There’s a potential breakthrough for patients with inoperable metastatic melanoma.
Dr. Jose Lutzky with Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Health System said a new immunotherapy drug combo of Nivolumab and Relatlimab targets tumors with less toxicity to the patient.
“The caveat with this drug is we don’t have the long follow up as we have with previous combinations and that’s going to be presented probably soon in one of the upcoming meetings in oncology but this preliminary data was strong enough to lead to the approval of this combination,” Lutzky said.
The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug combo for patients 12 years and older, given intravenously every four weeks.
In the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, Medicare will limit who will receive coverage for a controversial drug approved last year.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced only those enrolled in qualifying clinical trials will be covered to take Aduhelm, which is the prescription name for aducanumab, an infusion medication given once a month over a 12 month period.
The decision will restrict the number of people who can receive the medication and could also apply to other drugs the FDA may approve down the road.
Drugmaker Biogen said it is considering its options following the announcement.
And the 18th annual South Florida walk to raise funds for Lupus research gets underway in Boca this weekend.
Wendi Lipsich, who was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease at the age of 20, is one of the cofounders of the only Florida-based “Walk With Us To Cure Lupus” event.
“Each year it’s grown, we’ve had more people that have come to us that were diagnosed with lupus that wanted to be team captains they wanted to participate,” she said.
Over the past 18 years, the event has raised over $2 million.
This year’s goal is to bring in another $100,000 for research. For more information on the walk go to: https://give.lupusresearch.org/event/2022-south-florida-walk-with-us-to-cure-lupus/e385610