Welcome to the spring edition of the SCLC Patient Gateway newsletter! Exciting developments have emerged in the past few months. We continue to see benefits from combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy for both limited-stage and extensive-stage SCLC, leading to improvements in overall and progression-free survival.
While actionable biomarkers for SCLC remain elusive, research efforts are ongoing to identify druggable targets. This month's newsletter highlights some of these promising efforts.
New drug classes are being developed for SCLC, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and bispecific T cell engagers (BiTEs). ADCs deliver drugs directly to cancer cells, increasing specificity and minimizing damage to healthy cells. BiTEs link cancer cells to T cells, causing the cancer cells to lyse, or burst. On May 16, 2024, the FDA gave accelerated approval to a BiTE drug for extensive-stage SCLC, marking a new era in targeted immunotherapy for this challenging type of lung cancer.
Though SCLC has been difficult to treat, there's a lot of excitement and hope that these new approaches will improve outcomes for those affected by this form of lung cancer.
Research News
Technology Networks
Possible Therapeutic Target Identified for Small Cell Lung Cancer
Published Apr 12, 2024
OncLive
FDA Grants Fast Track Designation to PT217 for Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer
Published Apr 9, 2024
EuropaWire.eu
AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi Shows Promising Results in Phase III Trial for Small Cell Lung Cancer
Published Apr 5, 2024
Yahoo! Finance
IMFINZI® (durvalumab) significantly improved overall survival and progression-free survival for patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer in ADRIATIC Phase III trial
Published Apr 5, 2024
Targeted Oncology
Evolving Strategies in Managing and Treating Small Cell Lung Cancer
Published Mar 10, 2024
Gastroenterology Advisor
Tarlatamab Gets Priority Review for Advanced Small Cell Lung Cancer
Published Dec 15, 2023
Yahoo! News
FDA approves Imdelltra for patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer
Published May 17, 2024
Drugs.com
FDA Approves New Drug for Deadly Lung Cancer
Published May 17, 2024
MedCity News
Amgen Drug for Aggressive Type of Lung Cancer Wins Accelerated FDA Approval
Published May 17, 2024
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
FDA approves Amgen T-cell engager for small cell lung cancer
Published May 17, 2024
BioSpace
Amgen Wins FDA Approval for Difficult-to-Treat Lung Cancer
Published May 17, 2024
Healio
FDA approves Imdelltra for small cell lung cancer
Published May 17, 2024
Pharmacy Times
Durvalumab Shows Improvements in Overall Survival, Progression-Free Survival for Small Cell Lung Cancer
Published Apr 12, 2024
Get Connected
New Advocacy Group for Small Cell Lung Cancer
LUNGevity is proud to partner with Misty Dawn Shields, MD, PhD, assistant professor of clinical medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Shields brings invaluable expertise as a translational thoracic oncologist with a personal connection to small cell lung cancer (SCLC), having lost her father to the disease. We hope you will join us this Facebook Live on LUNGevity’s page, Thursday, May 30, at 12 pm ET, to hear from Dr. Shields, learn about her new group, the Small Cell Smashers, and have your SCLC questions answered. This virtual event promises to be insightful and informative, providing a platform to connect with others and gain valuable insights about living with SCLC.
Join Us for the SCLC Virtual Meetup
This is an easy way to build your community. On the third Wednesday of each month, you can connect with others who understand what it’s like to live with SCLC. The next SCLC Meetup is happening on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, at 3 pm ET. Register for this virtual meetup to get a confirmation email with details about how to join the virtual meeting. New attendees are always welcome and encouraged to join! Can’t make it? Don’t worry,
there’s a full list of virtual meetups to fit your schedule.
Have You Seen?
Cancer Grand Challenges Summit 2024: No Time to Waste in Addressing Some of the Toughest Challenges in Cancer
Dr. Amy Moore just returned from the Cancer Grand Challenges Summit, held March 5–8, 2024 in London, England. Cancer Grand Challenges was launched in 2020 as a collaboration between Cancer Research UK and the National Cancer Institute in the US, to build global collaborations that address the most perplexing issues in cancer. Read the article here.
Safely Bring Yoga, Dietary Supplements, Yoga, and More into Your Lung Cancer Journey
Integrative oncology adds holistic approaches—such as acupuncture, nutrition, exercise, and mindfulness—into a treatment plan. Research shows these interventions can have a tremendous impact on people going through lung cancer treatment and their quality of life. Unfortunately, they are also topics riddled with myths and falsehoods. LUNGevity spoke to an expert to help sort out the facts from the fiction. In this recent webinar Gabriel Lopez, MD, medical director of the Integrative Medicine Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center, explained how integrative medicine can be safely used by people managing a lung cancer diagnosis. You can watch the entire conversation on our SCLC Patient Gateway.
Chemo Shortage Didn't Materialize the Way We Initially Feared
This March, LUNGevity Foundation partnered with CURE for their “Speaking Out” video series, inviting Amy Moore, PhD, Vice President of Global Engagement and Patient Partnerships at LUNGevity Foundation, to discuss recent chemotherapy shortages. Her expertise provides essential understanding for anyone interested in the complexities of lung cancer treatment amid shortages. Visit our partners at CURE to watch the complete interview.
Highlights of AACR: Where the Laboratory Meets the Patient
LUNGevity’s Executive Director of Research, Upal Basu Roy, PhD, MPH, recently attended the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). For those new to this meeting, it is the largest gathering of laboratory scientists and clinicians worldwide—coming together to discuss how to take science from the bench (laboratory) to patients and communities. This year’s meeting was held in sunny San Diego and brought together more than 23,000 attendees. In a recent article, Dr. Roy summarized key findings discussed at this year’s meeting, including updates on small-cell lung cancer. Read it here.
… and there is always so much more to explore on the SCLC Patient Gateway.
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If you need further assistance along your lung cancer journey, please email us at support@lungevity.org. Our team is always here to assist you.
