Panitumumab versus cetuximab in combination with irinotecan in refractory metastatic colorectal cancer.

Purpose: There is evidence that adding cetuximab can overcome resistance to irinotecan, but a similar analysis with Panitumumab isn't readily available. This study evaluated the activity of each anti-EGFR plus irinotecan as a salvage third-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort of metastatic colorectal cancer patients who progressed to irinotecan monotherapy and were exposed to an anti-EGFR antibody as a third line of treatment.

Hydrogel-antimicrobial peptide association: A novel and promising strategy to combat resistant infections.

Infections from multi-drug resistant bacteria (MDRB) have raised a worldwide concern, with projections indicating that fatalities from these infections could surpass those from cancer by 2050. This troubling trend is influenced by several factors, including the scarcity of new antibiotics to tackle challenging infections, the prohibitive costs of last-resort antibiotics, the inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents in agriculture and aquaculture, and the over-prescription of antibiotics in community settings. One promising alternative treatment is the application of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) against MDRB.

Influence of agarose in semi-IPN hydrogels for sustained Polymyxin B release.

Hydrogels (HGs) are 3-D polymeric networks with high water content, making them appropriate for biomedical applications such as drug delivery systems. This study examines the impact of agarose in semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (Semi-IPNs) based on poly(acrylic acid) (p(AA)), N, N' Methylenebis(acrylamide) (MBA) and agarose (AGA) on the sustained release of Polymyxin B (PolB). Agarose incorporation improved the mechanical strength, swelling behavior and drug retention capacity of the HG.