STRATEGIC-1: A multiple-lines, randomized, open-label GERCOR phase III study in patients with unresectable wild-type RAS metastatic colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The management of unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is a comprehensive treatment strategy involving several lines of therapy, maintenance, salvage surgery, and treatment-free intervals. Besides chemotherapy (fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, irinotecan), molecular-targeted agents such as anti-angiogenic agents (bevacizumab, aflibercept, regorafenib) and anti-epidermal growth factor receptor agents (cetuximab, panitumumab) have become available. Ultimately, given the increasing cost of new active compounds, new strategy trials are needed to define the optimal use and the best sequencing of these agents. Such new clinical trials require alternative endpoints that can capture the effect of several treatment lines and be measured earlier than overall survival to help shorten the duration and reduce the size and cost of trials. METHODS/DESIGN: STRATEGIC-1 is an international, open-label, randomized, multicenter phase III trial designed to determine an optimally personalized treatment sequence of the available treatment modalities in patients with unresectable RAS wild-type mCRC. Two standard treatment strategies are compared: first-line FOLFIRI-cetuximab, followed by oxaliplatin-based second-line chemotherapy with bevacizumab (Arm A) vs. first-line OPTIMOX-bevacizumab, followed by irinotecan-based second-line chemotherapy with bevacizumab, and by an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibody with or without irinotecan as third-line treatment (Arm B). The primary endpoint is duration of disease control. A total of 500 patients will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to one of the two treatment strategies. DISCUSSION: The STRATEGIC-1 trial is designed to give global information on the therapeutic sequences in patients with unresectable RAS wild-type mCRC that in turn is likely to have a significant impact on the management of this patient population. The trial is open for inclusion since August 2013. TRIAL REGISTRATION: STRATEGIC-1 is registered at Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01910610, 23 July, 2013. STRATEGIC-1 is registered at EudraCT-No.: 2013-001928-19, 25 April, 2013

Analysis of Ultrafiltration and Mass Transfer in a Bioartificial Pancreas

A bioartificial pancreas is an implantable device which contains insulin secreting cells (Langerhans islets), separated from the circulating blood by a semi-permeable membrane to avoid rejection. This paper describes the operation of such a device and evaluates the respective contributions of diffusion and ultrafiltration to the glucose and insulin mass transfer. It is shown that the pressure drop along the blood channel produces across the first half of the channel an ultrafiltration flux toward the islet compartment followed in the second half by an equal flux in reverse direction from islets to blood. The mass transfer analysis is carried out for an optimal geometry in which a U-shaped blood channel surrounds closely a very thin islet compartment formed by a folded flat membrane. A complete model of insulin release by this device is developed and is compared with in vitro data obtained with rats islets. Satisfactory kinetics is achieved with a polyacrylonitrile membrane used in hemodialysis. But the model shows that the membrane hydraulic permeability should be increased by a factor of 10 to significantly improve the performance.</jats:p

La replanification des productions complexes Avancees theoriques et developpements en entreprise

Available from INIST (FR), Document Supply Service, under shelf-number : AR 15945 / INIST-CNRS - Institut de l'Information Scientifique et TechniqueSIGLEMinistere de l'Enseignement Superieur et de la Recherche, 75 - Paris (France)FRFranc

Randomized Trial of Oral Teriflunomide for Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract BACKGROUND: Teriflunomide is a new oral disease-modifying therapy for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. METHODS: We concluded a randomized trial involving 1088 patients with multiple sclerosis, 18 to 55 years of age, with a score of 0 to 5.5 on the Expanded Disability Status Scale and at least one relapse in the previous year or at least two relapses in the previous 2 years. Patients were randomly assigned (in a 1:1:1 ratio) to placebo, 7 mg of teriflunomide, or 14 mg of teriflunomide once daily for 108 weeks. The primary end point was the annualized relapse rate, and the key secondary end point was confirmed progression of disability for at least 12 weeks. RESULTS: Teriflunomide reduced the annualized relapse rate (0.54 for placebo vs. 0.37 for teriflunomide at either 7 or 14 mg), with relative risk reductions of 31.2% and 31.5%, respectively (P<0.001 for both comparisons with placebo). The proportion of patients with confirmed disability progression was 27.3% with placebo, 21.7% with teriflunomide at 7 mg (P=0.08), and 20.2% with teriflunomide at 14 mg (P=0.03). Both teriflunomide doses were superior to placebo on a range of end points measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Diarrhea, nausea, and hair thinning were more common with teriflunomide than with placebo. The incidence of elevated alanine aminotransferase levels ( 651 times the upper limit of the normal range) was higher with teriflunomide at 7 mg and 14 mg (54.0% and 57.3%, respectively) than with placebo (35.9%); the incidence of levels that were at least 3 times the upper limit of the normal range was similar in the lower- and higher-dose teriflunomide groups and the placebo group (6.3%, 6.7%, and 6.7%, respectively). Serious infections were reported in 1.6%, 2.5%, and 2.2% of patients in the three groups, respectively. No deaths occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Teriflunomide significantly reduced relapse rates, disability progression (at the higher dose), and MRI evidence of disease activity, as compared with placebo. (Funded by Sanofi-Aventis; TEMSO ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00134563.)

Randomized trial of oral teriflunomide for relapsing multiple sclerosis

Teriflunomide is a new oral disease-modifying therapy for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis