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Hybrid Cath Lab/OR Suite’s da Vinci Surgical Robot of Intuitive Surgical gets FDA Warning Letter on Robot Track Record

Posted in Aortic Valve: TAVR, TAVI vs Open Heart Surgery, Mitral Valve: Repair and Replacement, PCI, Peripheral Arterial Disease & Peripheral Vascular Surgery, tagged , , , on July 19, 2013| 1 Comment »

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

The technology functionality of da Vinci Surgical Robot of Intuitive Surgical is described in

3D Cardiovascular Theater – Hybrid Cath Lab/OR Suite, HybridSurgery, Complications Post PCI and Repeat Sternotomy

 

FDA Letter for Inspection dates 04/01/2013 – 05/30/2013

Observation 1:

A correction or removal, conducted to reduce a risk to health posed by a device, was not reported in writing to FDA.

Observation 2:

Illnesses or injuries that have occurred with use of devices subject to corrections or removals have not been reported

Observation 3:

Procedures for design change have not been adequately established.

Observation 4:

Design input requirements were not adequately documented.

http://assets.fiercemarkets.com/public/lifesciences/intuitive483new.pdf

Intuitive Surgical Declines on Warning Letter From FDA

By Robert Langreth – Jul 19, 2013 4:07 PM ET
BSIP/UIG via Getty Images
At the Lyon Hospital in France, they use a surgical robotic system called Da Vinci Surgical System, made by Intuitive Surgical, designed to facilitate complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach.

Intuitive Surgical Inc. (ISRG), the robot surgery company, has lost about $7 billion in value over five months after disclosures about adverse events with its products, a recent recall and, now, a regulatory warning it hasn’t adequately reported on issues concerning the devices.

In February, Bloomberg News reported that the FDA was surveying surgeons on the robots following a rise in reports that included as many as 70 deaths since 2009. A review of Food and Drug Administration records now shows the reports of injuries involving robot procedures have doubled in the first six months of 2013, compared with a year earlier.

On July 8, the Sunnyvale, California-based company reported that sales slowed for its robots in the second quarter, and four days later Intuitive said that 30 of its devices were recalled because they may not have been properly tested. Yesterday’s announcement, coming after the close of trading, prompted JMP Securities LLC to cut its rating on Intuitive to market underperform with a target of $275, a drop from yesterday’s closing price of $421.27.

“We see little reason to own shares at the current levels,” J.T. Haresco, a San Francisco-based analyst at JMP Securities, said today in a note to investors.

Intuitive’s shares fell 6.8 percent to $392.67 at the close in New York after Chief Executive Officer Gary Guthart yesterday advised investors about the July 17 warning in a conference call. The company has lost 32 percent of its market value, or about $7 billion, since Feb. 27, the day before Bloomberg News reported that the FDA was surveying surgeons about the safety of its robot products.

FDA Inspections

FDA inspections in April and May found the most recent deficiencies, according to a report dated May 30. Guthart said the agency is asking for additional steps to resolve two of the observations in the inspection report.

“We believe these issues are addressable and will continue to work with the FDA to ensure this is resolved to their satisfaction,” Angela Wonson, a company spokeswoman, said in an e-mail after the call.

Safety and cost effectiveness of the company’s da Vinci robot devices have been under scrutiny since the disclosure that the FDA was studying how the robot surgeons were being used.

“Rates of adverse events have remained low and in line with historical trends,” Wonson said today in an e-mail.

Robot Use

The robots, in more than 1,300 U.S. hospitals, cost $1.5 million each and were used in 367,000 U.S. procedures in 2012. They are the company’s primary product and have been the subject of negligence lawsuits alleging that patients were injured during surgeries. Cancer surgery, hysterectomies and gall bladder removals are among the procedures conducted with the robot.

Yesterday, Calvin Darling, the company’s senior director of finance, said 2013 revenue is expected to range from unchanged to an increase of 7 percent from 2012. Intuitive in Januaryforecast annual sales growth of 16 percent to 19 percent and in April said it expected the higher end of the range.

“The company will survive but maybe not as-is,” said Erik Gordon, a business professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. “The pounding down of the share price is fresh bait for activist investors like Carl Icahn and for strategic acquirers. The warning letter puts a dent in the reputation of a company that had once been viewed as a shiny new Porsche.

‘‘They enjoyed some easier, boom years when doctors and patients were awed by the thought of surgical robotics turning surgeons into super-surgeons,’’ Gordon said in an e-mail today. ‘‘Now, the people who pay for the surgery are stepping in and questioning whether the robots are worth the extra cost.’’

‘Money-Losing’

With more changes approaching from the Affordable Care Act, community hospitals are likely to reconsider whether it makes sense to do ‘‘money-losing procedures’’ on the pricey robot, Suraj Kalia, an analyst for Northland Securities, wrote today in a report to clients. In particular, using the robot for simple gall bladder surgeries is ‘‘prohibitively expensive,’’ he wrote.

Intuitive’s forecasts suggests new installations of the expensive robot in the U.S. are ‘‘hitting a brick wall,’’ Kalia wrote.

JMP’s Haresco also questioned the company’s future, saying that more use of personalized medicine will make it easier for physicians to tailor medical therapy and treat patients conservatively, that insurers will continue to drive procedures to outpatient settings, limiting the need for robotics, and that recent declines in benign hysterectomy appear to be the start of a long-term decline.

‘Outright Invalid’

‘‘While we still believe that robotic surgery will play a central role in the delivery of medicine, we also believe that some of the underlying assumptions that define the market potential are questionable, if not outright invalid,” Haresco said today in his note.

One of the two issues Intuitive has been asked to respond to by the agency in its warning letter is the observation that some device corrections hadn’t been adequately reported, Wonson said. She couldn’t provide a copy of the agency’s letter.

In the inspection report, FDA officials also said the company didn’t document the need for surgeons to sometimes clean robotic instruments during procedures. Intuitive has received complaints about arcing of energized surgical instruments after some surgeons cleaned off instruments by scraping them against each other during surgery, the agency said.

The scraping “led to tears or holes in protective tip covers that led to arcing that in turn led to injuries to patients,” the agency said in the report.

Intuitive Surgical also yesterday reported second-quarter net income rose 2.7 percent to $159.1 million, or $3.90 a share, from $154.9 million, or $3.75 a share. Revenue gained 7.8 percent to $578.5 million, missing the average of $596 million of 17 analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

While sales of instruments and accessories increased 18 percent during the quarter, revenue from systems declined 6 percent, the company said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Robert Langreth in New York at rlangreth@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reg Gale at rgale5@bloomberg.net

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-18/intuitive-surgical-declines-on-warning-letter-from-fda.html

 

 

Intuitive Surgical’s ($ISRG) share price plunged more than 13% in extended trading after the company disclosed July 18 it had received an FDA warning letter, adding to the cracks beginning to form in its da Vinci surgical robot track record.

 

The stock price listed at $363.91 in pre-market trading on July 19, down a whopping 13.6% from its $421.47 closing price at the end of trading on July 18. It had gained a healthy amount at the end of trading, in the wake of Intuitive’s generally positive 2013 second quarter earnings release.

 

But as Bloomberg reports, the company’s stock price went into a spiral after CEO Gary Guthard disclosed Intuitive’s July 17 warning letter during an analyst conference call held late afternoon to discuss second-quarter earnings. Regulators inspected the company in April and May, after which they cited Intuitive for not adequately reporting device corrections to regulators or patient “adverse events.” (Regulators detailed their initial concerns in a Form 483 issued earlier this year, which generally precedes a formal warning letter.) Additionally, the FDA faulted Intuitive for not documenting the need for surgeons using the da Vinci system to sometimes have to scrape instruments against each other during a procedure in order to clean them. This causes arcing and injured some patients, according to FDA concerns detailed in the story.

 

An Intuitive spokeswoman told Bloomberg that the issues cited with the FDA are “addressable” and that the company will continue working with regulators to solve the problem.

 

But investors are watching closely to see if company obstacles become more widespread. As The Wall Street Journal reported before Intuitive’s earning release, some hospitals and surgeons have said they are more heavily scrutinizing their use of da Vinci products in the wake of controversies over their safety and price tag (an average $1.55 million apiece).  Experts are questioning da Vinci’s benefits compared to standard hysterectomy procedures, for example, versus the extra cost of the machine and procedure.

 

Observers predicted that Intuitive’s stock would take major hits if its growth momentum slowed any more, the article noted. The new warning letter against the company pointed to a “growth momentum” risk, and investors reacted accordingly.

 

While 2013 second quarter results are generally good, there are signs of trouble. Sure, second-quarter revenue hit the $579 million mark, up 8% from the $537 million figure generated by the company over the 2012 second quarter. But analysts had expected much higher than this, The Wall Street Journal notes. And net income reached $159 million ($3.90 per diluted share), a moderate rise from $155 million in net revenue a year ago ($3.75 per diluted share).

 

Broken down, it’s more of a mixed bag.

 

Second-quarter systems revenue for 2013 dipped 6% to $216 million, versus $229 million over the same period last year, as the California company sold fewer da Vinci Surgical Systems, a trend it blamed in part on hospitals cutting back their spending. But more da Vinci surgical procedures and greater demand for new products bumped instruments and accessories to $265 million, an 18% jump over $224 million in revenue generated during the 2012 second quarter. Service revenue also enjoyed a double-digit jump, thanks to a greater installed base of the company’s surgical robots.

 

Spencer Nam, an equity analyst at Janney Montgomery Scott, noted to The Wall Street Journal that this was the first time since mid-2009 that Intuitive sold fewer da Vinci systems than it did in the previous year.

 

When Intuitive released its preliminary second-quarter results a week ago, Guthart said in a statement that the company was “disappointed” in its performance during the quarter but remained confident in the value Intuitive’s products offered. Meanwhile, the company’s stock closed July 18 at $421.57, up nearly 1.5%, after some wild fluctuation during the day.

http://www.fiercemedicaldevices.com/story/intuitives-surgical-robot-juggernaut-shows-some-cracks-q2/2013-07-18?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal

 

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FDA Adds Cardiac Drugs to Watch List – TOPROL-XL®

Posted in FDA Regulatory Affairs, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Health Law & Patient Safety, HTN, Origins of Cardiovascular Disease, Pharmaceutical Industry Competitive Intelligence, Pharmaceutical R&D Investment, Pharmacotherapy of Cardiovascular Disease, Regulated Clinical Trials: Design, Methods, Components and IRB related issues, tagged , , , , , , , on June 26, 2013| 1 Comment »

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

See on Scoop.it – Cardiovascular Disease: PHARMACO-THERAPY

FDA Adds Antinausea, Cardiac Drugs to Watch List
Medscape
The beta blocker metoprolol succinate (Toprol-XL, AstraZeneca) also landed on the list, posted on the FDA Web site last month, because of reports that suggested therapeutic ineffectiveness.

FDA Adds Cardiac Drugs to Watch List

Jun 25, 2013

Drug & Reference Information

The other drug on the latest watch list, metoprolol succinate, is used to treat angina, heart failure, and hypertension

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has put a class of antiemetic drugs, including ondansetron (Zofran, GlaxoSmithKline, and Zuplenz, Par Pharmaceutical), on its latest quarterly list of products to monitor because of potential signals of an increased risk for serotonin syndrome.

The beta blocker metoprolol succinate (Toprol-XL, AstraZeneca) also landed on the list, posted on the FDA Web site last month, because of reports that suggested therapeutic ineffectiveness.

The agency received reports of possible adverse events for these products in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database during the first 3 months of 2013. The FDA cautions that an appearance on the watch list does not mean that the agency has concluded that the drug poses the health risk reported through FAERS. What it does mean is that the FDA will investigate whether there is a causal connection. If there is one, the agency would consider a regulatory action such as collecting more data to better characterize the risk, revising the drug’s label, or requiring a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy.

Likewise, by adding a drug to the list, the FDA is not implying that clinicians should cease prescribing it or that patients should stop taking it, the agency says.

The antiemetics on the watch list belong to a subtype of serotonin blockers that bind to the 5-HT3 receptor. Clinicians prescribe them to prevent nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. Serotonin syndrome, which was reported to FAERS in conjunction with these antiemetics, is caused by excessive levels of the neurotransmitter. It can be fatal. Symptoms include confusion, agitation, dilated pupils, headache, rapid heart rate, and changes in blood pressure and temperature.

The other drug on the latest watch list, metoprolol succinate, is used to treat angina, heart failure, and hypertension.

Potential Signals of Serious Risks/New Safety Information Identified by FAERS, January 2013 to March 2013

Product name: active ingredient (trade) or product class Potential signal of a serious risk/new safety information Additional information (as of May 1, 2013)
Metoprolol succinate (Toprol-XL, AstraZeneca) extended-release products Lack of therapeutic effect, possibly related to product quality issues FDA is continuing to evaluate this issue to determine the need for any regulatory action.
Serotonin-3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonist products: ondansetron(Zofran, GlaxoSmithKline, andZuplenz, Par Pharmaceutical), palonosetron (Aloxi, Helsinn Healthcare), granisetron (Kytril, Hoffmann-La Roche) Serotonin syndrome FDA is continuing to evaluate this issue to determine the need for any regulatory action.

 SOURCE

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/806890

More information on FAERS and its quarterly watch list is available on the FDA Web site.

Potential Signals of Serious Risks/New Safety Information Identified by FAERS, January 2013 to March 2013

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/806890

Carvedilol superior to Metoprolol in MADIT-CRT analysis

APRIL 2, 2013 

Rochester, NY – Treatment with carvedilol is associated with a significant 30% reduction in the risk of hospitalization for heart failure (HF) or death when compared with patients treated metoprolol, according to a new analysis of the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial with Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (MADIT-CRT) [1].

The benefit of carvedilol over metoprolol was more pronounced in the subgroup of patients with a cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D), where carvedilol was associated with a significant 39% reduction in the risk of hospitalization for HF or death, and in those with left bundle branch block (LBBB). In the LBBB patients with a CRT-D, treatment with carvedilol was associated with a 49% reduction in risk compared with metoprolol.

“Furthermore, we found a pronounced dosage-dependent relationship between outcome and dose in carvedilol, which was not found in metoprolol-treated patients,” write Dr Martin Ruwald (University of Rochester Medical Center, New York) and colleagues in the April 1, 2013 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Benefit follows results observed in COMET
The MADIT-CRT study was presented and published in 2009 and included patients with mild HF or left ventricular dysfunction without symptoms. Participants in the trial had NYHA class 1 and 2 disease, systolic dysfunction, and ventricular dyssynchrony (wide QRS complexes). As reported by heartwire, the study showed that the addition of resynchronization pacing in primary-prevention patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) reduced the risk of HF events by approximately one-third over 2.5 years.

Both metoprolol and carvedilol have a class IA indication in the management of patients with HF, with choice of the drug left to the discretion of the physician. In the Carvedilol or Metoprolol European Trial (COMET), there was an absolute 5.7% survival benefit with carvedilol over metoprolol. Other studies and analyses have suggested that there are differences between the two beta-blockers, say Ruwald and colleagues.

In this analysis of MADIT-CRT, which included 1515 patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)<30%, QRS duration >130 ms, and NYHA functional class 1 or 2, the primary end point of hospitalization for HF or death from any cause occurred in 132 patients (30%) taking metoprolol and 243 patients (23%) taking carvedilol. During the 3.4-year follow-up, 48 patients (11%) taking metoprolol and 104 patients (10%) taking carvedilol died.

In multivariate analysis, the reduction in the primary end point with carvedilol translated into a 30% reduction in risk compared with metoprolol, a benefit that was driven primarily by a reduction in HF hospitalizations. There was only a trend toward a reduction in the risk of ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF). The reduction in the risk of hospitalization for HF/death from any cause was more pronounced in patients receiving CRT-Ds.

Reduction in HF hospitalization/death (carvedilol vs metoprolol)

Study population and subgroups Hazard ratio (95% CI)
MADIT-CRT 0.70 (0.57-0.87)
CRT-D 0.61 (0.46-0.82)
ICD 0.81 (0.59-1.11)
CRT-D and LBBB 0.51 (0.35-0.76)
CRT and non-LBBB 0.79 (0.51-1.23)
ICD and LBBB 0.96 (0.66-1.39)
ICD and non-LBBB 0.55 (0.30-1.00)
LBBB 0.73 (0.56-0.95)
Non-LBBB 0.64 (0.45-0.91)

The researchers note that mean carvedilol and metoprolol doses in MADIT-CRT were 18 mg and 64 mg, respectively. These dosages are comparable to real-life dosages administered to patients in the clinical setting, although somewhat lower than in previous randomized controlled trials, according to the researchers.

