Morning Business Report: Cancer treatment breakthroughs show promise as Halloween candy sales decline
Two promising cancer treatments are showing encouraging results in clinical trials, potentially offering new options for patients battling aggressive forms of the disease.
(LILAMAX)- Two promising cancer treatments are showing encouraging results in clinical trials, potentially offering new options for patients battling aggressive forms of the disease.
Drugmaker Amgen reported that combining its treatment with an immunotherapy from AstraZeneca reduced the risk of death by 58% among patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.
The findings come from a late-stage clinical trial involving one of the most aggressive forms of lung cancer.
Meanwhile, Merck and Moderna are developing an experimental personalized cancer vaccine that could become the first of its kind used to treat the disease.
The companies reported that melanoma patients who received a vaccine designed to help their immune systems recognize and attack tumors were 42% less likely to experience a cancer recurrence within two years compared with patients who did not receive the vaccine.
Both treatments remain subject to further regulatory review before they could become widely available.
In consumer news, Halloween candy sales are off to a slow start as Americans face higher living costs and rising chocolate prices.
According to NielsenIQ, Halloween candy sales declined 6.7% during the month ending October 17 compared with the same period last year.
Smaller bags of candy were the only package sizes showing sales growth through mid-October, while large and extra-large bags experienced the steepest declines.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped more than 600 points Friday as oil prices climbed above $100 per barrel.
Investors are now looking ahead to a Federal Reserve meeting and earnings reports from major technology companies.
In Washington, President Donald Trump announced a $275 million initiative aimed at recruiting and retaining nurses in nursing homes across the country.
The Nurses for Nursing Homes program is expected to support more than 4,000 nurses nationwide, particularly in rural communities and areas facing significant staffing shortages.
Eligible participants could receive up to $40,000 in student loan repayment assistance, a $10,000 stipend or a combination of those benefits.
In exchange, participants must commit to working an average of at least 30 hours per week for three years at a qualifying nursing home.
Meanwhile, Six Flags announced plans to install seatbelts on select roller coasters across its parks following the death of a man who fell from a ride at one of its properties.
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation President John Reilly said Friday that the company hired independent engineers and inspectors to review rides and attractions.
The company said the additional safety measures are being implemented as those reviews take place.
