Hopeless cases no more Immunotherapy drug for advanced stages of lung cancer and melanoma now in the Philippines

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The spark of hope has never been brighter for Filipino patients with advanced stages of lung cancer and melanoma. MSD in the Philippines, a leader in oncology research and development just introduced immunotherapy, one of the most innovative cancer treatment methods to date.

One type of immunotherapy called immune checkpoint inhibitors is a form of cancer treatment that prevents the interaction between the immune system’s T-cells and the tumors. When tumors and T-cells interact, a protein found in the tumor called the Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1) deactivates T-cells so they become incapable of recognizing and destroying cancer cells. Through immunotherapy, this interaction is blocked so that T-cells can detect and ward off the cancer cells.

In the Philippines, the anti PD-L1 immunotherapy drug Pembrolizumab received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of advanced or metastatic lung cancer and melanoma after failing first-line treatment. In a media roundtable symposium held March 17 in Manila, Dr Gerardo Cornelio, Cancer Institute Head of St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City shared that “Pembrolizumab has the potential to become an integral part of cancer treatment. It has and will be tested across a broad spectrum of cancers.”

Burden of Disease
Cancer is one of the most challenging diseases and annual cases are expected to rise to 22 million within the next two decades. In 2012 alone, there were 14 million new cases reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) with 8.2 million cancer-related deaths. A significant contributor to this statistic is lung cancer, which is the top cause of cancer mortality for both sexes worldwide.
Sadly, incidence from the Philippines is not far off from the global data. According to Globocan 2012, Iung cancer is the second most common cancer in incidence and mortality among Filipino men and women.
As for melanoma, a skin cancer whose risk factors include sun exposure, fair complexion and genetics, around 300 Filipinos are affected annually. Though melanoma is not one of the most common cancers in the country, early diagnosis remains a challenge for most patients.

The good news is that for many cancers there have been significant breakthroughs – from prevention to treatment options – however, the unmet needs remain high.

Durable responses, lower toxicities
Clinical trials have shown immunotherapy’s efficacy in the treatment of advanced lung cancer and melanoma. According to a study published in LANCET, Pembrolizumab showed superior overall survival with less high-grade toxicity for previously treated, PD-L1-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Results of the trials showed that the most common side effects for lung cancer patients receiving Pembrolizumab were decreased appetite, fatigue, nausea, and rash.

Clinical trials also showed that Pembrolizumab has superior anticancer activity in patients with advanced melanoma who failed previous therapies. In terms of safety profile, Pembrolizumab showed a lower incidence of treatment-related adverse events compared to chemotherapy. .

Biomarkers play a key role in patient response

The expression of a certain biomarker in patients’ tumors played an important role in their response to Pembrolizumab. Biomarkers are proteins found in a patient’s tissue, blood or fluids that can help determine the outcome of a patient’s disease or response to medication. Clinical trials have shown that if a patients’ tumors express the biomarker Programmed Death Ligand-1 (PD-L1), patients are more likely to have a better response to the drug.

Hope within reach
“Addressing the rising incidence of cancer is indeed a tough road to embark on. MSD has been dedicating its resources to developing innovative oncology medicines. Pembrolizumab propelled our research efforts to understand of the role of the immune system and the PD-L1 pathway in cancer treatment” said Dr. Beaver Tamesis, President and Managing Director of MSD in the Philippines.
With this immunotherapy finally available in the Philippines, cancer patients need not equate being diagnosed with advanced or metastatic lung cancer or melanomas a death sentence. Thanks to this breakthrough in cancer medication, patients in the Philippines and abroad have a ray of hope and confidence in what used to be a hopeless case.

1ST PHILIPPINE ENVIRONMENT SUMMIT SET

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The 1st Philippine Environment Summit, a celebration of the Philippine environmental movement, will be held on Feb 9 to 11 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia. The 3-day event will showcase programs and projects, as well as breakthroughs and innovations that contribute to the social and economic advancement, while protecting the environment. There will also be an exhibit area featuring eco-friendly products and services.