“We speculate that low baseline resting heart rates in our study indicate that the patients generally were well titrated at baseline and that the rate may have contributed to a relatively low dose in both metoprolol and carvedilol compared with the beta-blocker dosage in clinical trials,” state Ruwald et al.

http://www.theheart.org/article/1524745.do

J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013 Apr 9;61(14):1518-26. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2013.01.020.

Effect of metoprolol versus carvedilol on outcomes in MADIT-CRT (multicenter automatic defibrillator implantation trial with cardiac resynchronization therapy).

Ruwald MH, Ruwald AC, Jons C, Alexis J, McNitt S, Zareba W, Moss AJ.

Source

Heart Research Follow-up Program, Cardiology Division, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA. mruwald@hotmail.com

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

This study sought to compare the effects of metoprolol and carvedilol in the MADIT-CRT (Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial With Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy) study.

BACKGROUND:

The impact of beta-blockers in heart failure (HF) patients with devices is uninvestigated.

METHODS:

All patients receiving either metoprolol or carvedilol in the MADIT-CRT study were identified and compared. Time-dependent Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were performed to assess differences in hospitalization for HF or death and ventricular arrhythmias.

RESULTS:

Hospitalization for HF or death occurred in 30% of the patients on metoprolol and in 23% on carvedilol. Treatment with carvedilol was associated with a significantly decreased risk of hospitalization for HF or death when compared with metoprolol (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.70, [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.57 to 0.87], p = 0.001). This reduction in risk was further attenuated in the subgroup of cardiac resynchronization therapy with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (CRT-D) patients (HR: 0.61 [95% CI: 0.46 to 0.82], p = 0.001) and CRT-D patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) (HR: 0.51 [95% CI: 0.35 to 0.76], p < 0.001). Ventricular arrhythmias occurred in 26% and in 22%, respectively, of the patients receiving metoprolol or carvedilol (HR: 0.80 [95% CI: 0.63 to 1.00], p = 0.050). General use of beta-blockers and adherence in this study was high, and a clear dose-dependent relationship was found in carvedilol, but not in metoprolol.

CONCLUSIONS:

In HF patients in New York Heart Association functional class I and II and with wide QRS complexes, carvedilol was associated with a 30% reduction in hospitalizations for HF or death when compared with metoprolol. A novel beneficial and synergistic effect of carvedilol was seen in patients with CRT-D and LBBB. Furthermore, we found a pronounced dose-dependent relationship in carvedilol, but not in metoprolol.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23500269?dopt=Abstract

Extended-Release Metoprolol ( Toprol-XL) Must Be Combined With Alpha-Blocker in Pheochromocytoma

On February 12, the FDA approved safety labeling revisions for metoprolol succinate (Toprol-XL extended-release tablets; AstraZeneca LP) to provide recommendations regarding its use in the setting of pheochromocytoma.

Patients diagnosed with pheochromocytoma should only receive extended-release metoprolol in combination with an alpha-blocker and only after alpha-blocker therapy has been initiated. Administration of beta-blockers alone in this setting has been linked to a paradoxic increase in blood pressure because of the attenuation of beta-mediated vasodilation in skeletal muscle.

Metoprolol is a beta 1-selective (cardioselective) adrenoceptor-blocking agent indicated for the treatment of hypertension; angina pectoris; and stable, symptomatic heart failure of ischemic, hypertensive, or cardiomyopathic origin.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/591151

Study Suggests Benefit For Beta Blockers During Noncardiac Surgery
The use of perioperative beta-blockade for noncardiac surgery has been declining as a result of the controversial POISE study, which turned up evidence for harm associated with extended-release metoprolol in this setting. Now a large new observational study published in JAMA offers a contrary perspective by suggesting that perioperative beta-blockade may be beneficial in low- to intermediate-risk patients. But without better evidence the debate about this topic is unlikely to be resolved. Martin London and colleagues performed a retrospective analysis of 136,745 patients who underwent noncardiac surgery at VA hospitals, 40…
Source: CardioBrief – April 23, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Larry Husten Tags: Interventional Cardiology & Surgery Prevention, Epidemiology & Outcomes beta blockers JAMA Observational study Source Type: blogs

http://www.medworm.com/rss/search.php?t=Toprol&f=drugs&blogs=1

NDA 19-962/S-038 Page 3 Rx only

TOPROL-XL® 

(metoprolol succinate) 

EXTENDED-RELEASE TABLETS TABLETS: 25 MG, 50 MG, 100 MG, AND 200 MG

DESCRIPTION 

TOPROL-XL, metoprolol succinate, is a beta1-selective (cardioselective) adrenoceptor blocking agent, for oral administration, available as extended release tablets. TOPROL-XL has been formulated to provide a controlled and predictable release of metoprolol for once-daily administration. The tablets comprise a multiple unit system containing metoprolol succinate in a multitude of controlled release pellets. Each pellet acts as a separate drug delivery unit and is designed to deliver metoprolol continuously over the dosage interval. The tablets contain 23.75, 47.5, 95 and 190 mg of metoprolol succinate equivalent to 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg of metoprolol tartrate, USP, respectively. Its chemical name is (±)1-(isopropylamino)-3-[p-(2-methoxyethyl) phenoxy]-2-propanol succinate (2:1) (salt). Its structural formula is:

Metoprolol succinate is a white crystalline powder with a molecular weight of 652.8. It is freely soluble in water; soluble in methanol; sparingly soluble in ethanol; slightly soluble in dichloromethane and 2-propanol; practically insoluble in ethyl-acetate, acetone, diethylether and heptane. Inactive ingredients: silicon dioxide, cellulose compounds, sodium stearyl fumarate, polyethylene glycol, titanium dioxide, paraffin.

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY General 

Metoprolol is a beta1-selective (cardioselective) adrenergic receptor blocking agent. This preferential effect is not absolute, however, and at higher plasma concentrations, metoprolol also inhibits beta2adrenoreceptors, chiefly located in the bronchial and vascular musculature. Metoprolol has no intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, and membrane-stabilizing activity is detectable only at plasma concentrations much greater than required for beta-blockade. Animal and human experiments indicate that metoprolol slows the sinus rate and decreases AV nodal conduction.

Clinical pharmacology studies have confirmed the beta-blocking activity of metoprolol in man, as shown by (1) reduction in heart rate and cardiac output at rest and upon exercise, (2) reduction of systolic blood pressure upon exercise, (3) inhibition of isoproterenol-induced tachycardia, and (4) reduction of reflex orthostatic tachycardia. NDA 19-962/S-038 Page 4

The relative beta1-selectivity of metoprolol has been confirmed by the following: (1) In normal subjects, metoprolol is unable to reverse the beta2-mediated vasodilating effects of epinephrine. This contrasts with the effect of nonselective beta-blockers, which completely reverse the vasodilating effects of epinephrine. (2) In asthmatic patients, metoprolol reduces FEV1 and FVC significantly less than a nonselective beta-blocker, propranolol, at equivalent beta1-receptor blocking doses.

In five controlled studies in normal healthy subjects, the same daily doses of TOPROL-XL and immediate release metoprolol were compared in terms of the extent and duration of beta1-blockade produced. Both formulations were given in a dose range equivalent to 100-400 mg of immediate release metoprolol per day. In these studies, TOPROL-XL was administered once a day and immediate release metoprolol was administered once to four times a day. A sixth controlled study compared the beta1-blocking effects of a 50 mg daily dose of the two formulations. In each study, beta1-blockade was expressed as the percent change from baseline in exercise heart rate following standardized submaximal exercise tolerance tests at steady state. TOPROL-XL administered once a day, and immediate release metoprolol administered once to four times a day, provided comparable total beta1blockade over 24 hours (area under the beta1-blockade versus time curve) in the dose range 100–400 mg. At a dosage of 50 mg once daily, TOPROL-XL produced significantly higher total beta1-blockade over 24 hours than immediate release metoprolol. For TOPROL-XL, the percent reduction in exercise heart rate was relatively stable throughout the entire dosage interval and the level of beta1-blockade increased with increasing doses from 50 to 300 mg daily. The effects at peak/trough (ie, at 24-hours post-dosing) were: 14/9, 16/10, 24/14, 27/22 and 27/20% reduction in exercise heart rate for doses of 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mg TOPROL-XL once a day, respectively. In contrast to TOPROL-XL, immediate release metoprolol given at a dose of 50–100 mg once a day produced a significantly larger peak effect on exercise tachycardia, but the effect was not evident at 24 hours. To match the peak to trough ratio obtained with TOPROL-XL over the dosing range of 200 to 400 mg, a t.i.d. to q.i.d. divided dosing regimen was required for immediate release metoprolol. A controlled cross-over study in heart failure patients compared the plasma concentrations and beta1-blocking effects of 50 mg immediate release metoprolol administered t.i.d., 100 mg and 200 mg TOPROL-XL once daily. A 50 mg dose of immediate release metoprolol t.i.d. produced a peak plasma level of metoprolol similar to the peak level observed with 200 mg of TOPROL-XL. A 200 mg dose of TOPROL-XL produced a larger effect on suppression of exercise-induced and Holter-monitored heart rate over 24 hours compared to 50 mg t.i.d. of immediate release metoprolol.

The relationship between plasma metoprolol levels and reduction in exercise heart rate is independent of the pharmaceutical formulation. Using an Emax model, the maximum effect is a 30% reduction in exercise heart rate, which is attributed to beta1-blockade. Beta1-blocking effects in the range of 30– 80% of the maximal effect (approximately 8–23% reduction in exercise heart rate) correspond to metoprolol plasma concentrations from 30-540 nmol/L. The relative beta1-selectivity of metoprolol diminishes and blockade of beta2-adrenoceptors increases at plasma concentrations above 300 nmol/L.

Although beta-adrenergic receptor blockade is useful in the treatment of angina, hypertension, and heart failure there are situations in which sympathetic stimulation is vital. In patients with severely damaged hearts, adequate ventricular function may depend on sympathetic drive. In the presence of AV block, beta-blockade may prevent the necessary facilitating effect of sympathetic activity on conduction. Beta2-adrenergic blockade results in passive bronchial constriction by interfering with endogenous adrenergic bronchodilator activity in patients subject to bronchospasm and may also interfere with exogenous bronchodilators in such patients. NDA 19-962/S-038 Page 5

In other studies, treatment with TOPROL-XL produced an improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction. TOPROL-XL was also shown to delay the increase in left ventricular end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes after 6 months of treatment.

Pharmacokinetics 

Adults In man, absorption of metoprolol is rapid and complete. Plasma levels following oral administration of conventional metoprolol tablets, however, approximate 50% of levels following intravenous administration, indicating about 50% first-pass metabolism. Metoprolol crosses the blood-brain barrier and has been reported in the CSF in a concentration 78% of the simultaneous plasma concentration.

Plasma levels achieved are highly variable after oral administration. Only a small fraction of the drug (about 12%) is bound to human serum albumin. Metoprolol is a racemic mixture of R- and S- enantiomers, and is primarily metabolized by CYP2D6. When administered orally, it exhibits stereoselective metabolism that is dependent on oxidation phenotype. Elimination is mainly by biotransformation in the liver, and the plasma half-life ranges from approximately 3 to 7 hours. Less than 5% of an oral dose of metoprolol is recovered unchanged in the urine; the rest is excreted by the kidneys as metabolites that appear to have no beta-blocking activity. Following intravenous administration of metoprolol, the urinary recovery of unchanged drug is approximately 10%. The systemic availability and half-life of metoprolol in patients with renal failure do not differ to a clinically significant degree from those in normal subjects. Consequently, no reduction in dosage is usually needed in patients with chronic renal failure.

Metoprolol is metabolized predominantly by CYP2D6, an enzyme that is absent in about 8% of Caucasians (poor metabolizers) and about 2% of most other populations. CYP2D6 can be inhibited by a number of drugs. Concomitant use of inhibiting drugs in poor metabolizers will increase blood levels of metoprolol several-fold, decreasing metoprolol’s cardioselectivity. (See PRECAUTIONS, Drug Interactions.)

In comparison to conventional metoprolol, the plasma metoprolol levels following administration of TOPROL-XL are characterized by lower peaks, longer time to peak and significantly lower peak to trough variation. The peak plasma levels following once-daily administration of TOPROL-XL average one-fourth to one-half the peak plasma levels obtained following a corresponding dose of conventional metoprolol, administered once daily or in divided doses. At steady state the average bioavailability of metoprolol following administration of TOPROL-XL, across the dosage range of 50 to 400 mg once daily, was 77% relative to the corresponding single or divided doses of conventional metoprolol. Nevertheless, over the 24-hour dosing interval, ß1-blockade is comparable and dose-related (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY). The bioavailability of metoprolol shows a dose-related, although not directly proportional, increase with dose and is not significantly affected by food following TOPROL-XL administration.

Pediatrics The pharmacokinetic profile of TOPROL-XL was studied in 120 pediatric hypertensive patients (6-17 years of age) receiving doses ranging from 12.5 to 200 mg once daily. The pharmacokinetics of metoprolol were similar to those described previously in adults. Age, gender, race, and ideal body weight had no significant effects on metoprolol pharmacokinetics. Metoprolol apparent oral clearance (CL/F) increased linearly with body weight. Metoprolol pharmacokinetics have not been investigated in patients < 6 years of age. NDA 19-962/S-038 Page 6

Hypertension 

The mechanism of the antihypertensive effects of beta-blocking agents has not been elucidated. However, several possible mechanisms have been proposed: (1) competitive antagonism of catecholamines at peripheral (especially cardiac) adrenergic neuron sites, leading to decreased cardiac output; (2) a central effect leading to reduced sympathetic outflow to the periphery; and

(3) suppression of renin activity.

Clinical Trials

In a double-blind study, 1092 patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension were randomized to once daily TOPROL-XL (25, 100, or 400 mg), PLENDIL® (felodipine extended release tablets), the combination, or placebo. After 9 weeks, TOPROL-XL alone decreased sitting blood pressure by 6-8/47 mmHg (placebo-corrected change from baseline) at 24 hours post-dose. The combination of TOPROL-XL with PLENDIL has greater effects on blood pressure.

In controlled clinical studies, an immediate release dosage form of metoprolol was an effective antihypertensive agent when used alone or as concomitant therapy with thiazide-type diuretics at dosages of 100-450 mg daily. TOPROL-XL, in dosages of 100 to 400 mg once daily, produces similar ß1-blockade as conventional metoprolol tablets administered two to four times daily. In addition, TOPROL-XL administered at a dose of 50 mg once daily lowered blood pressure 24-hours post-dosing in placebo-controlled studies. In controlled, comparative, clinical studies, immediate release metoprolol appeared comparable as an antihypertensive agent to propranolol, methyldopa, and thiazide-type diuretics, and affected both supine and standing blood pressure. Because of variable plasma levels attained with a given dose and lack of a consistent relationship of antihypertensive activity to drug plasma concentration, selection of proper dosage requires individual titration.

Angina Pectoris 

By blocking catecholamine-induced increases in heart rate, in velocity and extent of myocardial contraction, and in blood pressure, metoprolol reduces the oxygen requirements of the heart at any given level of effort, thus making it useful in the long-term management of angina pectoris.

Clinical Trials

In controlled clinical trials, an immediate release formulation of metoprolol has been shown to be an effective antianginal agent, reducing the number of angina attacks and increasing exercise tolerance. The dosage used in these studies ranged from 100 to 400 mg daily. TOPROL-XL, in dosages of 100 to 400 mg once daily, has been shown to possess beta-blockade similar to conventional metoprolol tablets administered two to four times daily.

Heart Failure 

The precise mechanism for the beneficial effects of beta-blockers in heart failure has not been elucidated. NDA 19-962/S-038 Page 7

Clinical Trials

MERIT-HF was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of TOPROL-XL conducted in 14 countries including the US. It randomized 3991 patients (1990 to TOPROL-XL) with ejection fraction ≤ 0.40 and NYHA Class II-IV heart failure attributable to ischemia, hypertension, or cardiomyopathy. The protocol excluded patients with contraindications to beta-blocker use, those expected to undergo heart surgery, and those within 28 days of myocardial infarction or unstable angina. The primary endpoints of the trial were (1) all-cause mortality plus all-cause hospitalization (time to first event) and

(2) all-cause mortality. Patients were stabilized on optimal concomitant therapy for heart failure, including diuretics, ACE inhibitors, cardiac glycosides, and nitrates. At randomization, 41% of patients were NYHA Class II, 55% NYHA Class III; 65% of patients had heart failure attributed to ischemic heart disease; 44% had a history of hypertension; 25% had diabetes mellitus; 48% had a history of myocardial infarction. Among patients in the trial, 90% were on diuretics, 89% were on ACE inhibitors, 64% were on digitalis, 27% were on a lipid-lowering agent, 37% were on an oral anticoagulant, and the mean ejection fraction was 0.28. The mean duration of follow-up was one year. At the end of the study, the mean daily dose of TOPROL-XL was 159 mg.

