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Savvy investors do their own research and verify facts.
Thank you for your opinion, but I believe it is savvy to not take any investment advice or medical advice from social media. Statements published online require research and must be verified.
In my opinion, everyone should always seek trustworthy full-context sources to support any statement someone publishes online. There are those attempting to benefit by throwing baseless mud:
Two decades—excellent point. A study for such a deadly disease was not expected to have such a long tail of survivors. The murcidencel (DCVax-L) P3 captured the tail and ended the trial, but there are trial participants still alive today well surpassing 10 years.
Research 2022 updates—some are GBM patients surpassing a decade or multiple decades…
https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2017/03/30/newirth-laker-for-a-day/
Well, I would argue that it’s alright to spend time reading analysis and commentary from more than 4 years ago, but it should be considered in full context and in light of more recent developments. The trial was not completed four years ago. Anyway, it was a good article when I read it 4 years ago, so here it is in full context:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6120355/
Science and the understanding of medical technology such as cell-based immunotherapy are rapidly evolving. A single day can make a difference. Four years is ancient.
A more current and comprehensive analysis is forthcoming.
https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/systems-molecular-and-integrative-biology/staff/michael-jenkinson/
I cannot tell you how awesome your post is. I feel like we’re making progress and actually learning something on this message board! Sometimes iHub is worthwhile.
Thanks!
Believe carefully. Don’t believe away your power by stepping into a deception vortex. Truth is power. Be unPUMPable. Be unFUDable. Seek truth. Do no harm.
Thank you.
I would argue that the quote is in fact in reference to the vaccine immunotherapy. Here is the full-context link for SPORE at UCLA. Of course, it is not all about any single drug or any single aspect of brain cancer care:
https://cancer.ucla.edu/research/ucla-brain-spore
If you pan out for a larger perspective, the greater context for the quote that you mentioned does indicate that Liau is referring to murcidencel in combo with the checkpoint inhibitor:
In a trial now underway, a dendritic cell vaccine is made from a participant's own tumor tissue and combined with an anti-PD1 immune checkpoint inhibitor to counter resistance when either treatment is used alone. The checkpoint drugs work by blocking the proteins that stop the immune system from attacking cancer cells.
"What I'm excited about is that we're seeing a growing number of long-term survivors in our patients treated with immunotherapy combinations," Dr. Liau says. "We're seeing some patients with certain combination immunotherapies that are living for many more years than would be expected. Currently, we're trying to find out what combination works best and for which patients."
https://connect.uclahealth.org/2022/09/14/brain-cancer-discovery-clinical-trials/
Yes, sometimes we get carried away with our enthusiasm, but at least there are concrete sources that support and inspire our optimism about this exciting cell-based technology.
In fact, we recently saw an update in September on the murcidencel combo study currently underway at UCLA:
https://connect.uclahealth.org/2022/09/14/brain-cancer-discovery-clinical-trials/
"What I'm excited about is that we're seeing a growing number of long-term survivors in our patients treated with immunotherapy combinations," Dr. Liau says. "We're seeing some patients with certain combination immunotherapies that are living for many more years than would be expected. Currently, we're trying to find out what combination works best and for which patients."
I agree.
https://www.merck.com/stories/fighting-cancer-requires-an-open-mind/
Merck: “Personalized cancer vaccines which are therapeutic vaccines based on patients’ specific cancer that could potentially prime the immune system to recognize certain characteristics and attack the cancer cells”
In my opinion, a lot of unsubstantiated negative information about murcidencel has originated from rumors and baseless innuendo published on social media to muddy the reputation of the company and benefit those attempting to short the stock. Rumors are never supported by full-context trustworthy sources.
Social media is not a safe and reliable source of info about any drug. Verify what you find posted on social media. Consult professionals and seek trustworthy full-context sources.
The forthcoming independent peer review of the murcidencel (DCVax-L) P3 study will provide a solid source of information and dispel a lot of the bad-faith disinformation that has been spread online. Licensed independent physicians and qualified skilled statisticians will explain the significance of this landmark study, its design, and its data.
Yes, she is a scientist at UCLA. For more information directly from Liau, please consider viewing her SNO presentation about murcidencel. Dr. Ashkan of King’s College and Dr. Bosch of Northwest Biotherapeutics are two notable coauthors of the paper that Dr. Liau will be presenting.
