Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSApr 1
This is a continuation study for patients who are already taking the cancer drugs dabrafenib and/or trametinib and have done well on them. If your doctor thinks you're still benefiting from these medications after your original trial ends, you may be able to keep taking them through this new study. The study is looking for about 100 patients with various types of cancer including melanoma, lung cancer, and brain tumors.
WHY IT MATTERSThis rollover study allows patients whose cancers are responding well to dabrafenib and/or trametinib to continue access to these drugs after their original trial ends, rather than losing treatment.
ResearchPUBMEDApr 1
Researchers studied whether the amount of cancer in a patient's body before treatment affects how well two immunotherapy drugs work together. They looked at 722 patients with rare cancers who received nivolumab and ipilimumab (two drugs that help the immune system fight cancer). The study wanted to understand if patients with smaller tumors do better than those with larger tumors when treated with these combination drugs.
WHY IT MATTERSIf baseline tumor size predicts treatment response in rare cancers, doctors could better counsel patients on expected outcomes and identify which patients might benefit most from this dual immunotherapy approach before starting treatment.
PolicyPUBMEDApr 1
Researchers compared how quickly rare disease drugs become available in China versus the United States between 2001 and 2024. The study looked at a problem called 'drug loss' — when medicines are approved in the US but never reach Chinese patients — and 'drug lag' — when there's a long delay before Chinese approval. The findings help the Chinese government understand what's blocking patients from getting treatments that already exist elsewhere in the world.
WHY IT MATTERSIf you have a rare disease in China, this research directly impacts whether you can access treatments that may already be approved and available in the United States, potentially identifying barriers your doctor or patient advocacy groups can help address.
Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSMar 27
Researchers are testing a cancer drug called trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) in patients with several types of rare and uncommon cancers that have a specific protein marker called HER2. The study includes seven different cancer types in the first part, including bladder, bile duct, cervical, uterine, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers. This drug has already shown promise in breast and stomach cancers, and doctors want to see if it works in these other cancer types too.
WHY IT MATTERSThis trial offers patients with HER2-positive rare cancers like biliary tract, cervical, endometrial, ovarian, and pancreatic cancer access to a targeted therapy that has demonstrated effectiveness in other cancer types—potentially providing a new treatment option where few exist.
Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSMar 27
Researchers are testing a new combination treatment for metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare type of skin cancer. The study combines a drug called avelumab with either a radioactive therapy or radiation treatment. The trial is currently enrolling patients and aims to see if this combination is safe and effective at fighting the cancer.
WHY IT MATTERSThis trial offers patients with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma access to a novel combination therapy that may provide additional treatment options beyond standard care, though enrollment is currently closed.
ResearchBIORXIVMar 26
Scientists discovered a new protein called SR12 in the malaria parasite that works similarly to proteins in human cells. This protein might be a good target for creating new malaria drugs, especially since the parasite is becoming resistant to current treatments. The researchers used computer modeling to understand how this protein is structured and how it functions.
WHY IT MATTERSThis research could lead to new antimalarial drugs that work differently than current ones, which is critical because malaria parasites are increasingly resistant to existing treatments and malaria still kills hundreds of thousands of people annually.
ResearchPUBMEDMar 26
Scientists are developing tiny particles called exosomes that can deliver cancer-fighting medicines directly to rare cancer tumors. These natural particles act like delivery trucks, carrying drugs to cancer cells while reducing damage to healthy cells. Early research shows this approach could help rare cancer patients who currently have few treatment options.
WHY IT MATTERSPatients with rare cancers often lack targeted treatments and face delayed diagnoses—exosome-based therapies could provide new options by delivering drugs more effectively to tumors while causing fewer side effects.
PolicyPUBMEDMar 26
People with inherited metabolic diseases (IMDs) in Latin America struggle to get life-saving medicines that are more available in wealthy countries. This article looks at why these medicines are hard to find in places like Chile and suggests ways to make them more accessible to everyone who needs them, no matter where they live.
WHY IT MATTERSIf you or a family member has an inherited metabolic disease in Latin America, this research directly addresses the barriers preventing you from accessing treatments that patients in high-income countries can obtain.
ResearchPUBMEDMar 26
Researchers studied how cancer tumors respond differently to a two-drug immunotherapy treatment (ipilimumab plus nivolumab) in patients with rare cancers. Some patients had some tumors shrink while others grew at the same time—called 'mixed response.' This study looked at 438 patients to understand how this mixed response affects how long patients survive and whether the cancer comes back.
WHY IT MATTERSUnderstanding mixed response patterns helps doctors better predict which rare cancer patients will benefit most from dual checkpoint inhibitor therapy and may improve how treatment success is measured beyond just tumor size.
ResearchPUBMEDMar 26
Researchers are developing a new way to make sure patients with Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome (AGS) have a real voice in designing clinical trials for new treatments. AGS is a rare genetic disease that affects the brain and causes inflammation. This study creates a method to listen to what matters most to patients and families so that future drug trials measure the things that actually improve their lives.
