Staburo provided statistical support for a biomarker study that was recently published in the Journal Lung Cancer. The manuscript describes a retrospective analysis to assess the ability of the VeriStrat serum protein test to predict clinical benefit with afatinib versus erlotinib (predictive effect), and the association of VeriStrat status with overall clinical outcomes (prognostic effect) in LUX-Lung 8.

Highlights of the publication

• Clinical utility of the VeriStrat serum protein test was assessed in LUX-Lung 8.
• Patients were classified as VeriStrat ‘Good’ (VS-G) or VeriStrat ‘Poor’ (VS-P).
• VS-G classification is associated with favorable survival outcomes versus VS-P.
• In VS-G patients, survival outcomes are superior with afatinib versus erlotinib.

The full publication can be read here: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016950021730329X

The Staburo team once again proved that it has endurance, power and a great finish. This time, for a change, not in biostatistics projects – but in the 2017 B2RUN Munich, alongside 30,000 other runners.

The race track was 6.1km long and took us through the picturesque 1972 Olympic Park, which alone was worth the hardship. We may not have been the fastest overall, but we claim to have finished as No. 1 in the biostatistics consulting category.

If other companies want to challenge this, please send us the exact data. One of our statistics experts will check it out – be aware that very fast outliers will not be analysed here.

After the B2RUN, we relaxed and had dinner together at the greek restaurant ‘Kalypso’ in Munich. Great weather, great event, great team!

With the support of Dr. Thilo Pfletschinger from 3DSE, we developed the company strategy for Staburo for the next five years. Before the workshop, all employees gave input to possible goals and the prospects of Staburo. The final strategy includes all our common goals and gives guidance, how to achieve them. Our clients profit from our support in biostatistics and statistical programming – now and in the future!

We are very happy to welcome Laura Schlieker in our team. Laura will support our clients with her experience in biostatistics, especially within the area of Translational Medicine & Biomarkers. We are looking forward to a great cooperation!

The presentation was about the current guideline for sample size calculations that is in place at Staburo. This guideline has been presented to the whole team and is intended to help everybody, when performing such calculations in his/her projects.

The first version of this guideline has been finalised and contains already some settings (such as evaluations with binary or time-to-event endpoints). However, the objective is that all colleagues get involved and share their experience (different types of trial settings/designs, of endpoints). Indeed, each project has its own specifics, each colleague has his/her own expertise areas and is therefore able to contribute to improve the guideline. On the other side, this guideline will help in new projects with similar questions as previous ones, since it gathers earlier experience.

Ideally, each setting contains the following parts: assumptions and methodology used with corresponding references, example of program doing the calculation (using SAS or other adapted), and template text for protocol.

As a conclusion, this guideline will bring benefit to new projects and further improve the quality of our handling of customers‘ requests!