For a complete list of authors visit the SNO site: https://soc-neuro-onc.org/
In response to your request, I provided some factual links and professional background about Dr. Linda Liau. If you study the links, I believe you can find the confirmation that you are looking for with regard to her professional associations.
Dr. Linda Liau is a world-renowned neuro-oncologist, surgeon, and educator at UCLA where she is also the chair of the department of neurosurgery. As her paper on DCVax moves through the independent peer review process, it is interesting to note that she was once the editor-in-chief of a neuro-oncology medical journal.
https://www.uclahealth.org/providers/linda-liau
https://doi.org/10.3171/2020.12.FOCUS20954
In response to your post, I would like to share my own opinions about the relationships that are so crucial to the development of this new cell-based technology:
UCLA
Northwest Biotherapeutics
NIH
All three are separate institutions, but all played a crucial role in the development of murcidencel and its successful completion of all three phases of clinical investigation.
Now, Liau and NWBO are aiming toward approval. This is where the NIH again becomes crucial as they work closely with the FDA to ensure the development of safe and efficacious therapies that FDA wants to approve.
https://connect.uclahealth.org/2021/03/22/ucla-received-590-million-in-nih-funding-second-highest-total-for-academic-medical-centers-in-2020/
https://www.fda.gov/science-research/advancing-regulatory-science/fda-nih-joint-leadership-council-charter
https://virtualtrials.org/dcvax.cfm
Thank you. I was simply highlighting that Dr. Bosch is an employee of Northwest Biotherapeutics. Dr. Liau is an employee of UCLA, but both Bosch and Liau are working toward the common goal of getting murcidencel approved so that patients will have access to the cell-based therapy worldwide.
https://virtualtrials.org/dcvax.cfm
Currently, Liau and Bosch are posted on the SNO website as coauthors of the murcidencel manuscript.
In my opinion and from own perspective:
Medical disinformation abounds online. It is reckless and presents risks. Only licensed doctors are qualified to provide information about the safety and efficacy of drugs. It is advisable to seek the advice of trusted professionals, wait for the independent peer review, and avoid baseless innuendo posted anonymously on social media.
Be careful what you believe. Wait for actual professionals and real licensed doctors to publish their independent peer review.
https://virtualtrials.org/dcvax.cfm
It is on video—we can hear exactly what Dr. Ashkan actually said about the peer review:
“As we all know, publications are at the mercy of the peer reviewers” —Dr. Ashkan
This quote demonstrates that all peer review is independent of those whose work is being analyzed.
Everyone including the clinical investigators must wait for the independent peer review process to reach its conclusion. The whole reason why a peer-reviewed publication is so credible is because the company and researchers have nothing to do with it and cannot influence the timeframe determined by the reviewers.
There are several types of “peer review.” The process of peer review is followed in different contexts and for different purposes. For example, abstracts are independently reviewed by licensed physicians and selected for presentations at SNO. Based on the peer review, some are selected and some are rejected.
For another example, the NIH grant that funded and continues to fund the work of Dr. Liau was “peer reviewed” to protect tax payers who only want their dollars invested in the best research that will produce the most efficacious therapies.
“Peer review” does not always refer to a journal article.
The NIH peer-reviewed grant is the source of funding being used today to dose patients with murcidencel (DCVax-L) and Keytruda.
Department of Neurosurgery Chair Linda M. Liau, MD, PhD, MBA, was a leading recipient of NIH grants – No. 3 in the nation within the discipline.
“It's the stamp of approval from the NIH, because these types of grants are so rigorously peer-reviewed,” Dr. Liau says. “People get funded based on the strength of the science and that, itself, is very powerful in terms of showing that our research is scientifically valid and meaningful and hopefully will lead to future treatments.”
https://www.fda.gov/science-research/advancing-regulatory-science/fda-nih-joint-leadership-council-charter
https://connect.uclahealth.org/2021/03/22/ucla-received-590-million-in-nih-funding-second-highest-total-for-academic-medical-centers-in-2020/
https://connect.uclahealth.org/2022/09/14/brain-cancer-discovery-clinical-trials/
Yes, and the forthcoming peer review will validate the efficacy data.
https://virtualtrials.org/dcvax.cfm
$nwbo pic.twitter.com/qGXhYGsBLX
— Blake (@MC17595091) November 12, 2022
Oh yes, I agree— it has been far too long for shorts to play their games. The peer review will shut down a lot of the disinformation, but the most desperate shorts will still try to muddy the waters by posting baseless innuendo on social media.
