young age, high Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), high mini-mental status examination score, O6-methylguanine methyltransferase promoter methylation, and resection of > 98% of the tumor. Standard treatment includes resection, followed by concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy. GBM research is being conducted worldwide at a remarkable pace, with some of the more recent promising studies focused on identification of aberrant genetic events and signaling pathways, tumor stem cell identifica...

Why do trials for Alzheimer's disease drugs keep failing? A discontinued drug perspective for 2010-2015.

Abstract: Introduction: There are dozens of drugs in development for AD with billions of dollars invested. Despite the massive investment in AD drugs and a burgeoning pipeline, there have been more setbacks and failures than treatment successes.Areas covered: The classes of drugs that have failed to date include the monoclonal antibodies, the gamma secretase inhibitors, dimebon, neurochemical enhancers, and one tau drug. Data for these compounds were sought through a PubMed search and a clinicaltrials.gov search.Expert opinion: The obvious question to be posed is: Why are they failing? Is the treatment of symptomatic dementia too late? Are the therapeutic targets incorrect? Are the clinical methodologies imprecise, misleading, or inaccurate? This review summarizes the drugs that have failed during 2010–2015 and offers possible theories as to why they have failed.

Cationic antimicrobial peptides as novel cytotoxic agents for cancer treatment

Abstract: Cancer treatment by conventional chemotherapy is hindered by toxic side effects and the frequent development of multi-drug resistance by cancer cells. Cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAPs) are a promising new class of natural-source drugs that may avoid the shortcomings of conventional chemotherapy because certain CAPs exhibit selective cytotoxicity against a broad spectrum of human cancer cells, including neoplastic cells that have acquired a multi-drug-resistant phenotype. Tumour cell killing by CAPs is usually by a cell membrane-lytic effect, although some CAPs can trigger apoptosis in cancer cells via mitochondrial membrane disruption. Furthermore, certain CAPs are potent inhibitors of blood vessel development (angiogenesis) that is associated with tumour progression. This article reviews the mechanisms by which CAPs exert anticancer activity and discusses the potential application of selected CAPs as therapeutic agents for the treatment of human cancers.

Targeting STAT3 in cancer: how successful are we?

Abstract: Background: Aberrant activation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3 occurs in many human tumors. Moreover, studies utilizing genetic and pharmacological approaches to mo...