Teleconference about New Drug for Mesothelioma
Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) March 31, 2014 -- On April 8 at 9 PM Eastern time, the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (Meso Foundation) will hold a new installment of its ‘Meet the Experts’ series, featuring Dr. Joanna C. Horobin, the Chief Medical Officer at Verastem, Inc., who will discuss the company’s latest drug, defactinib, which is being developed for use in patients with pleural mesothelioma. Those interested in attending via telephone can RSVP by visiting http://www.curemeso.org/experts.
Dr. Horobin will be interviewed by Mary Hesdorffer, Meso Foundation’s executive director and experienced nurse practitioner. The goal of this “Meet the Experts” installment is to learn more about this novel agent, the purpose of which is to delay the time to progression after having a response or stabilization with first-line therapy. Currently, defactinib is available only through its clinical trial.
Dr. Horobin, M.B., Ch.B. has been the Chief Medical Officer at Verastem, Inc. since October 2012.
The Meet the Experts series is a live podcast created by the Meso Foundation with the goal of providing patients, their family members, and other interested parties with the most up-to-date information on mesothelioma treatment and research, directly from the physicians pioneering these advances. Past teleconferences have featured:
Dr. Lee Krug – Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Dr. Dan Sterman – University of Pennsylvania
Dr. Raffit Hassan – National Cancer Institute
Dr. Julie Brahmer – Johns Hopkins
Dr. Tobias Peikert – Mayo Clinic
Dr. Joseph Friedberg – University of Pennsylvania
Dr. Valerie Rusch – Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Melissa Culligan, RN – University of Pennsylvania
The topics, which have included immunotherapy, gene therapy, drugs, clinical trials, and biomarkers, are usually discussed through an informal interview, focusing on questions important to patients, in particular. Listeners are encouraged to ask questions while listening to the call.
Mesothelioma is a malignant tumor of the lining of the lung, abdomen, or heart known to be caused by exposure to asbestos. Medical experts consider it one of the most aggressive and deadly of all cancers. Approximately 3,500 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma every year and an estimated one-third were exposed while serving in the Navy or working in shipyards.
ABOUT THE MESOTHELIOMA APPLIED RESEARCH FOUNDATION
The Meso Foundation is the only 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating mesothelioma and easing the suffering caused by this cancer. The Meso Foundation actively seeks philanthropic support to fund peer-reviewed mesothelioma research; provide patient support services and education; and advocate Congress for increased federal funding for mesothelioma research. The Meso Foundation is the only non-government funder of peer reviewed scientific research to establish effective treatments for mesothelioma and, ultimately, a cure for this extremely aggressive cancer. To date, the Foundation has awarded over $8.7 million to research. More information is available at http://www.curemeso.org.
Maja Belamaric, Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, http://www.curemeso.org/site/c.duIWJfNQKiL8G/b.8598593/k.D685/Homepage.htm, +1 7038793822, [email protected]
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