Leukemia News and Research

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Leukemia (Leukaemia) is a cancer of the blood cells. It is the most common type of blood cancer and affects 10 times as many adults as children. Most people diagnosed with leukemia are over 50 years old. No one knows why some people develop leukemia and others do not. However, scientists have identified some risk factors for the disease. Most people who have known risk factors do not get leukemia, while many who do get the disease have none of these risk factors. During the early stages of leukemia, there may be no symptoms. Many of the symptoms of leukemia don't become apparent until a large number of normal blood cells are crowded out by leukemia cells.

Antibiotic may help in development of new anti-cancer agents: Researchers

An antibiotic known for its immunosuppressive functions could also point the way to the development of new anti-cancer agents, researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine have reported.

28 Jan 2011

Genentech, Biogen announce FDA approval of Rituxan to treat follicular lymphoma

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, and Biogen Idec today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Rituxan as a maintenance treatment for patients with advanced follicular lymphoma who responded to initial treatment with Rituxan plus chemotherapy.

28 Jan 2011

Scientist examines tungsten contamination in drinking water

A Kansas State University scientist is digging deep to solidify information about potential tungsten contamination in the nation's groundwater and aquifers.

28 Jan 2011

Prototype drug halts GVHD in mouse models of bone marrow transplantation

A prototype drug already shown to hold promise for treating autoimmune disorders like lupus, arthritis and psoriasis halts established graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in mouse models of bone marrow transplantation, research at the University of Michigan and the University of Florida shows.

28 Jan 2011

API2-MALT1 fusion protein appears to trigger cancer

What happens when two proteins join together? In this case, they become like a power couple, where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. API2 and MALT1 are two proteins that become fused together in a subset of lymphomas. The API2 part of the fusion connects with an enzyme called NIK. When it does, MALT1 comes in for the kill, splitting NIK in two, a process called cleavage.

28 Jan 2011

Plexxikon begins PLX5622 Phase 1 trial in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Plexxikon today announced that dosing began in the first of two Phase 1 clinical trials with PLX5622, a novel, oral and highly selective Fms inhibitor, targeted for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

27 Jan 2011

FDA grants BioSante Orphan Drug designation for Melanoma Cancer Vaccine

BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the receipt of Orphan Drug designation for its Melanoma Cancer Vaccine in the treatment of stage IIb to IV melanoma, from the FDA's Office of Orphan Products Development. Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer.

25 Jan 2011

Emergent BioSolutions initiates TRU-016 Phase Ib/II study for chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. today announced the initiation of a Phase Ib/II study (16201) of TRU-016 for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). TRU-016 is a CD37-directed Small Modular ImmunoPharmaceutical (SMIP™) protein therapeutic in development for the treatment of B-cell malignancies. TRU-016 is being developed in collaboration with Abbott.

25 Jan 2011

American Red Cross urges all eligible donors to donate blood

Severe winter weather throughout much of the eastern half of the United States in recent weeks has already caused the cancellation of more than 14,000 blood and platelet donations through the American Red Cross. With more winter weather and a possible coastal storm predicted, the Red Cross is urging all eligible blood donors to help boost its blood supply back up to sufficient levels.

25 Jan 2011

Threshold reports positive results from TH-302 Phase 1/2 clinical trial in pancreatic cancer

Threshold Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced updated Phase 1/2 clinical trial results related to the Company's clinical stage hypoxia-activated prodrug, TH-302. The results were presented at the ASCO Gastro Intestinal Cancers Symposium that took place in San Francisco from January 20-22, 2011.

24 Jan 2011

Researchers reveal how genetic mutation contributes to cancer development

Scientists around the world have been hot on the trail of a genetic mutation closely associated with some brain cancers and leukemia since the mutation's discovery in 2008. The hunt is now yielding fruit. In the Jan. 18, 2011 issue of Cancer Cell, researchers reveal how the mutation contributes to cancer development and suggest potential ways to counter its effects.

21 Jan 2011

Cancer Research UK launches new Centre in Glasgow

Cancer Research UK today (Thursday) launches a new Centre which will accelerate the pace of research in Glasgow and see the city become a world leader in the development of new treatments tailored for individual cancer patients.

21 Jan 2011

How genetic abnormalities transform normal cells into leukemic cells

Cancer scientists led by Dr. John Dick at the Ontario Cancer Institute (OCI) and collaborators at St Jude Children's Research Hospital (Memphis) have found that defective genes and the individual leukemia cells that carry them are organized in a more complex way than previously thought.

21 Jan 2011

Researchers take systematic approach to catalog factors that control blood cell development

A small pool of stem cells replenishes the human body with about 200 billion new blood cells daily. But the elaborate circuitry that determines if a cell will develop into a T cell, red blood cell, or one of the nine or more other blood cell types remains largely unknown. A research team led by scientists from the Broad Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital has taken a systematic approach to help decipher this circuitry, compiling a comprehensive catalog of the factors that determine a blood cell's fate.

21 Jan 2011

Geron commences enrollment in imetelstat Phase 2 clinical trial in essential thrombocythemia

Geron Corporation today announced enrollment of the first patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the activity of the company's telomerase inhibitor drug, imetelstat (GRN163L), in patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET).

19 Jan 2011

National Jewish Health issued method patent for desensitizing B cells

National Jewish Health has been issued a US patent claiming a method to desensitize B cells by inactivating antigen receptors on their surfaces. The method, discovered by John Cambier, PhD, Chairman of the Integrated Department of Immunology at National Jewish Health, holds promise for treatment of B-cell mediated diseases, such as lymphoma and leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and rejection of organ transplants.

19 Jan 2011

Patients with varied patchwork of genetic faults in tumours have worse outcomes

Cancer Research UK scientists have discovered that cervical cancer patients who have a mixture of different genetic faults in their tumour at the start of treatment may be more likely to relapse, according to a study published in the British Journal of Cancer today.

19 Jan 2011

Ridaforolimus achieves primary endpoint in Phase 3 trial for metastatic soft-tissue and bone sarcomas

ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced top-line data showing that ridaforolimus, an investigational oral mTOR inhibitor, met the primary endpoint of improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared to placebo in the Phase 3 SUCCEED trial conducted in patients with metastatic soft-tissue or bone sarcomas who previously had a favorable response to chemotherapy.

19 Jan 2011

UQAM student identifies gene linked to B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia

Cyndia Charfi, a Ph. D student in biology at Universit- du Qu-bec - Montr-al (UQAM), supported by her thesis supervisors, Professor -ric Rassart, and Adjunct Professor Elsy Edouard, UQAM, Department of Biological Sciences and BIOMED Research Centre, made a major breakthrough in research on B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia, a disease that occurs most commonly in children.

19 Jan 2011

Quebec reimburses VIDAZA for treatment of blood cancer

Quebec patients with serious blood cancers (intermediate-2 and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia) now have publicly funded access to a new innovative therapy, VIDAZA® (azacitidine). Following a priority review and subsequent positive recommendation from the Conseil du medicament, patients now have the potential to significantly extend survival.

18 Jan 2011