The trial was terminated early for a statistically significant reduction in all-cause mortality (34%, nominal p= 0.00009). The risk of all-cause mortality plus all-cause hospitalization was reduced by 19% (p= 0.00012). The trial also showed improvements in heart failure-related mortality and heart failure-related hospitalizations, and NYHA functional class.

The table below shows the principal results for the overall study population. The figure below illustrates principal results for a wide variety of subgroup comparisons, including US vs. non-US populations (the latter of which was not pre-specified). The combined endpoints of all-cause mortality plus all-cause hospitalization and of mortality plus heart failure hospitalization showed consistent effects in the overall study population and the subgroups, including women and the US population. However, in the US subgroup (n=1071) and women (n=898), overall mortality and cardiovascular mortality appeared less affected. Analyses of female and US patients were carried out because they each represented about 25% of the overall population. Nonetheless, subgroup analyses can be difficult to interpret and it is not known whether these represent true differences or chance effects.

SOURCE

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2009/019962s038lbl.pdf

Clinical Endpoints in the MERIT-HF Study 

CLINICAL ENDPOINT NUMBER OF PATIENTS RELATIVE RISK (95% CI) RISK REDUCTION WITH TOPROLXL NOMINAL P-VALUE
PLACEBO N=2001 TOPROLXL N=1990
ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY PLUS ALL-CAUSE HOSPITALIZATION* 767 641 0.81 (0.730.90) 19% 0.00012

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In focus: Circulating Tumor Cells

Posted in Bio Instrumentation in Experimental Life Sciences Research, Biological Networks, Gene Regulation and Evolution, Biomarkers & Medical Diagnostics, Biomedical Measurement Science, CANCER BIOLOGY & Innovations in Cancer Therapy, FDA Regulatory Affairs, Medical Devices R&D Investment, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 24, 2013| 4 Comments »

Author/Curator: Ritu Saxena, PhD

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Word Cloud By Danielle Smolyar

For several decades, research efforts have focused on targeting progression of cancer cells in primary tumors. Primary tumor cell targeting strategies include standard chemotherapy and immunotherapy and modulation of host microenvironment including tumor vasculature. However, cancer progression is comprised of both primary tumor growth and secondary metastasis (Langley RR and Fidler IJ. Tumor cell-organ microenvironment interactions in the pathogenesis of cancer metastasis. Endocr Rev. 2007 May;28(3):297-321; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17409287). Owing to the property of unilimited cell division, cells in primary tumor increase rapidly in number and density and are able to favorably influence their microenvironment. Metastasis, on the other hand, depends on the ability of cancer cells to disseminate, circulate, adapt to the harsh environment and seed in different organs to establish secondary tumors. Although tumor cells are shed into the circulation in large numbers since early stages of tumor formation, few tumor cells can survive and proceed to overt metastasis. (Husemann Y et al. Systemic spread is an early step in breast cancer. Cancer Cell. 2008 Jan;13(1):58-68; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18167340). Tight vascular wall barriers, unfavorable conditions for survival in distant organs, and a rate-limiting acquisition of organ colonization functions are just some of the impediments to the formation of distant metastasis (Chiang AC and Massagué J. Molecular basis of metastasis. N Engl J Med. 2008 Dec 25;359(26):2814-23; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19109576).

It has been hypothesized that metastasis is initiated by a subpopulation of circulating tumor cells (CTC) found in the blood of patients. Therefore, understanding the function of CTC and targeting the CTC is gaining attention as a possible therapeutic avenue in carcinoma treatment.

CTCs

Figure: Circulating tumor cells in the metastatic cascade

(Image source: Chaffer CL and Weinberg RA. Science 2011,331, pp. 1559-1564; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21436443)

Isolation of CTC

Initial methods relied on the difference in physical properties of cells. When spun in a centrifuge, different cells in the blood sample settle in separate layers based on their byoyancy, and CTC are found in the white blood cell fraction. Because CTC are generally larger than white blood cells, a size-based filter could be used to separate the cell types (Vona G, et al, Isolation by size of epithelial tumor cells : a new method for the immunomorphological and molecular characterization of circulating tumor cells. Am J Pathol, 2000 Jan;156(1):57-63; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10623654).

Herbert A Fritsche, PhD, Professor and Chief, Clinical Chemistry, Department of Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, demonstrated that the CTC can be captured using antibody labeled magnetic beads, either in positive or negative selection schema. After the circulating tumor cells are isolated, they may be characterized by immunohistochemistry and counted.  Alternatively, these cells may be characterized by gene expression analysis using RT-PCR. One of the CTC detection methods, Veridex Inc, Cell Search Assay, has been cleared by the US FDA for use as a prognostic test in patients with metastatic cancers of the breast, prostate and colon. This technology relies on the expression of epithelial cellular adhesion molecular (EpCAM) by epithelial cells and the isolation of these cells by immunomagnetic capture using anti-EpCAM antibodies.  Enriched CTC are identified by immunofluorescence. Martin Fleisher, PhD, Chair, Department of Clinical Laboratories, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center discussed in a webinar at the biomarker symposia, Cambridge Healthtech Institute, that every new technology has shortcomings, and the reliance on cancer cells to express sufficient EpCAM to enable capture may affect the role of this technology in future clinical use. Heterogeneous downregulation of epithelial surface antigen in invasive tumor cells has been reported. Thus, alternative methods to detect CTC are being developed. These new methods include-

  1. Flow cytometry that sorts cells by size and surface antigen expression.
  2. CTC microchips that are designed to capture CTC as whole blood flows past EpCAM-coated mirco-posts.
  3. Enrichment by filtration using filters with a pore size of 7-8 µm, that permits smaller red blood cell, leukocytes, and platelets to pass, but captures CTC that have diameters of about 12-15 µm.

Better identification of CTC

Baccelli et al (2013) developed a xenograft assay and demonstrated that the primary human luminal breast cancer CTC contain metastasis-initiated cells (MICs) that give rise to bone, lung and liver metastases in mice. These MIC-containing CTC populations expressed EPCAM, CD44, CD47 and MET. It was observed that in a small cohort of patients with metastases, the number of CTC expressing markers EPCAM,CD44, CD47 and MET, but not of bulk EPCAM+ CTC, correlated with lower overall survival and increased number of metastasic sites. These data describe functional circulating MICs and associated markers, which may aid the design of better tools to diagnose and treat metastatic breast cancer. The findings were published in the Nature Biotechnology journal recently (Baccelli I, et al. Identification of a population of blood circulating tumor cells from breast cancer patients that initiates metastasis in a xenograft assay. Nature Biotechnology 2013 31, 539–544; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23609047).

CTC as prognostic and predictive factor for cancer progression

Martin Fleisher, PhD states “detecting CTC in peripheral blood of patients with cancer has become a clinically relevant and important prognostic biomarker and has been shown to be a predictive biomarker post-therapy. But, key to the use of CTC as a biomarker is the technology designed to enrich cancer cells from peripheral blood.”

Since CTC isolation methods started being established, correlation studies between the cells and a patient’s disease emerged. In 2004, investigators at the Department of Breast Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, TX) discovered that the CTC were associated with disease progression and survival in metastatic breast cancer. The clinical trial recruited 177 patients with measurable metastatic breast cancer for levels of CTC both before the patients were to start a new line of treatment and at the first follow-up visit. The progression of the disease or the response to treatment was determined with the use of standard imaging studies at the participating centers. Patients in a training set with levels of CTC equal to or higher than 5 per 7.5 ml of whole blood, as compared with the group with fewer than 5 CTC per 7.5 ml, had a shorter median progression-free survival (2.7 months vs. 7.0 months, P<0.001) and shorter overall survival (10.1 months vs. >18 months, P<0.001). At the first follow-up visit after the initiation of therapy, this difference between the groups persisted (progression-free survival, 2.1 months vs. 7.0 months; P<0.001; overall survival, 8.2 months vs. >18 months; P<0.001), and the reduced proportion of patients (from 49 percent to 30 percent) in the group with an unfavorable prognosis suggested that there was a benefit from therapy.  Thus, the number of CTC was found to be an independent predictor of progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer (Cristofanilli M, et al, Circulating tumor cells, disease progression, and survival in metastatic breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2004 Aug 19;351(8):781-91; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15317891).

Similar results have been observed in other cancer types, including prostate and colorectal cancer. The Cell Search System developed by Veridex LLC (Huntingdon Valley, PA) enumerated CTC from 7.5 mL of venous blood and was used to compare the outcomes from three prospective multicenter studies investigating the use of CTC to monitor patients undergoing treatment for metastatic breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer. Evaluation of CTC at anytime during the course of disease allowed assessment of patient prognosis and is predictive of overall survival (Miller MC, et al. Significance of Circulating Tumor Cells Detected by the CellSearch System in Patients with Metastatic Breast Colorectal and Prostate Cancer. J Oncol. 2010; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20016752). In addition, the CTC test may permit the oncologist to make an early decision to discontinue first line therapy for metastatic breast cancer and pursue more aggressive alternative treatments.

Genetic analysis of CTC

Additional studies have analyzed the genetic mutations that the cells carry, comparing the mutations to those in a primary tumor or correlating the findings to a patient’s disease severity or spread. In one study, lung cancer patients whose CTC carried a mutation known to cause drug resistance had faster disease progression than those whose CTC lacked the mutation. The investigators analyzed the evolutionary aspect of cancer progression and studied the precursor cells of metastases directly for the identification of prognostic and therapeutic markers. Single disseminated cancer cells isolated from lymph nodes and bone marrow of 107 consecutive esophageal cancer patients were analyzed by whole-genome screening which revealed that primary tumors and lymphatically and hematogenously disseminated cancer cells diverged for most genetic aberrations. Chromosome 17q12-21, the region comprising HER2, was identified as the most frequent gain in disseminated tumor cells that were isolated from both ectopic sites. Furthermore, survival analysis demonstrated that HER2 gain in a single disseminated tumor cell but not in primary tumors conferred high risk for early death (Stoecklein NH, et al. Direct genetic analysis of single disseminated cancer cells for prediction of outcome and therapy selection in esophageal cancer. Cancer Cell. 2008 May;13(5):441-53; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18455127).

The abovementioned studies indicate that CTC blood tests have been successfully used to track the severity of a cancer or efficacy of a treatment. In conclusion, the evolution of the CTC technology will be critical in the emerging area of targeted therapy.  With the development and use of new technologies, the links between the genomic information and CTC could be explored and established for targeted therapy.

Challenges in CTC research

  1. Potential clinical significance of CTC has been demonstrated as early detection, diagnostic, prognostic, predictive, surrogate, stratification, and pharmacodynamic biomarkers. Hong B and Zu Y (2013) discuss that “the role of CTC as a disease marker may be unique in different clinical conditions and should be carefully interpreted. A good example is the comparison between the prognostic and predictive biomarkers. Both biomarkers employ progression-free survival and overall survival for data interpretation; however, the prognostic biomarker is independent of specific drug treatment or therapy, and used for the determination of outcomes before treatment, while the predictive biomarker is related to a particular treatment to predict the response. Furthermore, inconsistent results are increasingly reported among the various CTC assay methods, specifically pertaining to results for the CTC detection rate, patient positivity rate, and the correlation between the presence of CTC and survival rate (Hong B and Zu Y. Detecting circulating tumor cells: current challenges and new trends. Source. Theranostics. 2013 Apr 23;3(6):377-94; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23781285).
  2. Heterogeneity in CTC along with several other technical factors contribute to discordance, including the changes in methodology, lack of reference standard, spectrum and selection bias, operator variability and bias, sample size, blurred clinical impact with known clinical/pathologic data, use of diverse capture antibodies from different sources, lack of awareness of the pre-analytical phase, oversimplification of the cytopathology process, use of dichotomous decision criteria, etc (Sturgeon C. Limitations of assay techniques for tumor markers. In: (ed.) Diamandis EP, Fritsche HA, Lilja H, Chan DW, Schwartz MK. Tumor markers: physiology, pathobiology, technology, and clinical applications. Washington, DC: AACC Press. 2002:65-82; Gion M and Daidone MG. Circulating biomarkers from tumour bulk to tumour machinery: promises and pitfalls. Eur J Cancer. 2004;40(17):2613-2622; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15541962). Therefore, employing a standard protocol is essential in order to minimize a lot of inconsistencies and technical errors.
  3. CTC in a small amount of blood sample might not represent the actual CTC count in the whole blood. In fact, it has been reported that the Cell Search system might undercount the number of CTC. Nagrath et al (2007) have demonstrated that the average CTC number per mL of whole blood is approximately 79-155 in various cancers (Nagrath S, et al. Isolation of rare circulating tumous cells in cancer patients by microchip technology. Nature. 2007;450(7173):1235-1239; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18097410). In addition, an investigative CellSearch Profile approach (for research use only) detected an approximately 30-fold higher number of the median CTC in the same paired blood samples (Flores LM, et al. Improving the yield of circulating tumour cells facilitates molecular characterisation and recognition of discordant HER2 amplification in breast cancer. Br J Cancer. 2010;102(10):1495-502; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20461092). Such measurement discrepancies indicate that the actual CTC numbers in the blood of patients could be at least 30-100 fold higher than that currently reported by the only FDA-cleared CellSearch system.

Thus, although promising, the CTC technology faces several challenges both in detection and interpretation, which has resulted in its limited clinical acceptance and use. In order to prepare the CTC technology for future widespread clinical acceptance, a comprehensive guideline for all phases of CTC technology development was published by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) Biomarkers Consortium. The guidelines describe methods for interactive comparisons of proprietary new technologies, clinical trial designs, a clinical validation qualification strategy, and an approach for effectively carrying out this work through a public-private partnership that includes test developers, drug developers, clinical trialists, the FDA and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) (Parkinson DR, et al. Considerations in the development of circulating tumor cell technology for clinical use. J Transl Med. 2012;10(1):138; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22747748).

Reference:

  1. Langley RR and Fidler IJ. Tumor cell-organ microenvironment interactions in the pathogenesis of cancer metastasis. Endocr Rev. 2007 May;28(3):297-321; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17409287
  2. Husemann Y et al. Systemic spread is an early step in breast cancer. Cancer Cell. 2008 Jan;13(1):58-68; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18167340
  3. Chiang AC and Massagué J. Molecular basis of metastasis. N Engl J Med. 2008 Dec 25;359(26):2814-23; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19109576
  4. Vona G, et al, Isolation by size of epithelial tumor cells : a new method for the immunomorphological and molecular characterization of circulating tumor cells. Am J Pathol, 2000 Jan;156(1):57-63; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10623654
  5. Baccelli I, et al. Identification of a population of blood circulating tumor cells from breast cancer patients that initiates metastasis in a xenograft assay. Nature Biotechnology 2013 31, 539–544; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23609047
  6. Cristofanilli M, et al, Circulating tumor cells, disease progression, and survival in metastatic breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2004 Aug 19;351(8):781-91; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15317891
  7. Miller MC, et al. Significance of Circulating Tumor Cells Detected by the CellSearch System in Patients with Metastatic Breast Colorectal and Prostate Cancer. J Oncol. 2010; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20016752
  8. Stoecklein NH, et al. Direct genetic analysis of single disseminated cancer cells for prediction of outcome and therapy selection in esophageal cancer. Cancer Cell. 2008 May;13(5):441-53; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18455127
  9. Hong B and Zu Y. Detecting circulating tumor cells: current challenges and new trends. Source. Theranostics. 2013 Apr 23;3(6):377-94; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23781285
  10. 10. Sturgeon C. Limitations of assay techniques for tumor markers. In: (ed.) Diamandis EP, Fritsche HA, Lilja H, Chan DW, Schwartz MK. Tumor markers: physiology, pathobiology, technology, and clinical applications. Washington, DC: AACC Press. 2002:65-82
  11. Gion M and Daidone MG. Circulating biomarkers from tumour bulk to tumour machinery: promises and pitfalls. Eur J Cancer. 2004;40(17):2613-2622; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15541962
  12. Nagrath S, et al. Isolation of rare circulating tumous cells in cancer patients by microchip technology. Nature. 2007;450(7173):1235-1239; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18097410
  13. Flores LM, et al. Improving the yield of circulating tumour cells facilitates molecular characterisation and recognition of discordant HER2 amplification in breast cancer. Br J Cancer. 2010;102(10):1495-502; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20461092
  14. Chaffer CL and Weinberg RA. Science 2011,331, pp. 1559-1564; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21436443

Other related articles on circulation cells as biomarkers published on this Open Access Scientific Journal, include the following:

Blood-vessels-generating stem cells discovered

Ritu Saxena, PhD

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/10/22/blood-vessel-generating-stem-cells-discovered/

Cardiovascular and circulating endothelial cells as BIOMARKERS for prediction of Disease progression risks

Statins’ Nonlipid Effects on Vascular Endothelium through eNOS Activation Curator, Author,Writer, Reporter: Larry Bernstein, MD, FCAP

Cardiovascular Outcomes: Function of circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells (cEPCs): Exploring Pharmaco-therapy targeted at Endogenous Augmentation of cEPCs Author and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Vascular Medicine and Biology: Macrovascular Disease – Therapeutic Potential of cEPCs Curator and Author: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Repair damaged blood vessels in heart disease, stroke, diabetes and trauma: Cellular Reprogramming amniotic fluid-derived cells into Endothelial Cells

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Stem cells in therapy

A possible light by Stem cell therapy in painful dark of Osteoarthritis” – Kartogenin, a small molecule, differentiates stem cells to chondrocyte, healthy cartilage cells Author and Reporter: Anamika Sarkar, Ph.D and Ritu Saxena, Ph.D.