With “Greening Together, Growing Better” as theme, the summit will feature renowned leaders of government, the church, environment, civic organizations and academia as plenary and resource speakers in breakout sessions and as exhibitors. Also attending the event are lead members of environmental civil society organizations, leaders of government and business, as well as individual and institutional environmentalists.

President Benigno Aquino III, Luis Cardinal Tagle, former SC Justice Reynato Puno, and internationally renowned environmental activists Dr. David Suzuki and Dr. Vandana Shiva are some of the invited speakers, while leading Presidential aspirants in the coming national elections will be asked to present their environmental agendas.

The Summit is co-organized by the Green Convergence — a large coalition of environmental and developmental organizations, networks, faith-based groups and individuals — and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Also supporting the event are the Energy Development Corporation, Tourism Promotions Board, Foundation of the Philippine Environment, PTFCF and Trans-Asia Renewable Energy.

The main objectives of the Summit are to disseminate information to the public on the developments, achievements, challenges, programs and projects in relation to food safety, environment and natural resource protection and conservation and sustainable economy; strengthen and energize networking between and within the public and private sector and within and across various sectors and groups, formulate policy recommendations; and showcase convergence initiatives between and /or among government, civil society, business, and other sectors of society.

“In celebrating the advancements in environmental protection achieved through private and public initiatives, we hope to create an opportunity for all sectors to unite and collaborate,” says Green Convergence president Dr. Angelina Galang. “The 1st Philippine Environment Summit is a call to government and the Filipino people to unite in accelerating the drive towards national sustainable development.”

The Summit will be plenary sessions in the morning and breakout sessions in the afternoon, and a simultaneous three-day exhibit. Another highlight of the event is an awards ceremony recognizing LGU eco-champions. It concludes with the environment movement’s resolution for specific desired actions by the most influential sectors – government and business – that will protect the environment in pursuit of sustainable development in the Philippines.

To register for participation, join the exhibits, or know more about the 1st Philippine Environment Summit, call 225 7330 or visit greenconvergencephil on Facebook.

With the OLX Possibili-tree pay it forward this Holiday season

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This Christmas, OLX has partnered with Save the Children in raising funds that will go to programs dedicated to creating better lives for children and their families here in the Philippines. This shared goal has led to the creation of the OLX Possibili-tree.

“With OLX Possibili-tree, we would like to send out the message thatit is possible to reward ourselves while extending support to others at the same time. The full amount that we will generate from selling these secondhand items will be turned over to Save the Children to assist them with their disaster response programs that are especially focused on education and health,” says OLX Philippines Brand Marketing Manager Jean Magboo.

The OLX Possibili-tree stands 15 feet tall and is made up of quality secondhand items that are up for sale from December 15, 2015 to January 15, 2016, at Gateway Mall cinema lobby located at the 4th floor.

“We are grateful for this partnership with OLX and we invite everyone to join by donating or buying any of the items on display on the OLX Possibili-tree. Your donations will go a long way in helping us support our sponsored children and their families to have better access to health, childhood development, and education. This wonderful gift will give them more reason to smile and feel loved not just this Christmas but all year round,” says Riel Andaluz, Corporate Partnerships Sr. Manager of Save the Children.

Clothes, books, home appliances, bags, office supplies, and gadgets are just some of the quality secondhand items that will be up for sale.

Aside from buying or donating items, everyone can help spread the word by taking a photo of the OLX Possibili-tree and share it on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with the hashtag #OLXPossibilitree. Regular cash donations are also accepted at the OLX booth stationed beside the Possibili-tree, which is open from 10AM to 10PM daily from December 15, 2015 until January 15, 2016.

Like OLX Philippines on Facebook and follow @olxph on Twitter and Instagram to get more updates.

FWD Life encourages Filipinos to stay healthy and fit one move at a time

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Can you really be healthy and fit by investing just four minutes of your day in exercise?

Apparently, it is possible and FWD Life is showing Filipinos how they can be healthier and fitter pursue their passions and live the life they dream of.

To encourage more Filipinos to start living a healthy lifestyle, FWD Life recently launched a health and wellness movement aptly called Live to Move—premised on the idea that attaining better health is key in living life to the fullest.

