Latest news with #JonathanFoster
CTV News
4 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Local cancer diagnoses surge, but survival rates also climb
Windsor Regional Hospital is celebrating the completion of construction of a fourth Linear Accelerator (LINAC) in Windsor, Ont, on Monday, March 24, 2025. (Stefanie Masotti/CTv News Windsor) Cancer rates for four types of cancers are on the rise locally, but so are survival rates. Jonathan Foster, the regional vice president for cancer services for Windsor Regional Hospital, says the need has never been greater at the local cancer centre. In 2024-2025, the centre saw about 5,000 new consults for new diagnoses of cancer, with over 116,000 visits across all types of services - a striking 10 per cent increase year over year that the hospital has seen. Top diagnoses locally are lung cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer. Despite these staggering numbers, Foster says survival rates are on the rise due to more efficient treatment options, such as the new radiation bunker at Windsor Regional Hospital. He adds that once the patient receives their official diagnosis, treatment begins within two weeks. 'In some ways our treatments are becoming a little bit more efficient with the new radiation bunker that we installed, some patients require fewer doses of radiation. So, the fact that we're still having more treatments overall just tells you that the volume is magnified so much more. People are waiting less time to get in so we can get them in within quick timeframes, usually within about two weeks to start treatment.' Foster added, an aging demographic is a big factor for these stats. 'People are also being exposed to a lot more environmental stressors, and pressures, and influences just in our environment in the community - stressful lifestyles, alcohol consumption, all of those things that contribute to cancer and we're just seeing a lot of those influences more and more. So, the best message is to make sure that you're getting your routine checkups with your primary healthcare provider.' According to Foster, these numbers aren't always a bad thing as it just means that more people are being treated and living longer. He said the cancer centre is seeing these cancers present across all ages, but they're also seeing more annual screenings being completed at younger ages. The age requirement for mammography screening, a tool used in early detection of breast cancer, recently changes from 49 to 40 years old. — Meagan Delaurier/AM800 News and Rob Hindi/AM800 News
New York Times
6 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Will Trump's Tariffs Spoil Earnings Season?
Andrew here. We've got a provocative idea to chew on: Should directors of public companies be licensed? That's a concept being explored in our new feature, 'Hot Take,' involving Jonathan Foster, a former managing director at Lazard. I'm curious what you think. Meantime, we're taking a look at the earnings reports streaming in; Polymarket's plan to make betting available in the United States, and your thoughts on the Coldplay kiss-cam episode I wrote about on Monday. C.E.O.s in the spotlight Wall Street had set a pretty low bar for this earnings season. Fears that President Trump's trade war would roil supply chains and inflation and concerns of consumers pulling back on purchases were expected to weigh on corporate profits and guidance. So far, that hasn't materialized. The S&P 500 closed at another record on Monday, helped by a batch of somewhat upbeat earnings calls, even with little evident progress on trade talks before Trump's Aug. 1 tariffs deadline. But a new test begins this week. Bellwethers like Coca-Cola and General Motors are next in line. The carmaker on Tuesday reported a second-quarter sales decline, and said that tariffs on foreign-made vehicles and parts wiped out $1.1 billion in profits in the same period. Stellantis said something similar on Monday. Mary Barra, G.M.'s C.E.O., wrote in a statement that the company was adapting 'to new trade and tax policies, and a rapidly evolving tech landscape.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Moleculin Biotech Inc (MBRX) Q1 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Strategic Advances and Financial ...
Release Date: May 14, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Moleculin Biotech Inc (NASDAQ:MBRX) has officially started the Phase 3 Miracle trial for Anamycin, with the first patient already treated and 38 sites selected worldwide. The European Medicines Agency has given complete sign-off for the trial in all nine EU countries, marking a significant milestone. The World Health Organization has recognized a new generic drug name for Anamycin, Naxorubicin, aiding in its future market positioning. Additional patent protection for Anamycin has been secured, extending its composition of matter protection into at least 2040. The company is progressing with WP 1,066, a lead statory inhibitor, which is showing promise in treating brain tumors and is in a new clinical trial at Northwestern University. Moleculin Biotech Inc (NASDAQ:MBRX) ended the quarter with $8 million in cash, which will only sustain operations into the third quarter of the year, necessitating a $15 million raise. The company faces potential delays in EU approval due to additional GLP preclinical data requested by the EMA. There are minor differences between the US and EU protocols for the Phase 3 trial, which could complicate the harmonization process. The company acknowledges that the development of an IV delivery for WP 1,066 could encounter speed bumps, potentially delaying progress. The durability of complete remission in the MB 106 trial is still developing, with some patients relapsing after significant periods. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 1 Warning Sign with MBRX. Q: Does the requirement for additional GLP preclinical data by the EMA affect the timeline for EU approval compared to the US? A: Walter Klimt, CEO: We don't believe it will negatively impact the timeline. The EMA requested additional GLP preclinical data, which we can produce. While this could theoretically delay the EU's progression to Part B, we plan to continue recruiting in the US and non-EU sites during this period. Thus, the trial should not slow down, and we expect to meet EU patient requirements without affecting the approval timeline. Q: How close is Emory University to developing an optimal formulation for WP 1,066? A: Walter Klimt, CEO: We are beyond the discovery phase and are now implementing a strategy for a new formulation suitable for IV delivery. We aim to have progress by the end of the year, although there could be unforeseen delays. We expect to provide updates before the year ends. Q: Is the $3.5 million a fair run rate for R&D for the rest of the year, or will it increase? A: Jonathan Foster, CFO: The R&D expenses will increase, especially as we move into 2026 and incur GLP and manufacturing expenses. Currently, we have enough drugs for Part A, but we will need to start manufacturing for Part B. Q: Do you need durability data for potential approval, or is the 35-day CR rate sufficient? A: Walter Klimt, CEO: Durability is not a primary endpoint for approval; it's a secondary objective. The FDA has indicated that the CR rate is the primary endpoint. While durability is interesting, our approval doesn't depend on it. We are confident in our CR rate, which is expected to be significantly higher than the control arm. Q: Could underlying factors like age and genetic mutations impact the results? A: Walter Klimt, CEO: We will stratify by age and genetic mutations, but our primary endpoint isn't dependent on these factors. Our phase two data shows we are agnostic to genetic mutations and prior therapies, including Vanita lacks failures. We welcome all patient types, including elderly and those with mutational abnormalities. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