Human embryonic pluripotent stem cells and healing post-myocardial infarctionAuthor: Larry H. Bernstein, MD

Stem cells create new heart cells in baby mice, but not in adults, study showsReporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Stem cells for the rescue of mitochondrial dysfunction in Parkinson’s diseaseReporter: Ritu Saxena, Ph.D.

Stem Cell Research — The Frontier is at the Technion in Israel Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Research articles by MA Gaballa, PhD

Harris DT, Badowski M, Nafees A, Gaballa MA. The potential of Cord Blood Stem Cells for Use in Regenerative Medicine. Expert Opinion in Biological Therapy 2007. Sept 7(9): 1131-22.

Furfaro E, Gaballa MA. Do adult stem cells ameliorate the damaged myocardium?. Human cord blood as a potential source of stem cells. Current Vascular Pharmacology 2007, 5; 27-44.

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FDA approved two drugs and a companion diagnostic test for the treatment of advanced or unresectable cutaneous melanoma patients

Posted in CANCER BIOLOGY & Innovations in Cancer Therapy, tagged , , , , , , , on June 1, 2013| 4 Comments »

Reporter: Ziv Raviv, PhD

FDA Approves BioMerieux’s BRAF Test as CDx, www.genomeweb.com

The FDA has very recently (May 29, 2013) approved two new drugs to treat unresectable and metastatic melanoma. Both drugs are inhibitors of B-Raf which is frequently mutated in melanoma (1). The new drugs are products of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK): Dabrafenib (marked as Tafinlar), a B-Raf inhibitor aimed to treat melanoma patients harboring V600E mutation (2), and Trametinib (marked as Mekinist), a MEK inhibitor that was shown in phase III clinical trials to be efficient for treating melanoma patients with BRAF V600E or V600K mutations (3). Both drugs are given orally and approved as single agents. About 75,000 new cases of melanoma are being diagnosed in the US and above 9,000 people die from the disease, each year. Until recently metastatic melanoma was considered an incurable disease with very poor prognosis and limited survival rates. These new two drugs are now joining the first two drugs approved in 2011 to treat metastatic melanoma that are already in clinical use – vemurafenib (Zelboraf) which is also a B-Raf inhibitor (4), and ipilimumab (Yervoy). The introduction of the two drugs was co-approved in concert with the THxID BRAF test from BioMérieux. This PCR-based BRAF test is designed to determine whether a melanoma patient harbors the V600E or V600K BRAF gene mutation and will assist directing the correct treatment to be given to patients. This BRAF mutation test is the second companion diagnostic approved for BRAF mutation detection following the approval of Roche’s cobas 4800 BRAF V600 Mutation Test in August 2011. Overall, the association of diagnostics with treatments as approved in this case is another step further in the ongoing efforts invested by pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies toward establishing personalized medicine to treat cancer patients.

Resources:

FDA press release

GenomeWeb report

References

  1. Mutations of the BRAF gene in human cancer. Davies H et al. Nature. 2002 Jun 27;417(6892):949-54.
  2. Dabrafenib in BRAF-mutated metastatic melanoma: a multicentre, open-label, phase 3 randomized controlled trial. Hauschild A et al. Lancet. 2012 Jul 28;380(9839):358-65.
  3. Improved survival with MEK inhibition in BRAF-mutated melanoma. Flaherty KT et al. N Engl J Med. 2012 Jul 12;367(2):107-14
  4. Improved Survival with Vemurafenib in Melanoma with BRAF V600E Mutation. Chapman PB et al. N Engl J Med. 2011 Jun 30;364(26):2507-16

Related articles on this Open Access Online Scientific Journal

  1. Whole exome somatic mutations analysis of malignant melanoma contributes to the development of personalized cancer therapy for this disease. Author: Ziv Raviv PhD
  2. In focus: Melanoma Genetics. Curator: Ritu Saxena, PhD
  3. In focus: Melanoma therapeutics. Author and Curator: Ritu Saxena, PhD

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First-of-Its-Kind FDA Approval for ‘AUI’ Device with Endurant II AAA Stent Graft: Medtronic Expands in Endovascular Aortic Repair in the United States

Posted in FDA Regulatory Affairs, FDA, CE Mark & Global Regulatory Affairs: process management and strategic planning - GCP, GLP, ISO 14155, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Medical Devices R&D and Inventions, Medical Devices R&D Investment, PCI, Regulated Clinical Trials: Design, Methods, Components and IRB related issues, Stents & Tools, tagged , , , , , on May 30, 2013| 2 Comments »

First-of-Its-Kind FDA Approval for ‘AUI’ Device with Endurant II AAA Stent Graft: Medtronic Expands in Endovascular Aortic Repair in the United States

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

Medtronic, Inc. (MDT) Expands Endovascular Aortic Portfolio With Two New Devices

5/30/2013 8:39:47 AM

Medtronic Garners First-Of-Its-Kind FDA Approval for ‘AUI’ Device with Endurant II AAA Stent Graft 

MINNEAPOLIS — May 30, 2013 — Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) is expanding its market-leading portfolio of products for endovascular aortic repair in the United States with two new medical devices: the company recently received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the Endurant II Aorto-Uni-Iliac (AUI) Stent Graft System and the FDA’s 510(k) clearance for the Sentrant Introducer Sheath; both devices will be on exhibit at the Medtronic booth during the Society for Vascular Surgery‘s “Vascular Annual Meeting,” which runs May 30-June 2 in San Francisco.

Endurant II AUI Stent Graft System

The Endurant II AUI Stent Graft System is the only FDA-approved AUI device in the United States indicated for the primary endovascular treatment of infrarenal abdominal aortic or aorto-iliac aneurysms in patients whose anatomy does not allow for the use of a bifurcated device. Both the bifurcated and AUI configurations of the Endurant Stent Graft System provide a new pathway for blood flow through the iliac arteries in abdominal aortic aneurysms, thereby reducing risk of aneurysm rupture.

Whereas use of the bifurcated device requires access to both iliac arteries, the AUI device requires access to only one iliac artery (Endurant II Aorto-Uni-Iliac (AUI)). In published studies of endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair.

Current global usage of AUI stent graft configurations averages

  • 5 percent (range 0-26%) for intact AAA and
  • 39 percent (range 0-91%) for ruptured AAA.[i],[ii]

“The new Endurant II Aorto-Uni-Iliac Stent Graft extends the proven performance of the Endurant System to patients with difficult access,” said Dr. Michel Makaroun, chief of vascular surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and co-director of the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute. “By maintaining the deliverability, conformability and deployment accuracy of the bifurcated Endurant device, the AUI configuration offers aneurysm patients with challenging outflow anatomies a better option for a successful endovascular aortic repair.”

As with the bifurcated Endurant II Stent Graft, distinguishing features of the Endurant II AUI Stent Graft include a low delivery profile, tip capture for easy and accurate deployment and compatibility with contralateral iliac limbs and aortic extensions for ultimate patient applicability.

Sentrant Introducer Sheath

The Sentrant Introducer Sheath complements Medtronic’s market-leading portfolio of stent grafts for endovascular aortic repair. It is specially designed for use with the Endurant II AAA and Valiant Captivia Stent Graft Systems and is also compatible with competitive systems. The Sentrant Introducer Sheath is inserted at the access site

in the patient’s femoral artery and advanced upwards into the iliac arteries to facilitate the implant procedure and enable smooth passage of the stent graft delivery system en route to the treatment site in the aorta.

The Sentrant Introducer Sheath can accommodate a wide range of anatomies, with diameters of 12-26 French and shaft lengths of 28cm. Other distinguishing features of the accessory device include:

  • optimal seal for superior hemostasis,
  • reinforced coil for kink resistance,
  • hydrophilic coating and
  • flexibility for easy tracking through tortuous and calcified iliacs and a
  • dilator locking mechanism for secure positioning.

The Sentrant Introducer Sheath received the CE (Conformité Européenne) mark in April 2013. Its FDA clearance expands the accessory device’s availability to endovascular specialists in the United States.

In collaboration with leading clinicians, researchers and scientists, Medtronic offers the broadest range of innovative medical technology for the interventional and surgical treatment of cardiovascular disease and cardiac arrhythmias. The company strives to offer products and services that deliver clinical and economic value to healthcare consumers and providers worldwide.

ABOUT MEDTRONIC

Medtronic, Inc. (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Minneapolis, is the global leader in medical technology-alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world.

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic’s periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

http://www.devicespace.com/news_story.aspx?NewsEntityId=298363&type=email&source=DS_053013

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Personalized Medicine: Clinical Aspiration of Microarrays

Posted in Bio Instrumentation in Experimental Life Sciences Research, Biological Networks, Gene Regulation and Evolution, Biomarkers & Medical Diagnostics, CANCER BIOLOGY & Innovations in Cancer Therapy, Cancer Prevention: Research & Programs, Cell Biology, Signaling & Cell Circuits, Computational Biology/Systems and Bioinformatics, FDA Regulatory Affairs, Genome Biology, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, HealthCare IT, Molecular Genetics & Pharmaceutical, Personalized and Precision Medicine & Genomic Research, Pharmacogenomics, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 13, 2013| 7 Comments »

Personalized Medicine: Clinical Aspiration of Microarrays

Reporter, Writer: Stephen J. Williams, Ph.D.

 In this month’s Science, Mike May (at http://www.sciencemag.org/site/products/lst_20130215.xhtml) describes some of the challenges and successes in introducing microarray analysis to the clinical setting.  Traditionally used for investigational research, microarray is now being developed, customized and used for biomarker analysis, prognostic and predictive value, in a disease-specific manner.

Challenges in data interpretation

      In an interview with Seth Crosby, director of the Genome Technology Access Center at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, “the biggest challenge” in moving microarray to the clinical setting is data interpretation.  The current technology makes it possible to evaluate expression of thousands of genes from a patient’s sample however as Crosby describes is assigning clinical relevance to the data.  For example Crosby explains that Washington University had validated a panel of 45 oncology genes by next generation sequencing and are using these genes to develop diagnostic tests to screen patient tumors for the purpose of determining a personalized therapeutic strategy. Seth Crosby noted it took “hundreds of Ph.D. and M.D. hours” to sift through the hundreds of papers to determine which genes were relevant to a specific cancer type. However, he notes, that once we better understand which changes in the patient’s genome are related to a specific disease we will be able to narrow down the list and be able to produce both economical and more disease-relevant microarrays.

Is this aberration pathogenic or not?

     Microarrays are becoming an invaluable tool in cytogenetics, as eluded by Andy Last, executive vice president of the genetic analysis business unit at Affymetrix.  Certain diseases like Down syndrome have well characterized chromosomal alterations like additions or deletions of parts or entire chromosomes.  According to Affymetrix, the most common use of microarrays is for determining copy number variation.  However according to James Clough, vice president of clinical and genomic services at Oxford Gene Technology, given the hundreds of syndromes associated with chromosomal rearrangements, the challenge will be to determine if a small chromosomal aberration has pathologic significance, given that microarray affords much higher diagnostic yield and speed of analysis than traditional microscopic techniques.  To address this challenge, Oxford Gene Technologies, PerkinElmer, Affymetrix, and Agilent all have custom designed microarrays to evaluate disease specific copy number and SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) microarrays.  For example PerkinElmer designed OncoChip™ to evaluate copy number variation in more than 1.800 cancer genes.  Agilent makes microarrays that evaluates both copy number variation such as its CGH (comparative genomic hybridization) plus SNP microarrays.  Patricia Barco, product manager for cytogenetics at Agilent, notes these arrays can be used in prenatal and postnatal research and cancer, and “can be customized from more than 28 million probes in our library”.

Custom Tools and Software to Handle the Onslaught of Big Data

     There is a need for FDA approved diagnostic tools based on microarrays. Pathwork Diagnostic’s has one such tool (the Pathwork Tissue of Origin test), which uses 2,000 transcript markers and a proprietary computational algorithm to determine from expression analysis, the tissue of origin of a patient’s tumor.  Pathwork also provides a fast, custom turn-around analytical service for pathologists who encounter difficult to interpret samples.  Illumina provides the Infinium HumanCore BeadChip family of microarrays, which can determine genetic variations for purposes of biological tissue banking.  This system uses a set of over 300,000 SNP probes plus 240,000 exome-based markers.

     Tools have also been developed to validate microarray results.  A common validation strategy is the use of quantitative real-time PCR to verify the expression changes seen on the microarray.  Life Technologies developed the TaqMan OpenArray Real Time PCR plates, which have 3,072 wells and can be custom-formatted using their library of eight million validated TaqMan assays.

Making Sense of the Big Data: Bridging the Knowledge Gap using Bioinformatics

          The use of microarray has spurned industries devoted to developing the bioinformatics software to analyze the massive amounts of data and provide clinical significance.  For example companies such as Expression Analysis use their bioinformatics software to provide pathway analysis for microarray data in order to translate the data into the biology.  Using such strategies can also validate the design of microarrays for various diseases.

Foundation Medicine, Inc., a molecular information company, provides cancer genomics test solutions. It offers FoundationOne, an informative genomic profile to identify a patient’s individual molecular alterations and match them with relevant targeted therapies and clinical trials. The company’s product enables physicians to recommend treatment options for patients based on the molecular subtype of their cancer.

The Canadian Bioinformatics Workshops series recently offered a course on using bioinformatic approaches to analyze clinical data generated from microarray approaches (http://bioinformatics.ca/workshops/2012/bioinformatics-cancer-genomics-bicg).   The course objectives are described below:

Course Objectives

Cancer research has rapidly embraced high throughput technologies into its research, using various microarray, tissue array, and next generation sequencing platforms. The result has been a rapid increase in cancer data output and data types. Now more than ever, having the bioinformatic skills and knowledge of available bioinformatic resources specific to cancer is critical. The CBW will host a 5-day workshop covering the key bioinformatics concepts and tools required to analyze cancer genomic data sets. Participants will gain experience in genomic data visualization tools which will be applied throughout the development of the skills required to analyze cancer -omic data for gene expression, genome rearrangement, somatic mutations and copy number variation. The workshop will conclude with analyzing and conducting pathway analysis on the resultant cancer gene list and integration of clinical data.

Successful Examples of Clinical Ventures Integrating Bioinformatics in Cancer Treatment Decision –Making

The University of Pavia, Italy developed a fully integrated oncology bioinformatics workflow as described on their website and at the ESMO 2012 Congress meeting:

http://abstracts.webges.com/viewing/view.php?congress=esmo2012&congress_id=370&publication_id=2530

ESMO

ONCO-I2B2 PROJECT: A BIOINFORMATICS TOOL INTEGRATING –OMICS AND CLINICAL DATA TO SUPPORT TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH

Abstract:

2530

Congress:

ESMO 2012

Type:

Abstract

Topic:

Translational research

Authors:

A. Zambelli, D. Segagni, V. Tibollo, A. Dagliati, A. Malovini, V. Fotia, S. Manera, R. Bellazzi; Pavia/IT
  • Body

The ONCO-i2b2 project, supported by the University of Pavia and the Fondazione Salvatore Maugeri (FSM), aims at supporting translational research in oncology and exploits the software solutions implemented by the Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) research centre, an initiative funded by the NIH Roadmap National Centres for Biomedical Computing. The ONCO-i2b2 software is designed to integrate the i2b2 infrastructure with the FSM hospital information system and the Bruno Boerci Biobank, in order to provide well-characterized cancer specimens along with an accurate patients clinical data-base. The i2b2 infrastructure provides a web-based access to all the electronic medical records of cancer patients, and allow researchers analyzing the vast amount of biological and clinical information, relying on a user-friendly interface. Data coming from multiple sources are integrated and jointly queried.