Do your own research. Verify statements that you find published online. Consult professionals. Seek trustworthy full-context sources.
I suggest that you wait for the independent peer review.
https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/systems-molecular-and-integrative-biology/staff/michael-jenkinson/
https://virtualtrials.org/dcvax.cfm
”So what?”
Thank you for requesting clarification. The significance of the posting regarding peer review was to highlight that truth matters in medicine and the peer review process is designed to safeguard truth and the integrity of scientific data and findings.
An obstructed view of the truth can result in injury, loss of life, or the missed opportunity for healing.
In my opinion, a lot of unsubstantiated negative information has originated from rumors and baseless innuendo published on social media to muddy the reputation of the company and benefit those attempting to short the stock. Rumors are never supported by full-context trustworthy sources.
Verify what you find posted on social media. Consult professionals and seek trustworthy full-context sources.
The forthcoming independent peer review of the murcidencel (DCVax-L) P3 study will provide a solid source of information and dispel a lot of the bad-faith disinformation that has been spread online. Licensed independent physicians and qualified skilled statisticians will explain the significance of this landmark study, its design, and its data.
https://virtualtrials.org/dcvax.cfm
I would not be too concerned about the statistical approach because both Liau and Ashkan are clinical trial experts.
Dr. Linda Liau is a world-renowned neuro-oncologist, surgeon, and educator at UCLA where she is also the chair of the department of neurosurgery. As her paper on murcidencel (DCVax-L) moves through the independent peer review process, it is interesting to note that she was once the editor-in-chief of a neuro-oncology medical journal. In fact, Dr. Liau has authored over 170 peer-reviewed articles, several book chapters, and a textbook entitled Brain Tumor Immunotherapy. She is on the editorial boards of several scientific/medical journals and was the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Neuro-Oncology (2007–2017).
https://www.uclahealth.org/providers/linda-liau
https://doi.org/10.3171/2020.12.FOCUS20954
https://soc-neuro-onc.org/
Dr. Ashkan was the chief investigator of the murcidencel trial for patients in Europe. At King’s College in London, Ashkan is the lead clinician for neuro-oncology and the chair of the King’s Neurosciences Clinical Trial Unit. He is a world-renowned cancer trial expert. A few years ago, Professor Ashkan was named the UK Clinician of the Year by The Brain Tumour Charity. Additionally, Ashkan serves as an advisor to the U.K. government.
Murcidencel is being studied alone and in combo. It will most likely be part of a combination therapy as it appears right now.
The trial progressed successfully through phase three and was completed, but there is another trial for a combo: Data is today being collected for murcidencel (DCVax-L) alone and murcidencel in combo with Keytruda. There will efficacy data for the treatment arm and for the placebo group too.
NCI, Merck, and PHASE ONE are today supporting collaborators on the UCLA Keytruda trial—100% of patients in both the experimental group AND the placebo group receive murcidencel (DCVax-L). Only Keytruda in combo is being investigated.
https://connect.uclahealth.org/2022/09/14/brain-cancer-discovery-clinical-trials/
9/14/2022
In a trial now underway, a dendritic cell vaccine is made from a participant's own tumor tissue and combined with an anti-PD1 immune checkpoint inhibitor to counter resistance when either treatment is used alone. The checkpoint drugs work by blocking the proteins that stop the immune system from attacking cancer cells.
"What I'm excited about is that we're seeing a growing number of long-term survivors in our patients treated with immunotherapy combinations," Dr. Liau says. "We're seeing some patients with certain combination immunotherapies that are living for many more years than would be expected. Currently, we're trying to find out what combination works best and for which patients.”
I suggest researching reliable sites online to better understand each person’s or each institution’s distinct role. For example:
NIH funded Liau’s research at UCLA.
Liau and UCLA developed the drug and investigated its efficacy/safety.
Northwest Biotherapeutics is tasked with manufacturing at scale to address a global market.
NIH, Liau, and NWBO all have separate and distinct roles.
The most reliable assessment of the success of the landmark Murcidencel (DCVax-L) study will be provided by the forthcoming independent peer review.
https://virtualtrials.org/dcvax.cfm