Alfacell Corporation today announced that it has confirmed that 316 evaluable events (patient deaths) have occurred in the confirmatory Phase IIIb clinical trial of its lead compound, ONCONASE (ranpirnase), for the treatment of patients with unresectable malignant mesothelioma (UMM). Read More...

According to results recently presented at the 2007 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the chemotherapy combination consisting of Alimta® (pemetrexed) plus a platinum compound (Platinol® [cisplatin] or Paraplatin® [carboplatin]) has been confirmed as an active therapeutic regimen in the treatment of patients with previously untreated malignant pleural mesothelioma. Read More...

ONCONASE (ranpirnase), Alfacell Corporation's lead drug candidate, may have potential as a chemopreventive agent, according to world-renowned mesothelioma researcher Michele Carbone M.D., Ph.D., at this week's American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting. Read More...

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute today announced significant scientific findings that could lead to better treatment and therapies for cancer patients suffering from malignant pleural mesothelioma. Read More...

AmpTide™ for Lung Cancer (Mesothelioma) Read More...

Alfacell Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel ribonuclease therapeutics for cancer, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan-drug designation in the United States for the company's lead drug candidate, ONCONASE(R) (ranpirnase), for treatment of malignant mesothelioma. Read More...

Alfacell Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel ribonuclease therapeutics for cancer, today announced it has filed an application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to obtain orphan designation for its lead drug candidate ONCONASE(R) (ranpirnase) for the treatment of patients with unresectable malignant mesothelioma (UMM). Read More...

INNOVIVE Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Manhattan, announced today that a Phase I clinical trial investigating INNO-305 in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), mesothelioma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has enrolled its first patient. Read More...

The post-hoc analysis found that patients treated with ONCONASE had greater median survival times than patients treated with doxorubicin alone using the validated prognostic scoring systems of both the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). Read More...

Alfacell Corporation announced today an update regarding the ongoing randomized, multi-center, multi-national, confirmatory Phase IIIb registration study for its lead anti-cancer drug, ONCONASE(R) (ranpirnase). This pivotal trial is evaluating the effectiveness of ONCONASE plus doxorubicin in improving the survival of patients with unresectable malignant mesothelioma (UMM) over doxorubicin alone. Read More...

According to results recently published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, treatment with the chemotherapy agent Alimta® (pemetrexed) with or without the chemotherapy agent Platinol® (cisplatin) provides benefit for patients with malignant mesothelioma who have received prior therapies. Read More...

Alfacell Corporation announced today that groundbreaking, independent new research findings show that the elusive molecular mechanism that asbestos uses to provoke lung cancer may have been identified. The research also found that ONCONASE(R) (ranpirnase) may be one of the most effective methods of treatment for mesothelioma and lung cancer caused by this mechanism, and may even reduce the incidence of these cancers in those exposed to asbestos. Read More...

CuraGen Corporation and TopoTarget A/S announced today the initiation of patient dosing in a Phase II clinical trial evaluating the activity of PXD101, a small molecule histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, for the treatment of mesothelioma. Read More...

Ingenuity Systems launches its biomarker workflow guide to formalize its ongoing biomarker initiative. Read More...

According to results published in the journal Lung Cancer, sequential administration of chemotherapy including cisplatin (Platinol®) and gemcitabine (Gemzar®) followed by mitoxantrone (Novantrone®), methotrexate (Rheumatrex®), and mitomycin (Mutamycin®) is an active regimen and improves quality of life in patients with mesothelioma that cannot be surgically removed. Read More...

According to an article recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the treatment combination consisting of Alimta® (pemetrexed) and Paraplatin® (carboplatin) is an effective and well-tolerated regimen for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Read More...

According to a recent article published in the Annals of Oncology, immediate treatment with chemotherapy improves survival rates at one year and provides improved quality of life compared to administering chemotherapy once symptoms occur in patients with malignant mesothelioma. Read More...

INNOVIVE Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Manhattan, announced today that it has licensed worldwide development rights for a WT1 heteroclitic peptide immunotherapeutic from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Read More...

In order to evaluate osteopontin as a potential marker for mesothelioma, researchers from several institutions conducted a clinical study to compare osteopontin levels in patients diagnosed with mesothelioma and patients with benign (non-cancerous) lung conditions. Read More...

According to the results of a phase III clinical trial published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, treatment with both cisplatin and raltitrexed results in better survival among patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma than treatment with cisplatin alone. Read More...

Patients with a cancer of the lining of the lung, known as malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), lived longer than previously reported(1), when treated with Eli Lilly and Company's Alimta® (pemetrexed) in combination with cisplatin, according to updated data presented today at the 11th annual World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC). Read More...

These studies supported earlier research showing ONCONASE® (ranpirnase), Alfacell’s lead investigational drug candidate, to be a novel and promising treatment for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Read More...

Eli Lilly and Company's anti-cancer drug Alimta® received its second U.S. approval in 2004. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval for Alimta for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer in previously treated patients. Read More...

Eli Lilly and Company announced today that the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration positively endorsed Alimta®(pemetrexed), anantifolate,for accelerated approval in the second-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Read More...

The CHMP's positive opinion recommends approval of pemetrexed as a single agent for patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after prior chemotherapy and in combination with cisplatin for the treatment of unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), a cancer of the lining of the lungs, in patients who have not received prior chemotherapy. Read More...

The Senate failed today to force a vote on the asbestos bailout bill, ensuring that it will not pass this year. Read More...

In response to the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) identification of major sources of public asbestos exposure in Michigan, the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine (COEM) affiliated with Wayne State University (WSU) have joined forces to establish The National Center for Vermiculite and Asbestos-Related Cancers. Read More...

"U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash) joined with Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Sen. Mark Dayton (D-Minn), two doctors, and dozens of asbestos victims and family members to urge Congress to improve the asbestos-liability bill that will be brought to the Senate floor next month." Read More...

"EWG Action Fund's first-ever analysis of federal mortality records finds that 10,000 Americans die each year from asbestos exposure, and projects that up to ten times that many will die in the next decade." Read More...

"As the U.S. Senate considers a bill to protect companies from lawsuits brought by hundreds of thousands of Americans harmed by asbestos, the first-ever analysis of federal mortality records finds that 10,000 Americans die each year from asbestos exposure, and projects that up to ten times that many will die in the next decade." Read More...

"U.S. Senator Patty Murray said that today's release of a new report by the Environmental Working Group on the dangers of asbestos exposure further underscores the need to enact her bill to ban asbestos in America immediately." Read More...

"Alimta is a new cancer drug used to treat malignant pleural mesothelioma. Alimta is given with cisplatin, another anti-cancer medicine." Read More...

"The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved Alimta (pemetrexed disodium) for use in combination with cisplatin for the treatment of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma-a rare type of cancer." Read More...

"This drug regimen was compared to cisplatin alone in a trial of 448 patients from 19 countries - the largest trial to date among patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma." Read More...

"U.S. Senator Patty Murray, the Senate sponsor of a bill to ban the use of asbestos in America, today testified before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on asbestos litigation reform." Read More...

M. D. Anderson's focus on the blood vessel-cancer paradigm has garnered scientific praise from around the world, as well as millions in funding for research – for example, $9.2 million was awarded to the institution in 2002 from the National Cancer Institute for anti-angiogenic research. Read More...

"Alfacell Corporation today announced that it is hosting a meeting for oncologists participating in the ONCONASE clinical trial program for malignant mesothelioma (MM) " Read More...

"Alfacell Corporation today announced the publication of Phase II trial results of ONCONASE, a novel anti-cancer drug, in patients with unresectable, or inoperable, malignant mesothelioma." Read More...