Noted

Prostate cancer researchers found significant disparities when they submitted identical patient samples to two different commercial liquid biopsy providers, raising the possibility that patients could be prescribed different treatments depending upon which company performs the liquid biopsy (JAMA Oncol 2017 Dec 14 [Epub ahead of print]). The researchers compared Guardant360 (Guardant Health), which sequenced at least part of the coding sequences of 73 genes, and PlasmaSELECT (Personal Genome Diagnostics), which analyzed coding sequences of 64 genes. Just 25 of the 40 patients in the study had at least one genetic mutation reported within the genetic sequences covered by both companies.

Jerusalem, Israel–based Teva Pharmaceuticals announced that it will eliminate more than 25% of its workforce over the next 2 years to reduce costs. The company is developing CT-P10³, a biosimilar to Rituxan (rituximab; Genentech), and CT-P6³, a biosimilar to Herceptin (trastuzumab; Genetech/Roche), and makes drugs for certain leukemias.

Cancer Research UK announced a 5-year drug-discovery collaboration between its subsidiary, Cancer Research Technology (CRT), and Celgene to discover, develop, and commercialize new anticancer treatments. The collaboration is centered on mRNA translation.

The FDA updated the label for nilotinib (Tasigna; Novartis) to include information on discontinuing the drug in patients with chronic-phase Philadelphia chromosome–positive chronic myeloid leukemia who have achieved a sustained molecular response (MR4.5) to it after at least 3 years of treatment. Criteria for monitoring patients who discontinue nilotinib are also spelled out.

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review released its Draft Evidence Report comparing the effectiveness and value of two chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies—tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah;Novartis) and axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta; Kite/Gilead)—for certain B-cell cancers (available at https://icer-review.org). The independent nonprofit research organization's report concludes that the therapies “provide gains in quality-adjusted and overall survival over alternative chemotherapies.”

For more news on cancer research, visit Cancer Discovery online at http://cancerdiscovery.aacrjournals.org/content/early/by/section.