William Eward, MD, DVM, associate professor and orthopedic surgical oncologist at Duke Cancer Institute, discusses the unmet need for novel agents in tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT) and sarcoma.

Many drugs are under investigation in TGCT. Some trials are examining the use of immunotherapy in this space, specifically with pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in combination with radiation therapy. These studies are searching for a way to kill sarcoma cells.

Some drugs that have not been used in sarcoma might be effective in this space, such as those that target the proteasome and CRM1, says Eward. Some promising leads could help fill the unmet need in drug development that has existed since 1985, concludes Eward.

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William Eward, MD, DVM, discusses the unmet need for novel agents in tenosynovial giant cell tumor and sarcoma.
 

Dr. Eward on the Unmet Need for Novel Agents for TGCT and Sarcoma

William Eward, MD, DVM, associate professor and orthopedic surgical oncologist at Duke Cancer Institute, discusses the approval of pexidartinib (Turalio) to treat patients with tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT).

The FDA approved pexidartinib in August 2019 for the treatment of adult patients with symptomatic TGCT that is associated with severe morbidity or functional limitations and is not responsive to improvement with surgery. Pexidartinib, the first drug approved to treat patients with TGCT, targets CSF1 and blocks the signal, causing all of the white blood cells and other cells to come into the tumor, explains Eward.

Duke Cancer Institute researchers participated in the ENLIVEN trial that led to the approval of pexidartinib. Results of the trial showed that pexidartinib can lead to tumor shrinkage, improve stiffness for patients to move better, and decrease patient pain, concludes Eward.

William Eward, MD, DVM, discusses the approval of pexidartinib to treat patients with tenosynovial giant cell tumor.

William Eward, MD, DVM

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Dr. Eward on the Unmet Need for Novel Agents for TGCT and Sarcoma

Dr. Eward on FDA Approval of Pexidartinib in TGCT