
The treatment is already approved for some indications in China and could mark a shift in how cancers are treated, researchers say
An anticancer drug called iza-bren, developed by Sichuan Biokin Pharmaceutical, showed a significant advantage over chemotherapy in a phase 3 trial involving advanced lung cancer patients in China.
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The drug iza-bren was developed by Sichuan Biokin Pharmaceutical and is already approved for some indications in China.
An anticancer drug developed by Sichuan Biokin Pharmaceutical took centre stage in a late-breaking oral presentation at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Madrid last week.
Researchers said the drug, iza-bren, showed a significant advantage over platinum-based chemotherapy in a phase 3 randomised, double-blind clinical trial conducted at 73 hospitals in China and involving 432 patients with advanced lung cancer.
The median progression-free survival (PFS) – the length of time a patient lives with a disease without the condition getting worse during or after treatment – for participants who received chemotherapy but not iza-bren in the study was 5.7 months.

A controversy broke out at the Department of Neurosurgery in Taichung, with the Internet and media accusing director Zou Xikai and former surgical director Shen Jiongqi of using manufacturers to perform the surgery. Zhongrong responded that the accusation involves an incident many years ago, and its authenticity needs to be verified. The relevant information has been transferred to the prosecutor's office for in-depth investigation to clarify the truth.

The Food and Drug Administration announced the monitoring results of pesticide residues in commercially available fruits and vegetables from July to August. A total of 989 items were sampled and tested, and 78 items were found to be unqualified. Among them, the radish sold by Quanlian Changhua Erlin Branch was found to have 27 times more than the pesticide canidine, which is currently under investigation by the local health bureau.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has relaxed the conditions for publicly funded COVID-19 vaccination for young children since November 5, allowing children aged 6 months to under 5 years old to receive a second dose before October this year. Infectious disease physician Li Bingying also called on parents to have their children fully vaccinated with two doses of influenza vaccine in accordance with regulations to enhance protection.

The amyloid index in the brain of a 78-year-old Alzheimer's patient once soared to 81.2. After six self-funded anti-amyloid target injections at Chi Mei Hospital, the index dropped to 4.7 and the image turned negative. The doctor reminded that improvement in the image does not mean recovery.

The Taichung City Food Safety Department has allowed Fu Shou Company to put approximately 1,205 metric tons of soy salad oil, blended oil, fried ghee, sesame oil and other oil products back on the shelves. The test results of 13 samples of benzene and pyrene all meet the regulations. The city government will continue to conduct random inspections of commercially available oil products.

A child in Lewis County, New York, has died in connection with an ongoing measles outbreak, marking the state's first known measles-associated death in more than 30 years. Governor Kathy Hochul declared a State Disaster Emergency last month, and the state Department of Health is supporting local vaccination and outreach efforts.