WHY IT MATTERSAs new treatments for AGS move toward clinical trials, this research ensures that the outcomes being measured in those trials reflect what patients and families actually care about—not just what doctors think is important.
Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSMar 26
Researchers at Emory University are testing a new combination of medicines for children whose cancer has come back or stopped responding to previous treatments. The study combines three drugs: sirolimus (which slows cell growth), celecoxib (an anti-inflammatory), and two chemotherapy drugs given in low doses. The goal is to see if this combination works better than standard treatments for solid tumors and brain cancers in children.
WHY IT MATTERSThis trial offers a potential new treatment option for children with recurrent or refractory cancers who have limited alternatives, though enrollment is currently closed.
Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSMar 26
Researchers are testing a combination of two immunotherapy drugs in patients with four types of rare cancers: neuroendocrine tumors, biliary tract cancers, ovarian clear cell carcinoma, and tumors with high microsatellite instability. This Phase 2 trial involves 240 patients and is based on earlier research showing these cancers may respond well to this type of treatment.
WHY IT MATTERSPatients with these rare cancers now have access to a targeted immunotherapy combination that showed promise in earlier studies, potentially offering a new treatment option for cancers that historically have limited therapeutic choices.
Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSMar 26
Researchers are testing a new cancer drug called CLR 131 in children and young adults whose cancers have come back or stopped responding to standard treatments. The study includes kids with several types of hard-to-treat cancers like neuroblastoma, sarcomas, and brain tumors. This is an early-stage study to figure out the right dose and see if the drug is safe and effective.
WHY IT MATTERSThis trial offers a potential treatment option for children with relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma, sarcomas, and other pediatric solid tumors where standard treatments have failed—conditions with very limited curative options.
Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSMar 26
Researchers completed a study testing two cancer drugs given together: imatinib mesylate and cyclophosphamide. The study involved 26 patients and aimed to find the safest and most effective dose of imatinib mesylate when combined with a fixed dose of cyclophosphamide. This was an early-stage study (Phase 1) to understand how these drugs work together in the body.
WHY IT MATTERSThis completed trial provides important safety and dosing information for doctors considering combination therapy with imatinib and cyclophosphamide for certain cancer patients, potentially improving treatment options.
Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSMar 26
Researchers are testing a new drug called furmonertinib in patients with advanced lung cancer that has specific genetic mutations. This is an early-stage study (Phase 1) with 160 patients to see if the drug is safe and how well it works. The drug targets uncommon mutations in EGFR and HER2 genes that some lung cancer patients have.
WHY IT MATTERSThis trial addresses treatment options for patients with advanced NSCLC carrying uncommon EGFR or HER2 mutations, which typically have fewer targeted therapy options than common mutations.
Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSMar 26
Researchers are testing whether two cancer-fighting drugs called atezolizumab and bevacizumab work better together for treating rare cancers. These drugs help the body's immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. The study includes 133 patients with various uncommon solid tumors and is currently enrolling participants.
WHY IT MATTERSThis trial offers patients with rare cancers like Merkel cell carcinoma, nasopharyngeal cancer, and mesothelioma access to a combination immunotherapy treatment that may not be available outside of clinical research.
Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSMar 26
Researchers are testing a new drug called zipalertinib to treat advanced lung cancer in patients who have a specific genetic mutation called EGFR exon 20 insertion. This mutation makes lung cancer harder to treat with standard medications. The study is looking for 220 patients to see if zipalertinib is safe and effective for this type of cancer.
WHY IT MATTERSThis trial targets EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations in advanced NSCLC, a genetic subtype that historically has limited treatment options and poor response to standard EGFR inhibitors.
ResearchCLINICALTRIALSMar 26
Researchers are studying how doctors treat a rare muscle weakness disease called generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) in Russia. They want to understand what treatments work best in real-world practice by following 450 patients over time. This study is not testing a new drug, but rather collecting information about treatments that are already being used.
WHY IT MATTERSIf you have AChR-antibody positive generalized myasthenia gravis in Russia, this study could help doctors understand which current treatment approaches work best for patients like you in your region.
Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSMar 26
Researchers are testing a drug called cabozantinib-s-malate to treat children and young adults with rare cancers, including sarcomas (muscle cancers), Wilms tumor (kidney cancer), and other solid tumors that have come back after treatment or didn't respond to initial therapy. The drug works by blocking proteins that help tumors grow and form new blood vessels. This phase II trial has enrolled 109 patients and is no longer recruiting new participants.
WHY IT MATTERSIf your child has a recurrent or treatment-resistant sarcoma, Wilms tumor, or other rare pediatric solid tumor, this completed trial data may help inform whether cabozantinib could be an option to discuss with their oncologist.
Clinical trialCLINICALTRIALSMar 26
Researchers tested a cancer drug called osimertinib (AZD9291) in 19 patients with advanced cancers that have specific genetic changes in a gene called EGFR. The drug works by blocking a mutated protein that helps cancer cells grow. This trial is now complete and results have been posted.
WHY IT MATTERSThis trial provides evidence that osimertinib may work against cancers with EGFR mutations across different cancer types, potentially offering a treatment option for patients whose tumors have this specific genetic change.