In 2011 at AIOM Meeting we reported the preliminary experience of the ONCO-i2b2 project, now we’re able to present the up and running platform and the extended data set. Currently, more than 4400 specimens are stored and more than 600 of breast cancer patients give the consent for the use of specimens in the context of clinical research, in addition, more than 5000 histological reports are stored in order to integrate clinical data.

Within the ONCO-i2b2 project is possible to query and merge data regarding:

• Anonymous patient personal data;

• Diagnosis and therapy ICD9-CM subset from the hospital information system;

• Histological data (tumour SNOMED and TNM codes) and receptor profile testing (Her2, Ki67) from anatomic pathology database;

• Specimen molecular characteristics (DNA, RNA, blood, plasma and cancer tissues) from the Bruno Boerci Biobank management system.

The research infrastructure will be completed by the development of new set of components designed to enhance the ability of an i2b2 hive to utilize data generated by NGS technology, providing a mechanism to apply custom genomic annotations. The translational tool created at FSM is a concrete example regarding how the integration of different information from heterogeneous sources could bring scientific research closer to understand the nature of disease itself and to create novel diagnostics through handy interfaces.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

NCI has under-taken a similar effort under the Recovery Act (the full text of the latest report is taken from their website http://www.cancer.gov/aboutnci/recovery/recoveryfunding/investmentreports/bioinformatics:

Cancer Bioinformatics: Recovery Act Investment Report

November 2009

Public Health Burden of Cancer

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States after heart disease. In 2009, it is estimated that nearly 1.5 million new cases of invasive cancer will be diagnosed in this country and more than 560,000 people will die of the disease.

To learn more, visit:

Cancer Bioinformatics Program Overview

Over the past five years, NCI’s Center for Biomedical Informatics and Information Technology (CBIIT) has led the effort to develop and deploy the cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid® (caBIG) in partnership with the broader cancer community.  The caBIG network is designed to enable the integration and exchange of data among researchers in the laboratory and the clinic, simplify collaboration, and realize the potential of information-based (personalized) medicine in improving patient outcomes. caBIG has connected major components of the cancer community, including NCI-designated Cancer Centers, participating institutions of the NCI Community Cancer Centers Program (NCCCP), and numerous large-scale scientific endeavors, as well as basic, translational, and clinical researchers at public and private institutions across the United States and around the world.  Beyond cancer research, caBIG capabilities—infrastructure, standards, and tools—provide a prototype for linking other disease communities and catalyzing a new 21st-century biomedical ecosystem that unifies research and care. ARRA funding will allow NCI to accelerate the ongoing development of the Cancer Knowledge Cloud and Oncology Electronic Health Records (EHRs) initiatives, thereby providing for continued job creation in the areas of biomedical informatics development and application as well as healthcare delivery.

The caBIG Cancer Knowledge Cloud: Extending the Research Infrastructure

The Cancer Knowledge Cloud is a virtual biomedical capability that utilizes caBIG tools, infrastructure, and security frameworks to integrate distributed individual and organizational data, software applications, and computational capacity throughout the broad cancer research and treatment community. The Cancer Knowledge Cloud connects, integrates, and facilitates sharing of the diverse primary data generated through basic and clinical research and care delivery to enable personalized medicine. The cloud includes information generated through large-scale research projects such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the cancer Human Biobank (caHUB) tissue acquisition network, the NCI Functional Biology Consortium, the NCI Patient Characterization Center, and the NCI Preclinical Development Pipeline, academic and industry counterparts to these projects, and clinical observations (from entities such as the NCCCP) captured in oncology-extended Electronic Health Records.  Through the use of the caBIG Data Sharing and Security Framework, the Cloud will support appropriate sharing of information, supporting in silico hypothesis generation and testing, and enabling a learning healthcare system.

A caBIG-Based Rapid-Learning Healthcare System: Incorporating Oncology-Extended Electronic Healthcare Records (EHRs)

The 21st-century Cancer Knowledge Cloud will connect individuals, organizations, institutions, and their associated information within an information technology-enabled cycle of discovery, development, and clinical care—the paradigm of a rapid-learning healthcare system. This will transform these disconnected sectors into a system that is personalized, preventive, pre-emptive, and patient-participatory.  To be realized, this model requires the adoption of standards-based EHRs. Presently, however, no certified oncology-based EHR exists, and fewer than 3 percent of oncologists with outpatient-based practices utilize EHRs. caBIG has recently established a collaboration with the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) to develop an oncology-specific EHR (caEHR) specification based on open standards already in use in the oncology community that will utilize caBIG standards for interoperability. NCI will implement an open-source version of this specification to validate the specification and to provide a free alternative to sites that choose not to purchase a commercial system. The launch customer for the caEHR will be NCCCP participating sites. NCI will work with appropriate entities to provide a mechanism for certifying that caEHR implementations are consistent with the NCI/ASCO specification.

Bards Cancer Institute has another clinical bioinformatics program to support their clinical efforts:

Clinical Bioinformatics Program in Oncology at Barts Cancer Institute at Barts and the London School of Medicine

http://www.bci.qmul.ac.uk/cancer-bioinformatics

BCI HomeCancer Bioinformatics

Bards

Why we focus on Cancer Bioinformatics

Bioinformatics is a new interdisciplinary area involving biological, statistical and computational sciences. Bioinformatics will enable cancer researchers not only to manage, analyze, mine and understand the currently accumulated, valuable, high-throughput data, but also to integrate these in their current research programs. The need for bioinformatics will become ever more important as new technologies increase the already exponential rate at which cancer data are generated.

What we do

  • We work alongside clinical and basic scientists to support the cancer projects within BCI.  This is an ideal partnership between scientific experts, who know the research questions that will be relevant from a cancer biologist or clinician’s perspective, and bioinformatics experts, who know how to develop the proposed methods to provide answers.
  • We also conduct independent bioinformatics research, focusing on the development of computational and integrative methods, algorithms, databases and tools to tackle the analysis of the high volumes of cancer data.
  • We also are actively involved in the development of bioinformatics educational courses at BCI. Our courses offer a unique opportunity for biologists to gain a basic understanding in the use of bioinformatics methods to access and harness large complicated high-throughput data and uncover meaningful information that could be used to understand molecular mechanisms and develop novel targeted therapeutics/diagnostic tools.

Developing Criteria for Genomic Profiling in Lung Cancer:

A Report from U.S. Cancer Centers

In a report by Pao et. al., a group of clinicians organized a meeting to standardize some protocols for the integration of microarray and genomic data from lung cancer patients into the clinical setting.[1]  There has been ample evidence that adenocarcinomas could be classified into “clinically relevant molecular subsets” based on distinct genomic changes.  For example EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) exon 19 deletions and exon 21 point mutations predict sensitivity to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) like gefitinib, whereas exon 20 insertions predict primary resistance[2].

However, as the authors note, “mutational profiling has not been widely accepted or adopted into practice in thoracic oncology”.  

     Therefore, a multi-institutional workshop was held in 2009 among participants from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), the Dana-Farber/Bingham & Women’s Cancer Center (DF/BWCC), the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (VICC), and the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) to discuss their institutes molecular profiling programs with emphasis on:

·         Organization/workflow

·         Mutation detection technologies

·         Clinical protocols and reporting

·         Patient consent

In addition to the aforementioned challenges, the panel discussed further issues for developing improved science-driven criteria for determining targeted therapies including:

1)      Including pathologists into criteria development as pathology departments are usually the main repositories for specimens

2)      Developing integrated informatics systems

3)      Standardizing new target validation methodology across cancer centers

 References

1.            Pao W, Kris MG, Iafrate AJ, Ladanyi M, Janne PA, Wistuba, II, Miake-Lye R, Herbst RS, Carbone DP, Johnson BE et al: Integration of molecular profiling into the lung cancer clinic. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research 2009, 15(17):5317-5322.

2.            Wu JY, Wu SG, Yang CH, Gow CH, Chang YL, Yu CJ, Shih JY, Yang PC: Lung cancer with epidermal growth factor receptor exon 20 mutations is associated with poor gefitinib treatment response. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research 2008, 14(15):4877-4882.

Other posts on this website on Cancer and Genomics include:

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In focus: Melanoma therapeutics

Posted in CANCER BIOLOGY & Innovations in Cancer Therapy, Cell Biology, Signaling & Cell Circuits, Chemical Biology and its relations to Metabolic Disease, Disease Biology, Small Molecules in Development of Therapeutic Drugs, FDA Regulatory Affairs, Human Immune System in Health and in Disease, Molecular Genetics & Pharmaceutical, Pharmaceutical Analytics, Regulated Clinical Trials: Design, Methods, Components and IRB related issues, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 8, 2013| 5 Comments »

In focus: Melanoma therapeutics

 

Author and Curator: Ritu Saxena, Ph.D.

In the last post of Melanoma titled “In focus: Melanoma Genetics”, I discussed the clinical characteristics and the genetics involved in Melanoma.  This post would discuss melanoma therapeutics, both current and novel.

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 76,000 new cases and more than 9100 deaths from melanoma were reported in the United States in 2012[1] Melanoma develops from the malignant transformation of melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells that reside in the basal epidermal layer in human skin. Although most melanomas arise in the skin, they may also arise from mucosal surfaces or at other sites to which neural crest cells migrate.

Melanoma therapeutics

Surgical treatment of cutaneous melanoma employs specific surgical margins depending on the depth of invasion of the tumor and there are specific surgical treatment guidelines of primary, nodal, and metastatic melanoma that surgeons adhere to while treatment. Melanoma researchers have been focusing on developing adjuvant therapies for that would increase the survival post-surgery.

Chemotherapy

Among traditional chemotherapeutic agents, only dacarbazine is FDA approved for the treatment of advanced melanoma (Eggermont AM and Kirkwood JM, Eur J Cancer, Aug 2004;40(12):1825-36). Dacarbazine is a triazene derivative and alkylates and cross-links DNA during all phases of the cell cycle, resulting in disruption of DNA function, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. Currently, 17 clinical trials are underway to test the efficacy and effectiveness of dacarbazine against melanoma as either a single agent or in combination chemotherapy regimens with other anti-cancer chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin, paclitaxel. Temozolomide is a triazene analog of dacarbazine and is approved for the treatment of malignant gliomas. At physiologic pH, it is converted to a short-lived active cytotoxic compound, monomethyl triazeno imidazole carboxamide (MTIC). MTIC methylates DNA at the O6 and N7 positions of guanine, resulting in inhibition of DNA replication. Unlike dacarbazine, which is metabolized to MITC only in the liver, temozolomide is metabolized to MITC at all sites. Temozolomide is administered orally and penetrates well into the central nervous system. Temozolomide is being tested in many combination regimens for patients with melanoma metastatic to the brain (Douglas JG and Margolin K, Semin Oncol, Oct 2002;29(5):518-24).

Immunotherapy

Melanoma and the immune system are closely related. Hence, immunotherapy has been explored in the treatment of the disease. The two most widely investigated immunotherapy drugs for melanoma are Interferon (IFN)-alpha and Interleukin-2 (IL-2).

The role of IFNalpha-2b in the adjuvant therapy of patients with localized melanoma at high risk for relapse was established by the results of three large randomized trials conducted by the US Intergroup; all three trials demonstrated an improvement in relapse-free survival and two in overall survival. One of these trials, a large randomized multicenter trial performed by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), in high-risk melanoma patients showed significant improvements in relapse-free and overall survival with adjuvant IFN-α-2b therapy, compared with standard observation (ECOG 1684). The results of the study led to FDA approval of IFN-α-2b for treatment of melanoma. This study was performed on patients with deep primary tumors without lymph node involvement and node-positive melanomas. In other studies, little antitumor activity has been demonstrated in IFN-α-2b–treated metastatic stage IV melanoma.

Recombinant IL-2 showed an overall response rate of 15-20% in metastatic melanoma and was capable of producing complete and durable remissions in about 6% of patients treated. Based upon these data, the US FDA has approved the use of high-dose IL-2 for the therapy of patients with metastatic melanoma. Aldesleukin (Brand name: Proleukin) is a recombinant analog of the endogenous cytokine interleukin-2 (IL-2). It binds to and activates the IL-2 receptor (IL-2R), followed by heterodimerization of the IL-2R beta and gamma(c) cytoplasmic chains; activation of Jak3; and phosphorylation of tyrosine residues on the IL-2R beta chain, resulting in an activated receptor complex (NCI). The activated complex recruits several signaling molecules that act as substrates for regulatory enzymes associated with the complex. It is administered intravenously and stimulates lymphokine-activating killer (LAK) cells, natural killer (NK) cells and the production of cytokines such as gamma interferon (nm|OK). Several clinical trials are currently underway using Aldesleukin to determine the efficacy of combination treatment in melanoma patients.

Another anti-cancer immunotherapeuty-based mechanism involved inhibition of inhibitory signal of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), a molecule on T-cells that plays a critical role in regulating natural immune responses. Ipilimumab (Brand name: Yervoy) was by FDA for melanoma treatment.  It is a human monoclonal antibody (MAb) T-cell potentiator that specifically blocks CTLA-4. It is approved for inoperable advanced (Stage III) or metastatic (Stage IV) melanoma in newly diagnosed or previously treated patients (nm|OK). The approval, March 25, 2011, was based on a randomized (3:1:1) double-blind double-dummy clinical trial (MDX010-20) in patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma who had received at least one prior systemic treatment for melanoma. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either ipilimumab, 3 mg/kg intravenously, in combination with the tumor vaccine (n=403); ipilimumab plus vaccine placebo (n=137); or tumor vaccine with placebo (n=136). Patients treated with ipilimumab alone had a median overall survival (OS) of 10 months while those treated with tumor vaccine had a median OS of 6 months. The trial also demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in OS for patients treated with the combination of ipilimumab plus tumor vaccine compared with patients treated with tumor vaccine alone. For more information on the trial, check the clinical trials website, www.clinicaltrials.gov

Signaling pathway inhibitors

Approximately 90% of BRAF gene mutations involve valine (V) to glutamic acid (E) mutation at number 600 residue (V600E). The resulting oncogene product, BRAF (V600E) kinase is highly active and exhibits elevated MAPK pathway. The BRAF(V600E) gene mutation occurs in approximately 60% of melanomas indicating that it could be therapeutically relevant. Vemurafenib (Brand name: Zelboraf) is a novel small-molecule inhibitor of BRAF (V600E) kinase. It selectively binds to the ATP-binding site and inhibits the activity of BRAF (V600E) kinase. Vemurafebib inhibits over active MAPK pathway by inhibiting the mutated BRAF kinase, thereby reducing tumor cell proliferation (NCI). Encouraging results of phase III randomized, open-label, multicenter trial were reported recently at the 2011 ASCO meeting (Chapman PB, et al, ASCO 2011, Abstract LBA4).  The trial compared the novel BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib with dacarbazine in patients with BRAF-mutated melanoma. Previously untreated, unresectable stage IIIC or stage IV melanoma that tested positive for BRAF mutation were randomized (1:1) to vemurafenib or dacarbazine. The response rate (RR) was significantly high (48.4%) in vemurafenib treated patients as compared to 5.5% in dacarbazine among the 65% of patients evaluable for RR to date. In addition, vemurafenib was associated with significantly improved OS and PFS compared to dacarbazine in patients with previously untreated BRAF (V600E) mutation bearing patients with metastatic melanoma.

Biochemotherapy

Biochemothreapy combine traditional chemotherapy with immunotherapies, such as IL-2 and IFN-α-2b. These combination therapies seemed promising in phase II trials, however, seven large studies failed to show statistically significant increased overall survival rates for various biochemotherapy regimens in patients with stage IV metastasis (Margolin KA, et al, Cancer, 1 Aug 2004;101(3):435-8). Owing to inconsistent results of the available studies with regard to benefit including RR, OS and progression time, and consistently high toxicity rates, clinical practice guideline do not recommend biochemotherapy for the treatment of metastatic melanoma (Verma S, et al, Curr Oncol, April 2008; 15(2): 85–89).

Vaccines

The use of therapeutic vaccines is an ongoing area of research, and clinical trials of several types of vaccines (whole cell, carbohydrate, peptide) are being conducted in patients with intermediate and late-stage melanoma. Vaccines are also being tested in patients with metastatic melanoma to determine their immune effects and to define their activity in combination with other immunotherapeutic agents such as IL-2 or IFNalpha (Agarwala S, Am J Clin Dermatol, 2003;4(5):333-46). In fact, recently investigators at the Indiana University Health Goshen Center for Cancer Care (Goshen, IN) conducted a randomized, multicenter phase III trial involving 185 patients with stage IV or locally advanced stage III cutaneous melanoma. The patients were assigned into treatment groups with IL-2 alone or with vaccine (gp100) followed by IL-2. The vaccine-IL-2 group had a significantly improved OR as compared to the IL-2-only group (16% Vs. 6%) and longer progression free survival (2.2 months Vs. 1.6 months). The median overall survival was also longer in the vaccine-interleukin-2 group than in the interleukin-2-only group (17.8 months Vs. 11.1 months). Thus, a combination of vaccine and immunotherapy showed a better response rate and longer progression-free survival than with interleukin-2 alone in patients with advanced melanoma (Schwartzentruber DJ, et al, N Engl J Med, 2 Jun 2011;364(22):2119-27).

