Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

RING THE BELL TO CELEBRATE!

I just received a phone call from my sister, a physician/scientist bio onc recruiter @Genentech
as they were ringing a bell company wide (@2pm pst) to celebrate the long awaited arrival & approval of TDM1 aka Kadcyla!
She called me earlier today to tell me to be available so she could share with me the sounds of the bell ringing, and lots of hoots & hollers & whooops mixed in:)
It was so exciting & I was whooping along with them!
And it was such a wonderful feeling to know that they celebrate this success as much as we do.
Then someone gave a speech, which I couldn't hear very well, so I let her go to listen & enjoy.

I <3 Genentech!

Jml

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

I also love genentech. And as I told a tdm1 team during a visit there a few years ago: now get back to work!

People will think what they will about big pharma and biotech, but the ont thing that has always impressed me about genentech people (and I've met MANY) is they all have a passion that goes further... They have a personal agenda which is to defeat cancer, or whatever they are working on

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

already can't remember the name...
CyKadia?
I mean---dude--they spent the dough on consumer testing but forgot to focus a focus group on the name? RUNdmc, TDM1, LMNOP, --Kadcyla--? Is it the TomKat, the BeyonJ, the Bennifer, the J-Lo of the down lo and I'm missing the point?
I know, a rose by any other name....
Really happy they are ringing the bell! Super happy it's approved, no matter that I'm disappointed in the name!

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

I also love the people at Genentech. Mark Slikowski, who formulated many of the drugs we are on now, is an amazing man who truly cares about the end user: us. I listened to a speech given by a VP recently and he remarked, with held-back emotion in his voice, about how Mark said, "This is going to be great for patients," when they recognized the efficacy of Perjeta. I knew I was in "good people" company when I witnessed that.

Thanks, Jessica, for sharing your experience of the long-awaited approval. They should have your picture hanging in the lobby of the main building.

Love Karen

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

Such a lovely post Jessica! Thanks for sharing.
Cheers Marie

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

Karen I've met Mark and he not only was part of Perjeta, bu t worked on herceptin and tdm1. A wonderful man with endless passion and determination.

Flori, Sonali from genentech called me with the news Friday. I had the same reaction to the name! She said they wanted to include "ADC" as it is the first antibody-drug conjugate. The rest on the name was to make it something that could be pronounced,,if not easily remembered!

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

Yes, Chrisy, that is correct. He is often overshadowed by Dr. Slamon, unfortunately. But last year, he won Most Distinguished Scientist, the most coveted award in his platform. That, for any scientist, is THE recognition. Hope you are well.

Karen

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

I wish they would have name it Adcyla - that would be easier for me. Glad to know about the ADC antibody drug conjugate part, at least I understand the name bettah.

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

Jessica,
Great post! I've never met any of the Genentech folks, but I feel like I love them just the same. I try to remember to pray for them when I pray for us.

And hey...those of you who have someone's ear over there...if you can work it into conversation sometime....I'd reeeeaaallly love for them to find a targeted treatment for StageIV...that crosses the BBB. I have a selfish interest in seeing that explored! :)

But, still SUPER happy for our sisters who need, and can now get TDM-1!!! Thanks Genentech!

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

I'm also very excited about the approval...now waiting for Health Canada. And good to know I wasn't the only one that didn't like the new name! But thanks for the explanation Chrisy, that does help to explain it.

I've been part of the EMILIA trial in Toronto, and have just received my 42nd infusion...WOW! And FYI, the Toronto Star (newspaper) is publishing a story about Antibody-Drug conjugates, including TDM-1 (I don't think it'll ever be Kadcyla for me) likely on Sat March 16. I was interviewed yesterday for this story, so it might include a one-line quote from me ;)

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

This entire thread has just made me smile...and the smiles for me have been too few on Her2 lately with the rough times we have had. So glad you shared the celebration and the reason for the name! Flori, You are too funny! I guess I will always think of it as TDM1...thanks Genetech...bring it on!

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

I finished my 1 yr. of herceptin and came home that night to the news on TV about approval of Kadcyla and the daily paper had an article the next day. I was doing a happy dance.

Next week I am scheduled for a PetScan and hoping all is good. I haven't spoken to my oncologist since all this happened. Just wondering if the cancer comes back will I take Kadcyla? Do I just continue on arimidex for the next 4 years and is there a test to let me know is HER2 is back and acting up? I am also scheduled for echocardigram next week and have no reason to think my heart will be anything but healthy. I see my MS Specialist next Monday and hope I can now go back to a MS drug that will stop the progression of the MS. In the meantime I'm thankful we have another med in our arsenal.

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

How joyful it is to log on and see all this Her-2 HAPPY DANCING going on!!!
JML please call your sister and have her send a company wide email out to all her co-workers at Genentech. Can she ask them to log on as guests and just see all their cheerleaders?!
Truly, many of us are here yucking it up, raising our kids, loving life because of their combined efforts.
Thank you so much for sharing their celebration - just see how it ripples forward.
Love Kim (from CT)

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

The oncologists are happy here too.
My cousin who works for Roche the parent company of Genetech sent me an e-mail about the approval a few minutes after they got the news. Roche is happy too.
Alot of people will be helped by T DM1 -Kadcyla.

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

I have found every individual Genentech employee we have talked with to be top notch . Would love to meet the team that invented T DM-1 someday. Saved my wifes' life, 27 months and counting !! NED !!

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

Yes, this is so exciting! I'm still smiling. The talk is that Perjeta and Kacyla will be the gold standard for treating MBC. The Genetech bunch has really produced some life changing treatments for us Her2er's. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Don't stop now . . . keep researching!

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

This is exciting.

Now, how the hell do we get this drug? My doctor said he'd put me on it as soon as it came out as all chemos (seven now, plus herceptin and a liver resection) has failed me. But I had chemo yesterday and they have no intentions of ordering an expensive drug like that. A small clinic can't bear the costs. So, who here knows how I can get it?

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

Hi Coolbreeze,

I am sorry that your doctor's office won't order the drug for you. Perhaps he could coordinate with a major cancer center in your area. I am sure UCSF will have it soon, but that probably is too far away for you to go every three weeks.

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

Hello Coolbreeze, according to Genentech spokesman
Ed Lang:
The monthly cost of Kadcyla in the United States is $9,800. The estimated cost of a course of Kadcyla is approximately $94,000. This is based on people taking Kadcyla for 9.6 months.
When pricing Kadcyla, we considered a variety of factors including that cost of the combination of Tykerb and Xeloda (approximately $10,460 per month) which is the current standard treatment in this line of therapy and the comparator in the pivotal EMILIA study.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewh...xpensive-drug/

Re: Kadcyla/TDM1 CELEBRATION @ Genentech:)
 

No chance can I go to SF every three weeks. Here's hoping a Sacramento hospital gets it soon.