Jane de Lartigue, PhD

Articles

Hematologic Immunotherapy Breaks New Ground in Established Field

December 6th 2013

Although immunotherapy advances in solid tumors have captured much attention in recent years, therapeutic strategies that enable the patient's own immune system to battle cancer cells have long been integrated into the treatment of patients with hematologic malignancies.

Targeting PI3K: A New Generation of Agents Emerges

December 5th 2013

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway is frequently deregulated in cancer at multiple different points, and has therefore emerged as one of the most deeply explored cell-signaling networks in oncogenic research.

Targeting Epigenetics for Cancer Therapy: Scores of Agents Capture Interest of Researchers

November 1st 2013

Several epigenetic therapies are already approved by the FDA, and many more are in the preclinical investigation and clinical trial phases. More than 100 agents are in various stages of development, and the field of epigenetics holds exciting implications for cancer detection, treatment, and prognosis.

Researcher Sees Hope for Incorporating IDO inhibitors Into Immunotherapy Protocols

October 7th 2013

IDO is a key enzyme in the normal regulation of the host's adaptive immune response. Its role in regulating the immune response was initially demonstrated when pregnant mice were given IDO inhibitors, resulting in the rejection of the unborn fetus by the maternal immune system.

Another Immune Checkpoint Emerges as Anticancer Target

September 24th 2013

Douglas Hanahan and Robert Weinberg acknowledged the importance of the immune system in cancer development in 2011, when they added immune evasion to their list of "hallmark" abilities that are essential for the transformation of normal cells into cancerous ones.

New Life for PARP Inhibitors: Emerging Agents Leave Mark at ASCO

August 30th 2013

Anticancer agents that inhibit the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) family of enzymes have defined a new therapeutic paradigm known as synthetic lethality.

Challenges Still Abound in Antibody Therapeutics

August 8th 2013

An interview with Andrew Scott, MB,BS, MD, whose work has led to the successful translation of novel potential cancer therapeutics into clinical development.

The Antibody Arsenal: More Complex Targeted Agents Primed for Increased Potency

August 6th 2013

More than a century has passed since the discovery of antibodies and thanks to a number of Nobel Prize-winning scientists, we have begun to realize their potential as therapeutic tools in cancer.

The Inflammation Link: NF-κB Remains a Difficult but Intriguing Target

June 28th 2013

The complex regulation of NF-κB activation has presented significant challenges for the development of anticancer agents, but researchers are now beginning to better understand and embrace this complexity to drive development of a variety of novel NF-κB-targeting strategies.

Dutch Researcher Focuses on Fc Signaling in Targeting CD20

April 25th 2013

Jeanette H.W. Leusen, PhD, focuses on studying the working mechanisms of therapeutic antibodies and the biology of fragment crystallizable receptors, including the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Targeting CD20: Rituximab's Success Fuels Interest in New Agents

April 25th 2013

A large proportion of patients become rituximab-refractory, which has prompted the development of newer CD20 agents with altered structures that are designed to improve upon rituximab's performance.

Interferon Therapy: A Growing Family Feeds New Interest in an Older Treatment

April 1st 2013

Interferons have evolved from a "cure-all" for cancer, as they were initially touted, to a more tempered yet equally vital role in treating a number of different disease states, including many different types of cancer.

Veteran Researcher Sees Many Gaps in Knowledge About IFNs

April 1st 2013

For more than 20 years, Ahmed Lasfar, PhD, has been exploring the cell-signaling activity of interferons and he has been involved in the characterization of a new type of interferon, IFNλ, and its antitumor activity.

Notch Holds Promise, but Presents Obstacles as Cancer Target

March 1st 2013

Benjamin W. Purow, MD, a researcher whose focus is on glioblastomas, discusses the Notch pathway and the development of Notch-targeted anticancer agents.

Notch Signaling: Tackling a Complex Pathway With a New Generation of Agents

February 27th 2013

Notch-targeted agents that were initially intended for the treatment of Alzheimer disease are now being examined for their possible anticancer activity.

Five PD-1-Related Questions for Suzanne L. Topalian, MD

November 5th 2012

Suzanne L. Topalian, MD, has led clinical development of monoclonal antibodies to treat patients with melanoma and other solid tumors, including those targeting the PD-1 T cell co-receptor.

Targeting PD-1: Immune Checkpoint Strategy Finds New Spot to Arrest Cancer

October 31st 2012

Increasing evidence suggests that the ability to outsmart the body's immune response represents a hallmark of tumor development.

The MEK Junction: Protein Presents a Ripe Target for Inhibitors

October 11th 2012

Though located far downstream of the extracellular trigger that initiates its signaling pathway, the MEK protein is no less significant a player in the cascade of events that promotes key cellular processes.

5 ALK-Related Questions for D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD and Fredika M. Robertson, PhD

August 27th 2012

Two leading researchers discuss the role of the ALK signaling pathway and development into new ALK-targeted anticancer therapies.

ALK Inhibitors: Moving Rapidly From Discovery to Clinical Approval and Beyond

August 27th 2012

There has been stunning progress as preclinical findings of the ALK gene in patients with lung cancer were rapidly translated into the availability of an FDA-approved therapeutic ALK inhibitor, crizotinib.