Which Treatment When?

Earlier, there were essentially two main options for patients suffering from advanced melanoma, dacarbazine and IL-2. Dacarbazine, a chemotherapeutic agent produces modest improvements in survival or symptomatic benefits in most patients. Interleukin-2 -based drugs, on the other hand, induce long-term remissions in a small group of patients but are highly toxic. Recently, FDA approved ipilimumab and vemurafenib for patients with metastatic melanoma. Apart from these, therapies are also aiming at starving the tumor by inhibiting angiogenesis or depleting nutrients essential for cancer growth. Of the antiangiogenic compounds, VEGFR inhibitors SU5416 and AG-013736 demonstrated broad-spectrum antitumor activity in mice bearing xenografts of human cancer cell lines originating from various tissues, including melanoma. In addition, several trials are currently underway to test the efficacy of the drugs in combination. In the future, personalized medicine-based recommendations of novel and existing drugs for melanoma patients might be the way to go.

Reference:

  1. Eggermont AM and Kirkwood JM, Eur J Cancer, Aug 2004;40(12):1825-36
  2. Douglas JG and Margolin K, Semin Oncol, Oct 2002;29(5):518-24
  3. Chapman PB, et al, ASCO 2011, Abstract LBA4
  4. Margolin KA, et al, Cancer, 1 Aug 2004;101(3):435-8
  5. Verma S, et al, Curr Oncol, April 2008; 15(2): 85–89
  6. Agarwala S, Am J Clin Dermatol, 2003;4(5):333-46
  7. Schwartzentruber DJ, et al, N Engl J Med, 2 Jun 2011;364(22):2119-27
  8. Chudnovsky Y, et al, J Clin Invest, Apr 2005;115(4):813-24.
  9. National Cancer Institute (National Institute of Health)
  10. Clinical Trials reported on the U.S. Institute of Health
  11. New Medicine Oncology KnowledgeBase (nm|OK)

Related articles on Melanoma on this Open Access Online Scientific Journal: 

  1. In focus: Melanoma Genetics Curator- Ritu Saxena, Ph.D.
  2. Thymosin alpha1 and melanoma Author/Editor- Tilda Barliya, Ph.D.
  3. A New Therapy for Melanoma  Reporter- Larry H Bernstein, M.D.
  4. Melanoma: Molecule in Immune System Could Help Treat Dangerous Skin Cancer Reporter: Prabodh Kandala, Ph.D.
  5. Why Braf inhibitors fail to treat melanoma. Reporter: Prabodh Kandala, Ph.D.

 

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Clinical Trials on Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) to be conducted by American College of Cardiology and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Posted in Aortic Valve: TAVR, TAVI vs Open Heart Surgery, Bio Instrumentation in Experimental Life Sciences Research, Cardiac & Vascular Repair Tools Subsegment, Ecosystems & Industrial Concentration in the Medical Device Sector, FDA Regulatory Affairs, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Health Law & Patient Safety, Interviews with Scientific Leaders, Medical Devices R&D and Inventions, Medical Devices R&D Investment, Regulated Clinical Trials: Design, Methods, Components and IRB related issues, Valves & Tools, tagged , , , , , , , on February 12, 2013| 5 Comments »

Clinical Trials on Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) to be conducted by American College of Cardiology and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is ArticleID-25.png

WordCloud Image Produced by Adam Tubman

UPDATED on 6/22/2017

  • by Nicole Lou, Reporter, MedPage Today/CRTonline.org June 21, 2017

Action Points

  • Off-label transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) was associated with higher in-hospital, 30-day, and 1-year mortality rates compared with on-label TAVR use, but after adjustment, 1-year mortality was similar in the two groups.
  • Note that approximately one in 10 TAVR patients in the United States have received the procedure for an off-label indication.

SOURCE

1 in 10 TAVR Procedures Done Off-Label Despite early risks vs on-label use, ‘acceptable results’ cited from registry

https://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/CHF/66173?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-06-22&eun=g99985d0r&pos=1

UPDATED on 11/24/2013

Second Generation Transcatheter Aortic Valve Shown to Successfully Address TAVR Complications

Results of the REPRISE II trial reported at TCT 2013
November 4, 2013
heart valve repair hybrid or cath lab reprise II boston scientific lotus tct
November 4, 2013 — In a clinical trial of the Boston Scientific Lotus valve, a second-generationtranscatheter aortic valve, the device demonstrated low rates of complications that are sometimes seen in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), including challenges with positioning, post-procedure paravalvular aortic regurgitation, vascular complications and stroke.
The findings were presented at the 25th annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics scientific symposium (TCT 2013).
The valve studied in REPRISE II is fully retrievable and repositionable with an adaptive seal intended to minimize paravalvular regurgitation, a complication that has been associated with higher mortality among patients undergoing TAVR. In this prospective, single-arm, multicenter study, symptomatic patients at high risk for surgery received the Lotus valve to treat calcific aortic stenosis.
The trial enrolled 120 patients; mean age was 84.4±5.3 years, 56.7 percent were female and 75.8 percent were considered New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III or IV. The mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 7.1±4.6 percent and all patients were confirmed by their site heart team to be at high risk for surgery due to frailty or associated comorbidities.
The valve was successfully implanted in all 120 patients with valve repositioning and retrieval performed as needed. There was no embolization, ectopic valve deployment or need for implantation of a second prosthetic valve.
The primary device performance endpoint was the mean aortic valve pressure gradient at 30 days compared to a performance goal of 18 mmHg; the primary safety endpoint was 30-day mortality. The primary device performance endpoint was met with a 30 day mean aortic valve pressure gradient of 11.5±5.2 mmHg; mean effective orifice area was 1.7±0.4 cm2.
All cause mortality and disabling stroke were low at 30 days (4.2 percent and 1.7 percent, respectively). Additional clinical event rates were consistent with those reported for other valves. Aortic regurgitation at 30 days was negligible in 99 percent of patients (78.3 percent none, 5.2 percent trace and 15.5 percent mild). The total stroke rate, disabling and non-disabling, was 5.9 percent, which is the same as the rate as the Edward’s Sapien valve’s performance in the PARTNER trial.
“These findings suggest this valve, which is a differentiated, second generation TAVR device, will be a valuable addition for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis,” said Ian Meredith, MBBS, Ph.D., director, Monash HEART, executive director, Monash Cardiovascular Research Centre, professor of medicine, Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, and lead investigator of the study.

“This is the first time the societies have ever filed for an investigational device exemption,” former ACC president Ralph Brindis is quoted as saying. “The goal of the effort is to gain reimbursement for an expanded set of procedures with Sapien to make the device accessible to more patients.”

Two medical societies jump into clinical trial effort for TAVR tech – FierceMedicalDevices http://www.fiercemedicaldevices.com/story/two-medical-societies-jump-clinical-trial-effort-tavr-tech/2013-02-12#ixzz2Kjk7MHEi

The new trials will mean that reimbursement will now be possible for some of these uses when patients are enrolled in the clinical trials. According to Mack, the NCD “took off-label use off the table. If you are a cynic this is good, but if you’re a practitioner this is tying your hands.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryhusten/2013/02/12/two-medical-societies-break-new-ground-to-test-medical-device/

According to Forbes, STS president Michael Mack told The Gray Sheet (a subscription-only publication) that the first trial will look at alternatives to transfemoral approaches in 1,000 patients who couldn’t otherwise have aortic valve surgery. There was a coordinated effort to develop a trial protocol, worked out between the CACC, STS, CMS, Edwards and the FDA. Expanded uses require an FDA label, he noted, and the only way to do that is to conduct a clinical trial with an IDE in hand.

So why would expanded TAVR uses be necessary? Well, the procedure has become very much in demand, and physicians already began pursuing off-label uses once they learned the initial TAVR procedure, Brindis told Forbes. The magazine notes that the entrance of both the STS and ACC into TAVR clinical trials greatly expands the TVT registry that they run, which tracks TAVR use in the United States to help physicians comply with Medicare’s National Coverage Decision for TAVR.

TAVR is indeed a hot space. St. Jude Medical ($STJ) won a CE mark for its Portico transcatheter heart valve late last fall, and Edwards’ Sapien competes with Medtronic‘s ($MDT) CoreValve in Europe. And smaller companies such as Micro Interventional Devices are working hard to develop surgical tools designed to enable TAVR procedures.

Brindis and Mack said that the ACC and STS worked closely with CMS,the FDA, and Edwards to develop the trial protocol. In the trial, patients not eligible for aortic valve surgery will receive TAVR through transapical and transaortic approaches and will be compared with the results of patients in the original PARTNER A trial who received TAVR through the transapical approach. Mack concedes that the trial design is not idea. “There is no perfect comparator,” he acknowledged.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryhusten/2013/02/12/two-medical-societies-break-new-ground-to-test-medical-device/

Other experts in the field contacted by CardioBrief agreed that the challenges of trial design in this situation are quite formidable. Randomized trials are not always feasible and, in some situations, may be unethical. The IDE is an attempt to balance the need for rational clinical trials, on the one hand, and the growing pressure to perform off-label procedures. It should be noted that an important safeguard for patients remains in place: all potential TAVR patients will still need to be evaluated by both a cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon as part of the “heart team” approach mandated by the FDA and the NCD.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryhusten/2013/02/12/two-medical-societies-break-new-ground-to-test-medical-device/

The ACC and STS are now working to gain FDA approval to perform two more studies. One would examine the role of alternative approaches in the high-risk population eligible for surgery. The second would study valve-in-valve TAVR procedures. Both studies also present challenging problems of trial design. Mack said he anticipates FDA approval of these protocols in the next few months.

Edwards agreed in principle to fund the clinical trials. An Edwards representative confirmed that the company planned to support these new trials, but the details have not yet been hammered out.

 Mack states that the power and scope of the TVT registry actually makes it easier for ACC and STS to move forward than Edwards. Further, Mack believes that some indications are like “orphan” indications that are medically but not commercially compelling.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryhusten/2013/02/12/two-medical-societies-break-new-ground-to-test-medical-device/

Two medical societies jump into clinical trial effort for TAVR tech – FierceMedicalDevices http://www.fiercemedicaldevices.com/story/two-medical-societies-jump-clinical-trial-effort-tavr-tech/2013-02-12#ixzz2KjheTKHN

Larry Husten, wrote on  5/04/2012 in Forbes,  The final decision earlier this week by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide reimbursement for TAVR was the latest step in a long, ongoing process that, for once, didn’t appear broken, and, in fact, represented an unusual consensus among physicians, regulators, insurers, and other involved parties In his article

Politics and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

From the first early stages of its development, the prospect of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) provoked two broad and competing fears:

  1. Regulatory safeguards would kill a promising new technology, denying its life-saving benefits to many thousands of desperately sick people.
  2. The stampede to stake a claim in a promising, highly lucrative new territory would lead to the exploitation and mistreatment of many thousands of desperately sick people.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryhusten/2012/05/04/politics-and-transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement/

Scott Gottlieb, a conservative activist who is a former FDA deputy commissioner and CMS adviser, concludes that the CMS ruling means “that for costly procedures, Washington will be making more of these choices for us.” In a posting on the American Enterprise Institute’s The Enterprise Blog, Gottlieb writes that the decision “is a vivid example of how our healthcare is going to get reimbursed now that Washington calls more of the shots.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryhusten/2012/05/04/politics-and-transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement/

CMS  has insisted that doctors who perform the procedure have adequate training and that the hospitals where the procedures are performed have sufficient experience and adequate facilities. Perhaps Scott Gottlieb, MD would be happy to send an elderly relative for TAVR  to a local community hospital with little experience in the procedure. It was precisely to avoid this scenario that the American College of Cardiology and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons supported CMS in this coverage decision. I fail to see how anyone would benefit by widespread proliferation of TAVR by novice operators at inexperienced centers.

  • Physicians,
  • Regulators,
  • Insurers,
  • CMS,
  • Medical Device Manufactures
  • ACC, and
  • STS

will be cooperating in the College of Cardiology and Society of Thoracic Surgeons newly announced involvement in Clinical Trials on broader use of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure to include new patients that this procedure will be indicated for and CMS reimbursed.

Other aspects of the Procedure, and the role EdwardsSciences played in the development and the Industry Leadership it holds in the US, are covered in several articles on this Open Access Online Scientific Journal, including the following:

August 7, 2012 – Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI): risk for stroke and suitability for surgery

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/07/transcatheter-aortic-valve-implantation-tavi-risky-and-costly-2/

August 2, 2012 – Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI): Risky and Costly

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/02/transcatheter-aortic-valve-implantation-tavi-risky-and-costly/

June 4, 2012 – Investigational Devices: Edwards Sapien Transcatheter Aortic Valve Transapical Deployment http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/06/04/investigational-devices-edwards-sapien-transcatheter-heart-valve/

June 10, 2012 — Investigational Devices: Edwards Sapien Transcatheter Aortic Heart Valve Replacement Transfemoral Deployment http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/06/10/investigational-devices-edwards-sapien-transcatheter-aortic-heart-valve-replacement-transfemoral-deployment/

1/29/2013 — Direct Flow Medical Wins European Clearance for Catheter Delivered Aortic Valve

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/01/29/direct-flow-medical-wins-european-clearance-for-catheter-delivered-aortic-valve/

6/19/2012 Executive Compensation and Comparator Group Definition in the Cardiac and Vascular Medical Devices Sector: A Bright Future for Edwards Lifesciences Corporation in the Transcatheter Heart Valve Replacement Market

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/06/19/executive-compensation-and-comparator-group-definition-in-the-cardiac-and-vascular-medical-devices-sector-a-bright-future-for-edwards-lifesciences-corporation-in-the-transcatheter-heart-valve-replace/

Read Full Post »

FDA Pending 510(k) for The Latest Cardiovascular Imaging Technology

Posted in Aortic Valve: TAVR, TAVI vs Open Heart Surgery, Atherogenic Processes & Pathology, CABG, Cardiac & Vascular Repair Tools Subsegment, Ecosystems & Industrial Concentration in the Medical Device Sector, FDA Regulatory Affairs, FDA, CE Mark & Global Regulatory Affairs: process management and strategic planning - GCP, GLP, ISO 14155, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Medical Devices R&D and Inventions, Medical Devices R&D Investment, Medical Imaging Technology, Image Processing/Computing, MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine, Ultra Sound, Mitral Valve: Repair and Replacement, PCI, Personalized and Precision Medicine & Genomic Research, Regulated Clinical Trials: Design, Methods, Components and IRB related issues, Renal Denervation, Statistical Methods for Research Evaluation, Technology Transfer: Biotech and Pharmaceutical, tagged , , , , , , , on January 28, 2013| 16 Comments »

FDA Pending 510(k) for The Latest Cardiovascular Imaging Technology

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

UPDATED on 11/22/2018

  • Device Approvals, Denials and Clearances

https://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/DeviceApprovalsandClearances/default.htm

  • FDA clears AI technology that evaluates echocardiograms – Ultrasound Images

https://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/fda-clears-ai-technology-that-evaluates-echocardiograms

  • Heart Murmur Detection done by AI Algorithm (Eko Core and Eko Duo) Devices Outperform most Auscultatory Skills of Cardiologists

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/11/21/heart-murmur-detection-done-by-ai-algorithm-eko-core-and-eko-duo-devices-outperform-most-auscultatory-skills-of-cardiologists/

  • FDA Clears Remote Multichannel ECG Compared to Holter

https://www.cardiovascularbusiness.com/topics/electrophysiology-arrhythmia/fda-clears-remote-multichannel-ecg-compared-holter

  • Arterys Cardio AI – MR Images

Arterys CEO Fabien Beckers, along with Michael Poon, MD, Northwell Health cardiologist, will present “The Potential of a Web Platform to Transform Medical Imaging with AI and Cloud Computation” in the 2018 RSNA Machine Learning Showcase, Tuesday November 27 at 11:30am CST. Arterys will provide demonstrations of its AI-powered, web-based solutions, including:

Arterys Cardio AIMR combines the power of deep learning and cloud computing to automate analysis of cardiac MR images. By eliminating many tedious, manual tasks, Arterys Cardio AI enables clinicians to quickly and easily identify, determine treatment for and track heart problems. It is the first and only commercial solution to offer deep learning-based semi-quantitative perfusion and quantitative delayed enhancement analysis*.

https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/arterys-to-demonstrate-suite-of-ai-powered-cloud-based-medical-image-analysis-solutions-at-rsna-2018-2018-11-21/print

  • AI software for detecting brain bleeds receives FDA approval – CT Images

November 08, 2018 | Melissa Rohman | Artificial Intelligence

The FDA recently administered 510(k) clearance to software developed by MaxQ AI that uses AI to detect brain bleeds on CT images, according to a report published Nov. 8 by AI in Healthcare.  