At the heart of the campaign is the FWD Motion, a specially designed four-minute metabolic fitness (MetaFit) workout which has a health benefit equivalent of up to one-hour exercise. Its four primary steps – jump, squat, push up, and lunge – will encourage Filipinos to get into their exercise gear and start moving. Short, simple, and effective, the four primary steps easily encourage people to work out regardless if they are novice, intermediate or advanced fitness enthusiasts.

FWD Motion is a simple regimen. Its four primary steps can be integrated into daily activities and can be done anywhere, reducing the need to go to the gym or attend a workout class. Having been developed by celebrity fitness coaches Jim and Toni Saret (“The Biggest Loser Pinoy Edition Season 2,” “Fit Filipino Movement”), who are also the campaign collaborators, it is scientifically-proven to make an individual lose as much as 600 calories, depending on the intensity of execution and number of repetitions.

“FWD encourages Filipinos to be healthier through the Live To Move movement and it matches perfectly with our advocacy. Through Live To Move and the FWD Motion, we are able to motivate people to start moving in as short as four minutes only, so they can live better and healthier lives,” said Coach Jim Saret.

Coaches Jim and Toni Saret are also healthy lifestyle ambassadors of the Philippine Heart Association (PHA), the official advocacy partner of Live To Move. FWD Life supports PHA’s 52100 advocacy, a simple guide to remind people of the essentials of good health, with each number representing a daily target: five (5) servings of fruits and vegetables, two (2) hours maximum recreational screen time, one (1) hour of moderate activity, zero (0) sugared drinks, and zero (0) smoking/secondhand smoke.
“This partnership enables PHA to further promote public awareness on the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. We are also grateful that through Live To Move, FWD is able to support our 52100 advocacy which encourages Filipinos to adopt simple heart-friendly daily habits,” said Dr. Alex Junia, Philippine Heart Association President.

The campaign started with the FWD Motion online video challenge wherein participants post their workout videos featuring their passions and their variations to the four primary steps. It continues with the Live To Move Tour, a series of health and wellness-themed pocket events around Metro Manila which includes group activities called Move to the Beat (Hip Hop), Move to the Groove (Zumba), Move to Fight (boxing and cardio), and Move to the FWD Motion (MetaFit). It will culminate on October 24 with the Live To Move Grand Festival where participants will enjoy exciting activities and rewards in surrounding booths for free medical consultation, cooking sessions, group workouts, and a free-for-all wellness concert.

Campaign participants are entitled to raffle entries which give them the chance to win exciting lifestyle gadgets during the tour and the grand festival.

“We have established Live To Move as a platform and the FWD Motion as a key workout routine to encourage Filipinos to start living a healthy lifestyle so they can pursue their passions. We are committed to lead the cause for Filipinos’ health and wellness in the life insurance industry, since we strongly believe in the benefits of living a healthy and more active life,” said FWD Life President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Grimes.

For more information about Live To Move campaign, visit FWD Life Philippines on Facebook. You can also visit its microsite, www.livetomove.ph to upload your FWD Motion videos until October 23. You can also catch upcoming Live To Move tour stops in Bonifacio Global City on October 10 and Alabang Town Center on October 17.

About FWD Life Insurance Corporation Philippines

Arriving in the Philippines in early 2014, FWD is the insurance arm of Pacific Century Group, an investment group established in 1993 with interests in financial services, telecommunications, real estate, and other investments in Asia. FWD is the first in nearly a decade to be granted a life insurance license by the Insurance Commission of the Philippines. FWD launched its commercial operations in September 2014.

FWD Group spans Hong Kong & Macau, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, offering life and medical insurance, employee benefits, and general insurance across a number of its markets.

FWD is focused on creating fresh customer experiences, with easy-to-understand products, supported by leading digital technologies. Through this customer-led approach, FWD will achieve its vision to become the leading pan-Asian insurer that changes the way people feel about insurance.

For more information, please visit WWW.FWD.COM.PH.