“The Accipio Ix Intracranial Hemorrhage platform uses AI technology to automatically analyze non-contrast head CT images, and can do so without impacting a physician’s workflow, altering the original series or storing protected health information,” according to the article.

The clinical diagnostics intelligence platform company hopes that the software can help physicians prioritizes patients who show symptoms of brain bleeds.

With FDA approval, the AI software can be sold for commercial use within the U.S. and will be on display during this year’s Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Annual Meeting in Chicago.

https://www.healthimaging.com/topics/artificial-intelligence/ai-detection-software-brain-bleeds-fda-approved

 

  • More in Artificial Intelligence

Chest x-ray AI similar, but quicker than radiologists at detecting diseases
AI may help radiologists interpret screening mammography without added reading time
Predictive model may reduce overtreatment of ground glass nodules
Philips launches IntelliSpace Discovery* Research platform at RSNA to support the development and deployment of Artificial Intelligence assets in radiology
Machine learning method helps radiologists diagnose uterine cancer
Radiomics, AI fall short of radiologists in breast lesion classification on MRI
New trial may allow CMAs to perform echocardiograms with AI-guided ultrasound
CDS tool improves reader diagnosis of bladder cancer response to treatment
AI estimates full-dose PET images from low-dose scans
Australian university hopes digital pathology method can address pathologist shortage

SOURCE

https://www.healthimaging.com/topics/artificial-intelligence/ai-detection-software-brain-bleeds-fda-approv

Cardiovascular Medical Devices in the News

March 13, 2018 — Determining the best occluder device size necessary to properly seal the left atrial appendage (LAA) before implanting the device may be feasible with the assistance of 3D printing, according to two separate presentations at ECR 2018 in Vienna.

SOURCE

https://www.auntminnieeurope.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=car&pno=2

  • Machine learning can help assess atherosclerosis
    February 7, 2018 — Machine-learning techniques analyze imaging measurements to automatically stratify patients by the level of atherosclerotic burden, offering the potential of personalized prediction of disease progression and more effective treatment for individual patients, according to researchers from Italy.  Discuss

SOURCE

https://www.auntminnieeurope.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=car&pno=3

  • CCTA biomarker may predict mortality from heart disease
    August 28, 2018 — The use of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) to measure fatty tissue around arteries could help predict the risk of mortality from heart disease, according to research published online on 28 August in the Lancet and being presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Munich.  Discuss

SOURCE

https://www.auntminnieeurope.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=car&pno=1

  • SCOT-HEART: CCTA cuts risk of heart attack, death by 41%
    August 25, 2018 — Patients with chest pain who underwent coronary CT angiography (CCTA) with standard care had a markedly lower rate of myocardial infarction or death from coronary artery disease than those who only received standard care in a new study, published on August 25 in theNew England Journal of Medicine.  Discuss

SOURCE

https://www.auntminnieeurope.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=car&pno=1

 

 

SOURCE

https://www.healthdatamanagement.com/tag/cardiovascular-disease

FDA’s Medical Devices Frontier in 2013

Michelle McMurry-Heath

Office of the Center Director, Center for Devices and

Radiological Health, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

and

Margaret A. Hamburg

Office of the Commissioner, FDA

In their article Creating a Space for Innovative Device Development stated that the FDA announces a partnership with a new nonprofit organization—the Medical Device Innovation Consortium (MDIC) —to advance regulatory science in the medical technology arena.

The promise of MDIC is to eliminate the currently existing shortfalls in applied research in areas such as health-related engineering and regulatory science, which comprises the development of new tools, standards, and approaches to assess a product’s safety, efficacy, quality, and performance.

MDIC will foster regulatory science breakthroughs in the medical technology space with the ultimate goal of improving human health.

FDA and LifeScience Alley (LSA; https://www.lifesciencealley.org)—a biomedical science trade association—have worked together to develop the first medical device public-private partnership (PPP) whose sole objective is to advance the entire spectrum of regulatory science in this sector. MDIC will facilitate this groundbreaking collaboration among federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, industry, academic institutions, and other trade associations such as MassMedic (www.massmedic.com) and the California Healthcare Institute (www.chi.org). Key goals:

(1) encourage members to leverage their resources by focusing jointly on precompetitive

(2) early-stage technology development ef orts that otherwise would not take place because of the organizational structure of the device sector.

About 75% of the more than 5,000 device manufacturers in the United States are small companies with fewer than 20 employees (3).

Start-up device companies have limited capital, and a startup’s future of en depends on the success of one complex device. Advances in regulatory science would speed the translation of these next-generation technologies.

Medical Devices sector lacks the resources to support regulatory science research, as well as mechanisms for working together to pool their resources to solve scientific issues.

MDIC members will make it a priority to develop regulatory methods and tools that can be adopted by the medical device community and will provide a forum for medical device stakeholders to securely share proprietary precompetitive data. Each advance achieved by medical device stakeholders through the sharing and leveraging of resources will assist industry in developing new REGULATORY SCIENCE Creating a Space for Innovative Device Development.

GOALS OF PARTNERING WITH MDIC

MDIC was designed with f exibility in mind, so that it can adapt to address the most pressing needs of patients and of the device industry as they evolve over time.

In keeping with the goal of stakeholder engagement, MDIC is currently recruiting founding members who will work jointly with FDA to determine research priorities for the endeavor.

Much like other successful PPPs in the pharmaceutical space, such as the Foundation for NIH or Critical Path Institute, the founding members will be asked to represent their stakeholder communities in

(i) suggesting the most promising areas for research collaboration,

(ii) raising funds to support these areas of investigation, and then

(iii) issuing requests for grant proposals.

Researchers and engineers from all sectors—industry, government, academia, or nonprofit organizations—will be encouraged to apply, and preference will be given to research consortia that cross sectors and take interdisciplinary approaches to problems.

MDIC strives to support science conducted by research teams that have innovative ideas for the development of tools and methods for medical device design, testing, and regulatory approval.

MDIC’s potential to improve patient care is computational modeling and simulation of human pathophysiology, which can be used to augment in vitro and animal disease models in the preclinical stages of device development.

FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) expects computational modeling to accelerate and streamline the regulatory review process but first needs to develop a strategy for assessing the technology’s credibility—its usefulness, quality, and reproducibility. CDRH has begun to develop a technological framework called the Virtual Physiological Patient (4), which, once completed, will provide a model for the human body as a single complex system. 

However, cross-sector research teams are required to develop the normal and diseased reference models that will serve as benchmarks for device performance and safety. Using computational modeling and simulation, device designs can potentially be ref ned even before they enter clinical trials, improving safety for patients and reducing the cost of device development for companies, computational modeling and simulation, device designs can potentially be ref ned even before they enter clinical trials, improving safety for patients and reducing the cost of device development for companies.

Another emerging research area is medical device interoperability—the development of devices that seamlessly operate with other medical devices and information systems (5). MDIC could establish a framework to identify gaps in the interoperability field, prioritize the gaps, and then fund research accordingly.

MDIC also could help prioritize the development of standards for innovative interoperable medical devices and build test beds for these technologies. is research will help to ensure that interoperability issues do not pose a hazard to patients.

With the emergence of new materials in medical devices, FDA must develop updated biocompatibility standards based on the most recent scientific advances.

MDIC could support the development of new preclinical biocompatibility assays that predict potential adverse health responses in people exposed to biomaterials or nanoparticles (6).

INNOVATION INFRASTRUCTURE With today’s fiscal realities, FDA cannot rely on government-funded “Manhattan projects” to bridge the funding gap for regulatory science. Partnerships bring together private-sector expertise, academic science ingenuity, and federal regulatory knowledge, and new structures are needed to promote these multifaceted collaborations.

It would be convenient if such partnerships formed organically, but all too of en, bureaucratic red tape gets in the way of sensible scientif c collaboration. MDIC will serve as a collaborative freeway to biomedical discovery and development by forming a foundation that makes it easy for industry, academia, and government to come together to set research priorities; to pool their distinct intellectual capital; and then to work together to advance knowledge that modernizes regulatory science and improves patient access to high-quality medical technology.

Sci. Transl. Med. 4, 163fs43 (2012). 

[ScienceTranslationalMedicine.org 5 December 2012 Vol 4 Issue 163 163fs43]

Statistics on Device use — Number of procedures in the United States (2009)

Number of domestic inpatient procedures (N = 48 million per year)

  • Insertion of coronary artery stent: 528,000
  • Diagnostic ultrasound: 902,000
  • CT scan: 497,000
  • Arteriography and angiocardiography: 1.9 million
  • Cardiac catheterization: 1.1 million
  • Total hip replacement: 327,000
  • Total knee replacement: 676,000

Source:

U.S. Centers of Disease Control www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/insurg.htm

This sector is best known for

  • surgical instruments,
  • cardiology devices, and
  • orthopedic implants, it also includes all of the
  • diagnostic tests and
  • imaging equipment currently used to pinpoint disease 
  • companion diagnostics, which are needed to fulfill the promise of personalized medicine (1).

FDA 510 (k) Pending for the Latest Cardiovascular Imaging Technology

Editor’s choice of the most innovative technology at RSNA 2012
By:

Dave Fornell

December 11, 2012
Toshiba is developing a radiation dose alert to show interventionalists how much dose they have delivered to their patient from X-ray angiography.
 The latest advances in cardiovascular imaging are usually shown first at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting, the largest radiology show in the world, held the last week of November in Chicago. After spending five days walking three expo halls filled with more than 600 product vendors, the following is my editor’s choice for the most innovative new cardiovascular imaging technology.

New Angiography Systems

Siemens unveiled two new 510(k)-pending angiography systems, the Artis Q and Artis Q.zen, which incorporate new X-ray tube, detector and imaging software technology that can help reduce dose significantly, while offering improved image quality.

The new X-ray tube is intended to help physicians identify small vessels up to 70 percent better than conventional X-ray tube technology. The Artis Q.zen combines this innovative X-ray source with a new detector technology designed to support interventional imaging in ultra low-dose ranges to patients, doctors and medical staff, particularly during more complex, longer interventions.

The second generation of Siemens’ flat emitter technology replaced the coiled filaments used in conventional X-ray tubes to emit electrons. Flat emitters are designed to enable smaller quadratic focal spots that lead to improved visibility of small vessels.

The Artis Q.zen combines the X-ray tube with a detector technology that allows detection at ultra-low radiation levels. It can image with doses as low as half the standard levels applied in angiography. Instead of detectors based on amorphous silicon, a new crystalline silicon structure of the Artis Q.zen detector is designed to be more homogenous, allowing for more effective amplification of the signal, greatly reducing the electronic noise.

Siemens also introduced new software applications for interventional imaging. Clear Stent Live freezes an enhanced image of a stent during deployment with the balloon radio-opaque markers and uses it as an overlay on live fluoroscopy. Siemens says the main application will be for better visualization when implanting overlapping stents or stenting bifurcation lesions. It also helps suppress and stabilize heart motion on the image.

Other new 3-D applications are designed to image the smallest structures inside the head. Their high spatial resolution is crucial for imaging intracranial stents or other miniscule structures such as the cochlea in the inner ear. Moving organs such as the lungs can be imaged in 3-D in less than three seconds, reducing motion artifacts and the required amount of contrast agent.

GE Healthcare showcased its IGS (Image Guided System) 750 hybrid OR angiography system. It was displayed at RSNA 2011, but did not receive FDA clearance until earlier this year. It offers the mobility of a mobile C-arm, but the image quality and software features of a ceiling or floor mounted fixed system. It uses laser guidance for very accurate positioning. It can rove around the room on a powered caster system to enable different positioning around the table, or be parked out of the way during open surgical procedures.

Hands-Free Physician Control of Images

GestSure displayed a new, FDA-cleared system that allows interventionalists in the cath lab, or surgeons in the operating room, to pick reference images to display on the overhead screens in the room and manipulate the images all hands-free. It allows physicians to pick and enlarge the images they need for better procedural navigation, while maintaining the sterile field.

A video sensor detects all the people in the work area and displays their outlines on a separate screen, with each person assigned a specific color. When one of those people raises their arms in the “hands up” pose, the system detects this and allows the person control of the system. Using the right arm/hand, they can scroll through images and use the left arm/hand as a mouse click by a pushing motion forward. The system detects the motions and translates them in real time to mouse actions on the overhead screen.

The software works as a vendor-neutral layer on top of existing PACS or advanced visualization software.

Outpatient, Office-Based Catheter Interventions

Outpatient, office-based peripheral vascular procedures are an increasing trend, according to GE healthcare, which showcased a new “mobile hybrid OR” solution. The trend includes setting up an outpatient cath lab in an office setting to reduce the costs of using hospital ORs or cath labs. The room system GE highlighted centers around its OEC 9900 Elite mobile C-arm and Venue 40, which is combined with a ultrasound system in an all-in-one unit. The GE Venue 40 tablet ultrasound system is mounted within the OEC 9900 Elite C-arm’s workstation to reduce the floor space required.

Wireless Ultrasound Transducer

Siemens introduced the world’s first wireless transducer ultrasound system, the Acuson Freestyle. It eliminates the impediment of cables in ultrasound imaging by using a battery-powered transducer, about the size of a large TV controller. The transducer can be submerged for cleaning. It is capable of 90 minutes of continuous scanning before the battery needs to be recharged.

The Freestyle is a point-of-care system that will expand ultrasound’s use in interventional and therapeutic applications. The transducer can be used to image up to 10 feet from the console. Siemens said it hopes to refine and expand the wireless transducer technology to its other systems in the coming years.

Engineers had to overcome several issues to create a wireless transducer. For example, a cardiac echo requires about 40 frames per second and each frame is equal to about 1 megabyte of data. To accommodate the amount of data and speed the computer processing involved, some of the electronics are placed in the transducer rather than processing the data in the machine console. The wireless system transmits the data over an 8 GHz ultrawideband radio frequency to the console. The amount of data and the bandwidth transmitted by the transducer is equal to about 10 4G smart phones working continuously.

Noiseless MRI

GE Healthcare introduced its 510(k)-pending noiseless MRI Silent Scan technology that it hopes to introduce in 2013 for its MR450W 1.5T system. The technology addresses one of the most significant impediments to patient comfort — excessive noise generated during the exam that can be in excess of 110 decibels. A combination of software and a pulse sequence lowers the noise level to that of a chirping bird outside a window.

Historically, acoustic noise mitigation techniques have focused on insulating components and muffling sound as opposed to treating the noise at the source. With Silent Scan, acoustic noise is essentially eliminated by employing a new advanced 3-D acquisition and reconstruction technique called Silenz, in combination with GE Healthcare’s proprietary design of the high-fidelity MR gradient and RF system electronics. Silent Scan is designed to eliminate the noise at its source.

640-Slice CT Scanner

Toshiba unveiled its 640-slice Aquilion One Vision edition CT scanner. The vendor already offers the highest-slice system on the market, the 320-slice Aquilion One. The new system is equipped with a gantry rotation of 0.275 seconds, a 100 kw generator and 320 detector rows (640 unique slices) covering 16 cm in a single rotation, with the industry’s thinnest slices at 500 microns (0.5 mm). The system can accommodate larger patients with its 78 cm bore and fast rotation, including bariatric and patients with high heart rates.

FFR-Like CT Culprit Vessel Analysis

TeraRecon released new research software in response to fractional flow reserve (FFR)-CT analysis being developed by HeartFlow. The HeartFlow software uses a supercomputing algorithm to look at the fluid dynamics of the iodine contrast flow in coronary vessels to calculate a virtual a FFR number, similar to invasive pressure wire based FFR in the cath lab. TeraRecon’s Lesion Specific Analysis software cannot calculate FFR, but uses the same principle of tracking contrast flow in the myocardium. It uses lobular decomposition to look at each vessel segment to determine the tissue it feeds to show areas of ischemia and the expected culprit vessel segment. It shows a color contrast level maps on a 3-D model of the heart and in a coronal view of the left ventricle. Automated detection boxes highlight suspected ischemic areas of interest and identifies the vessel responsible for supplying blood to the region.

Radiation Dose Monitoring

Radiation dose monitoring solutions have been shown at previous RSNAs, but were highlighted by several companies this year as several states began implementing requirements for radiology departments to record patient dose. Dose records will have the most application with CT systems, especially for longer duration, higher dose cardiac exams, and catheter based angiography. Angiography is becoming an increasing issue due to the longer duration of more complex transcatheter interventions.