Two Special Celebration for Baskin Robbins

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Baskin-Robbins (BR), the world’s most beloved ice cream brand, marks two significant milestones as it celebrates its first year in the Philippines and simultaneously 70 years since its birth in California in 1945. These major events inspired the launch of the BR 31 Smiles Project – a CSR campaign providing free cleft lip reconstructive surgery to 31 children in partnership with the renowned charitable foundation, Operation Smile.

“This is a very special celebration of 2 important anniversaries. We’d like to express our deepest thanks to our loyal customers for supporting the brand throughout its first year in the Philippines,” says Michael Dargani, president IceDream Inc., the company that exclusively operates Baskin Robbins in the Philippines. “In line with our commitment to serving fun and smiles for seven decades, Baskin-Robbins is truly proud to welcome the 31 beneficiaries of our BR 31 Smiles Project” added Dargani.

BR 31 Smiles Project is a campaign intended to bring back the smiles of children with cleft lip and cleft palate through free reconstructive surgery, funded by Baskin-Robbins Philippines. The number 31 is symbolic of the brand’s heritage as it is known for carrying 31 flavors of ice cream at any given time – one for every day of the month. The amount needed for the 31 surgeries was raised through various promotions at the store level as well as at special selling events.

One of the beneficiaries of the cleft lip surgery is Wivina ‘Vina’ Marie Maninang, age 5. Due to her cleft lip condition, Vina was unaccepted by other children in her community and was often bullied. Under the BR 31 Smiles Project, Vina was selected by Operation Smile to undergo free reconstructive surgery at Sta. Ana Hospital. Many have witnessed Vina’s touching story in the You tube video created by Baskin Robbins at the start of their campaign in June this year.

“Kitang-kita ko po ang malaking pagbabago sa aking anak na si Vina pagkatapos ng maoperahan sya,” shares Maritess Maninang, Vina’s mom. “Kung dati po na madalas syang umiyak sa akin kapag natutukso ng mga kalaro nya, ngayon po ay mas lumakas ang loob nya na harapin ang mga ito,” she adds.

Vina dreams of becoming a professional dancer someday. And now that she has been given a brand new smile, there is no stopping her from making this dream a reality.

“On behalf of Operation Smile, I would like to thank Baskin-Robbins for this wonderful project. Your ‘BR 31 Smiles Project’ has not only brought back the smiles of 31 children
but also helped their families and restored the enthusiasm and happiness of these wonderful kids,” shares Anne Gonzales, vice chairman of Operation Smile Philippines.

And the happiness doesn’t stop there. Baskin-Robbins has just introduced a delicious new lineup of indulgent Cookie Sundaes, premium Baskin-Robbins ice cream paired with warm, chewy cookies and topped with sundae toppings. Starting October, guests can create indulgent sundaes customized to their liking by choosing from a selection of warm and chewy White Chunk Macadamia, Dark Chocolate Chunk and Double Fudge Cookies to serve with up to two of their favorite Baskin-Robbins ice cream flavors. The Warm Cookie Ice Cream Sundae can be topped with hot fudge, praline caramel sauce, candy pieces, cookie pieces, whipped cream and cherries.

Over the past 70 years, Baskin-Robbins has brought its famous 31 ice cream flavors to the world. While the brand started as a neighborhood ice cream shop in California in 1945, it now has more than 7,500 locations in nearly 50 countries worldwide.

Baskin-Robbins was founded by two ice cream enthusiasts and brothers-in-law who shared a dream to create an innovative ice cream shop that would be a neighborhood gathering place for families. Over 300 million people visit Baskin-Robbins each year to sample from more than 1,200 flavor creations available in its ice cream library. Baskin-Robbins offers guests around the world a wide range of hard scoop ice cream flavors, along with custom ice cream cakes, delicious frozen beverages, ice cream sundaes and take-home frozen treats.

For more information about Baskin-Robbins, log on to www.baskinrobbins.ph or check out their Facebook (facebook.com/baskinrobbinsph), Twitter and Instagram (baskinrobbinsph) accounts. Or visit Baskin-Robbins shops at the Central Square, Bonifacio Global City; Greenbelt 5 and Glorietta 5 in Makati; Fairview Terraces and Trinoma Mall in Quezon City.