Toshiba demonstrated a work-in-progress dose tracking software for its Infinix-i angiography system. It can be displayed on a screen in the cath lab to show the approximate radiation dose that has been delivered cumulatively to specific areas of a patient. It takes into consideration the amount of time, power setting used and orientation of the C-arm to show a color-coded map of radiation delivery projected on a human figure. The colors change in real time as X-ray imaging continues. It is designed to be a visual reminder to physicians about the dose the patient has received and that they may want to change the location of the C-arm.

Sectra demonstrated 510(k)-pending Dose Track software, which radiology or cardiology departments can use to track radiation dose by patient, machine, physician, technologist, procedure type and room. The system can be set up to create alerts if a reasonable amount of dose if exceeded for a particular exam, or if certain physicians or technologists are using higher than average doses.

OLED Displays

Flat panel display technology migrated from CRT screens to LCDs over the past decade. The next major innovation in display technology is OLED, which offers even smaller components, faster response time than LCD, and the ability to display quick motion with virtually no blur. Sony showed the new PVM-2551MD OLED medical-grade monitor, which incorporates technology to achieve pure black, faithful to the source signal. By providing superb color reproduction, especially for dark images, surgeons can observe very subtle details such as the faint color difference between various tissues and blood vessels.

Aesthetically Pleasing Cath Labs

Philips Healthcare displayed video of its recent install of the Ambient Experience in a cath lab. The system uses colored lighting, subtle room design details and projected image visual effects to calm patients and make procedure rooms look less clinical. The installation highlighted allowed doctors or patients to choose a theme, such as a tropical rainforest, where diffused, indirect lighting would take a green hue and a photo projection on the ceiling of a tropical scene. Philips said at facilities that have installed these type of labs, patient satisfaction rose, as did staff morale. They say doctors and staff compete to use these rooms at some facilities.

Single Detector Spectral CT Imaging

Philips introduced an innovative work-in-progress CT system that uses new detector technology to simplify spectral imaging, offering soft tissue image quality similar to MRI. Currently, CT special imaging can be performed using systems with two X-ray tubes and two detectors. The new system in development uses a single X-ray source and a single detector that has two layers of detectors, one on top of the other, for high and low energy.

Better Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair Guidance

Philips’ showed its new Echo Navigator system, designed to synchronize views from TEE ultrasound with the orientation on live angiography. The primary application is to aid navigation during transcatheter mitral valve procedures, which require very accurate 3-D echo navigation to deploy devices like the Abbott MitraClip.

3-D Sculptures From 3-D Datasets

Taking 3-D images shown on 2-D display screens to a true physical 3-D form, Vidar Systems/3D Systems displayed the new Z Printer 450. It takes any 3-D advanced visualization dataset and can print the image in true 3-D using gypsum powder (the same material used to make drywall), standard color ink jet printer cartridges and a binding agent. The image is saved as an STL file and sent to the printer, which prints 1/10th of a millimeter each pass, up to 2 cm per hour.

The 3-D sculptures it created can be printed in color, eliminating the need to paint the models.

The printer offers a new way to create 3-D anatomical models for medical education, complex surgical planning and cosmetic reconstruction. Another application suggested at RSNA was to print sculptures for sale to the patients, such as fetal faces taken from 3-D obstetrics ultrasound exams.

The company printed a full-sized, 3-D, color heart during the show using a cardiac CT dataset on a thumb drive provided by one of the advanced visualization vendors in the same hall.

  • Siemens unveiled the world’s first wireless ultrasound transducer at RSNA 2012.

http://www.dicardiology.com/article/latest-cardiovascular-imaging-technology

REFERENCES

1. S. Desmond-Hellmann, Toward precision medicine: A new

social contract? Sci. Transl. Med. 4, ed3 (2012).

2. J. S. Altshuler, E. Balogh, A. D. Barker, S. L. Eck, S. H. Friend,

G. S. Ginsburg, R. S. Herbst, S. J. Nass, C. M. Streeter, J. A.

Wagner, Opening up to precompetitive collaboration. Sci.

Transl. Med. 2, 52cm26 (2010).

3. U.S. commerce department study; www.ita.doc.gov/td/

health/Medical%20Device%20Industry%20Assessment%

20FINAL%20II%203-24-10.pdf.

4. Regulatory science in FDA’s Center for Devices and

Radiological Health: A vital framework for protecting

and promoting public health; www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/

CentersOffices/OfficeofMedicalProductsandTobacco/

CDRH/CDRHReports/ucm274152.htm#.

5. Driving Biomedical Innovation: Initiatives for Improving

Products for Patients; www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/

ReportsManualsForms/Reports/ucm274333.htm.

6. G. D. Prestwich, S. Bhatia, C. K. Breuer, S. L. Dahl, C. Mason,

R. McFarland, D. J. McQuillan, J. Sackner-Bernstein, J. Schox,

W. E. Tente, A. Trounson, What is the greatest regulatory

challenge in the translation of biomaterials to the clinic?

Sci. Transl. Med. 4, 60cm14 (2012).

7. Between Invention and Innovation. NIST GRC 02-841;

www.atp.nist.gov/eao/gcr02-841/contents.htm.

8. Justin D Pearlman, MD, ME, PhD, FACC, MA; Chief Editor: Eugene C Lin, MD

Imaging in Coronary Artery Disease, Nov 13, 2012

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/349040-overview

9. Markus Schwaiger, MD; Sibylle Ziegler, PhD; and Stephan G. Nekolla, PhD

PET/CT: Challenge for Nuclear Cardiology

THE JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE • Vol. 46 • No. 10 • October 2005

 

Other articles related to this topic Published on this Open Access Online Scientific Journal include the following:

New Definition of MI Unveiled, Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) CT for Tagging Ischemia

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/27/new-definition-of-mi-unveiled-fractional-flow-reserve-ffrct-for-tagging-ischemia/

FDA: Strengthening Our National System for Medical Device Post-market Surveillance

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/09/07/fda-strengthening-our-national-system-for-medical-device-post-market-surveillance/

Gaps, Tensions, and Conflicts in the FDA Approval Process: Implications for Clinical Practice

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/31/gaps-tensions-and-conflicts-in-the-fda-approval-process-implications-for-clinical-practice/

To Stent or Not? A Critical Decision

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/10/23/to-stent-or-not-a-critical-decision/

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State of the art in oncologic imaging of lungs.

Posted in Biomarkers & Medical Diagnostics, Disease Biology, Small Molecules in Development of Therapeutic Drugs, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, HealthCare IT, Imaging-based Cancer Patient Management, Medical Devices R&D and Inventions, Medical Devices R&D Investment, Medical Imaging Technology, Image Processing/Computing, MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine, Ultra Sound, Pharmaceutical Industry Competitive Intelligence, Pharmaceutical R&D Investment, Population Health Management, Genetics & Pharmaceutical, Regulated Clinical Trials: Design, Methods, Components and IRB related issues, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 23, 2013| 5 Comments »

State of the art in oncologic imaging of lungs.

Author and Curator: Dror Nir, PhD

Article 11.4.5 State of the art in oncologic imaging of lungs

This is the second post in a series in which I will address the state of the art in oncologic imaging based on a review paper; Advances in oncologic imaging†‡ that provides updates on the latest approaches to imaging of 5 common cancers: breast, lung, prostate, colorectal cancers, and lymphoma. This paper is published at CA Cancer J Clin 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.

The paper gives a fair description of the use of imaging in interventional oncology based on literature review of more than 200 peer-reviewed publications.

In this post I summaries the chapter on lung cancer imaging.

Lung Cancer Imaging

“Lung cancer remains the most common cause of death from cancer worldwide, having resulted in 1.38 million deaths (18.2% of all cancer deaths) in 2008.48 It also represents the leading cause of death in smokers and the leading cause of cancer mortality in men and women in the United States. In 2012, it was estimated that 226,160 new cases of lung cancer would be diagnosed (accounting for about 14% of cancer diagnoses) and that lung cancer would cause 160,340 deaths (about 29% of cancer deaths in men and 26% of cancer deaths in women) in the United States.1 The 1-year relative survival rate for the disease increased from 35% to 43% from 1975 through 1979 to 2003 through 2006.49 The 5-year survival rate is 53% for disease that is localized when first detected, but only 15% of lung cancers are diagnosed at this early stage.”

For cancer with such poor survival rates removal of the primary lesion by surgery at an early-stage disease is the best option. The current perception in regards to lung cancr is that patients may have subclinical disease for years before presentation. It is also known that early lung cancer lesions; adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) are slow-growing, doubling time which can exceed 2 years.52 But, since at present, no lung cancer early-detection biomarker is clinically available, the diagnosis of this disease is primarily based on symptoms, and detection often occurs after curative intervention and when it’s already too late – see: Update on biomarkers for the detection of lung cancer and also Diagnosing lung cancer in exhaled breath using gold nanoparticles. Until biomarker is found, the burden of screening for this disease is on imaging.

“AIS and MIA generally appear as a single peripheral ground-glass nodule on CT. A small solid component may be present if areas of alveolar collapse or fibroblastic proliferation are present,50, 51 but any solid component should raise concern for a more invasive lesion (Fig. 8). Growth over time on imaging can often be difficult to assess due to the long doubling time of these AIS and MIA, which can exceed 2 years.52 However, indicators other than growth, such as air bronchograms, increasing density, and pleural retraction within a ground-glass nodule are suggestive of AIS or MIA.

CT image shows a ground glass nodule, which is the typical appearance of AIS, in the right upper lobe.

CT image shows a ground glass nodule, which is the typical appearance of AIS, in the right upper lobe.

 

CT (A) demonstrated extensive consolidation with air bronchograms in the left upper lobe, which at surgical resection were found to represent adenocarcinoma of mixed subtype with predominate (70%) mucinous bronchioloalveolar subtype. PET imaging in the same patient (B) demonstrated uptake in the lingula higher than expected for bronchioloalveolar carcinoma and probably due to secondary inflammation/infection. CT (C) obtained 3 years after images (A) and (B) demonstrated biopsy-proven recurrent soft-tissue mass near surgical site. Fused FDG/PET images (D) demonstrate no uptake in the area. This finding is consistent with the decreased uptake usually seen in tumors of bronchioloalveolar histology (new terminology of MIA).

CT (A) demonstrated extensive consolidation with air bronchograms in the left upper lobe, which at surgical resection were found to represent adenocarcinoma of mixed subtype with predominate (70%) mucinous bronchioloalveolar subtype. PET imaging in the same patient (B) demonstrated uptake in the lingula higher than expected for bronchioloalveolar carcinoma and probably due to secondary inflammation/infection. CT (C) obtained 3 years after images (A) and (B) demonstrated biopsy-proven recurrent soft-tissue mass near surgical site. Fused FDG/PET images (D) demonstrate no uptake in the area. This finding is consistent with the decreased uptake usually seen in tumors of bronchioloalveolar histology (new terminology of MIA).

In August 2011 the results of the “National Lung Screening Trial “ which was funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) were published in NEJM; Reduced Lung-Cancer Mortality with Low-Dose Computed Tomographic Screening. This randomized study results showed that with low-dose CT screening of high-risk persons, there was a significant reduction of 20% in the mortality rate from lung cancer as compared to chest radiographs screening.

Based on these results one can find the following information regarding Lung Cancer Screening on the NCI web-site:

“Three screening tests have been studied to see if they decrease the risk of dying from lung cancer.

The following screening tests have been studied to see if they decrease the risk of dying from lung cancer:

  • Chest x-ray: An x-ray of the organs and bones inside the chest. An x-ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body and onto film, making a picture of areas inside the body.
  • Sputum cytology: Sputum cytology is a procedure in which a sample of sputum (mucus that is coughed up from the lungs) is viewed under a microscope to check for cancer cells.
  • Low-dose spiral CT scan (LDCT scan): A procedure that uses low-dose radiation to make a series of very detailed pictures of areas inside the body. It uses an x-ray machine that scans the body in a spiral path. The pictures are made by a computer linked to the x-ray machine. This procedure is also called a low-dose helical CT scan.

Screening with low-dose spiral CT scans has been shown to decrease the risk of dying from lung cancer in heavy smokers.

A lung cancer screening trial studied people aged 55 years to 74 years who had smoked at least 1 pack of cigarettes per day for 30 years or more. Heavy smokers who had quit smoking within the past 15 years were also studied. The trial used chest x-rays or low-dose spiral CT scans (LDCT) scans to check for signs of lung cancer.

LDCT scans were better than chest x-rays at finding early-stage lung cancer. Screening with LDCT also decreased the risk of dying from lung cancer in current and former heavy smokers.

A Guide is available for patients and doctors to learn more about the benefits and harms of low-dose helical CT screening for lung cancer.

Screening with chest x-rays or sputum cytology does not decrease the risk of dying from lung cancer.

Chest x-ray and sputum cytology are two screening tests that have been used to check for signs of lung cancer. Screening with chest x-ray, sputum cytology, or both of these tests does not decrease the risk of dying from lung cancer.”

The authors of Advances in oncologic imaging†‡ found out that for pre-treatment staging and post treatment follow-up of lung cancer patients mainly involves CT (preferably contrast enhanced, FDG PET and PET/CT. “Integrated PET/CT has been found to be more accurate than PET alone, CT alone, or visual correlation of PET and CT for staging NSCLC (Non-small-cell lung carcinoma).59 “

The standard treatment of choice for localized disease remains surgical resection with or without chemo-radiation therapy (stage dependant). “The current recommendations for routine follow-up after complete resection of NSCLC are as follows: for 2 years following surgery a contrast-enhanced chest CT scan every 4 to 6 months and then yearly non-contrast chest CT scans.62 Detection of recurrence on CT is the primary goal in the initial years, and therefore, optimally, a contrast-enhanced scan should be obtained to evaluate the mediastinum. In subsequent years, when identifying an early second primary lung cancer becomes of more clinical importance, a non-contrast CT chest scan suffices to evaluate the lung parenchyma.

CT (A) of 78-year-old male who was status post–left lobe lobectomy and left upper lobe wedge resection shows recurrent nodule at the surgical resection site. Fused PET/CT (B) demonstrates increased [18F]FDG uptake in the corresponding nodule at the surgical resection site consistent with recurrent tumor.

CT (A) of 78-year-old male who was status post–left lobe lobectomy and left upper lobe wedge resection shows recurrent nodule at the surgical resection site. Fused PET/CT (B) demonstrates increased [18F]FDG uptake in the corresponding nodule at the surgical resection site consistent with recurrent tumor.

In patients undergoing chemotherapies: “ [18F]FDG PET response correlates with histologic response.63 [18F]FDG PET scan data can provide an early readout of response to chemotherapy in patients with advanced-stage lung cancer.64

In patients treated by recently developed “Targeted Therapies” such as Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) the authors found out that PET/CT is the preferred imaging modality for post treatment follow-up.

“ Most patients treated with pulmonary ablation will have had a pre-procedure CT or a fusion PET/CT scan, which allows more precise anatomic localization of abnormalities seen on PET. Generally, either CT or PET/CT is performed within a few weeks of the procedure to provide a new baseline to which future images can be compared to assess for changes in size, degree of enhancement or [18F]FDG avidity.67”

CT (A) demonstrates new left upper lobe mass representing new primary NSCLC in a patient who had a status post–right pneumonectomy for a prior NSCLC. CT (B) obtained in the same patient 2 weeks after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) demonstrates the postablation density in the left upper lobe. Fused PET/CT (C) obtained 4 months after RFA demonstrates mild [18F]FDG uptake at RFA site in the left upper lobe consistent with posttreatment inflammation. Fused PET/CT (D) obtained 7 months after RFA demonstrates new focal [18F]FDG uptake at post-RFA-opacity consistent with recurrent tumor.

CT (A) demonstrates new left upper lobe mass representing new primary NSCLC in a patient who had a status post–right pneumonectomy for a prior NSCLC. CT (B) obtained in the same patient 2 weeks after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) demonstrates the postablation density in the left upper lobe. Fused PET/CT (C) obtained 4 months after RFA demonstrates mild [18F]FDG uptake at RFA site in the left upper lobe consistent with posttreatment inflammation. Fused PET/CT (D) obtained 7 months after RFA demonstrates new focal [18F]FDG uptake at post-RFA-opacity consistent with recurrent tumor.

Prostate Cancer Imaging

To be followed…

Other research papers related to the management of Lung cancer were published on this Scientific Web site:

Diagnosing lung cancer in exhaled breath using gold nanoparticles

Lung Cancer (NSCLC), drug administration and nanotechnology

Non-small Cell Lung Cancer drugs – where does the Future lie?

Comprehensive Genomic Characterization of Squamous Cell Lung Cancers

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