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.

Herrick Foundation's $3M grant for cancer research

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute announced today it received a $3 million grant from the Herrick Foundation. The initial gift of $1 million launches The Herrick Foundation Cancer Research Challenge, a special initiative to increase research funding at the Karmanos Cancer Institute over the next four years. The additional commitment of $2 million will be given in match funding.

21 Oct 2009

Manhattan Scientifics enters into a non-binding LOI with Edward R. Flynn

Manhattan Scientifics announced today that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) with Edward R. Flynn, Ph.D. and his company, Senior Scientific, LLC, to acquire all the manufacturing and marketing rights, together with all commercial rights associated with Dr. Flynn’s patents and IP in the emerging field of nanomedicine.

21 Oct 2009

NCCN Guidelines for Acute Myeloid Leukemia updated

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recently made updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology(TM) for Acute Myeloid Leukemia, a cancer that starts inside the bone marrow and the most common acute leukemia affecting adults.

20 Oct 2009

Novartis' Tasigna capsules meets primary endpoint in comparison trial with Gleevec

Novartis announced today that Tasigna (nilotinib) 200 mg capsules met its primary endpoint in the first head-to-head comparison with the company's groundbreaking drug Gleevec (imatinib mesylate) tablets*. Tasigna produced faster and deeper responses than Gleevec when given as first-line therapy for adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in chronic phase. Tasigna was well tolerated in the study.

20 Oct 2009

Interim results from Phase 1 CAL-101 trial for chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Calistoga Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the leader in the development of isoform-selective phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitors for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases, today announced the presentation of interim results from the ongoing Phase 1 trial evaluating CAL-101, an oral delta-selective PI3K inhibitor, demonstrating promising clinical responses in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

20 Oct 2009

Article evaluating StemEx therapy for leukemia and lymphoma to be published

Gamida Cell announced today the publication of an article evaluating carlecortemcel-l, the generic name of what is widely known as "StemEx", as a therapy for blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma.

19 Oct 2009

New chromosomal abnormality in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Researchers identified a new chromosomal abnormality in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that appears to work in concert with another mutation to give rise to cancer. This latest anomaly is particularly common in children with Down syndrome.

19 Oct 2009

FDA grants marketing approval for Elitek

Sanofi-aventis U.S. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing approval for Elitek (rasburicase) to be used for the initial management of plasma uric acid (PUA) levels in adult patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and solid tumor malignancies who are receiving anti-cancer therapy expected to result in tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) and subsequent elevations of plasma uric acid.

19 Oct 2009

Recently approved Gleevec drug for cancer treatment

Investigators have identified a drug that is currently approved to treat certain types of cancer, Gleevec, that could provide the first treatment for scleroderma, a chronic connective tissue disease for which a treatment has remained elusive. The news will be presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology on October 18 in Philadelphia.

19 Oct 2009

MDS secures international cooperation to help Canadian teenager with malignant blood disorder

The Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) Foundation says a wide range of international cooperation has been secured to help 18-year-old Wes Laporte of Ontario get treatment for a life-threatening condition in the US.

15 Oct 2009

Cord Blood America addresses shareholder questions regarding its new laboratory in Las Vegas

Cord Blood America, Inc., the umbilical cord blood stem cell preservation company (http://www.cordblood-america.com ) focused on bringing the life saving potential of stem cells, a biological insurance policy for families nationwide and internationally, today addressed shareholder questions about its new laboratory in Las Vegas in an interview of Matthew Schissler, founder and CEO, by analyst Francis Gaskins.

15 Oct 2009

Biosante Pharmaceuticals, Cell Genesys successfully complete merger

BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Cell Genesys, Inc., today announced the successful completion of their previously announced merger of Cell Genesys with and into BioSante, with BioSante as the surviving company, under which BioSante now has acquired all of the outstanding shares of Cell Genesys common stock.

15 Oct 2009

Veterans Affairs establishes service-connection benefits for Vietnam Veterans

Relying on an independent study by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki decided to establish a service-connection for Vietnam Veterans with three specific illnesses based on the latest evidence of an association with the herbicides referred to as Agent Orange.

15 Oct 2009

Researchers discover new cancer gene that causes adenoid cystic carcinoma

The cancer caused by this new cancer gene is called adenoid cystic carcinoma and is a slow-growing but deadly form of cancer. The research group can now show that the gene is found in 100% of these tumours, which means that a genetic test can easily be used to make a correct diagnosis.

14 Oct 2009

New UCL cancer research centre launched in UK

A new centre is launched in London today (Wednesday), joining a select group of Cancer Research UK Centres across the UK.

14 Oct 2009

Case Western Reserve University receives a $20.5M gift to support medical education and research programs

Case Western Reserve University has received a $20.5 million gift from Donald Goodman, DDS (DEN '45) and Ruth Weber Goodman.

14 Oct 2009

Compugen, Bayer Schering Pharma sign collaboration agreement for tumor research

Compugen Ltd. announced today that they have signed a collaboration agreement with Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Germany covering the further evaluation of a Compugen discovered tumor target and its splice variants.

13 Oct 2009

Celator Pharmaceuticals enrolls 120 patients in CPX-351 Phase 2 study

Celator Pharmaceuticals today announced that it has completed enrollment in its Phase 2 multicenter, randomized, open-label clinical trial of CPX-351 (Cytarabine:Daunorubicin) Liposome Injection versus conventional cytarabine and daunorubicin therapy ("7+3") in patients 60-75 years of age with untreated acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

12 Oct 2009

AACR to host its first Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research Meeting

The American Association for Cancer Research will host its first Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research Meeting in Boston from Oct. 8-11, 2009. The meeting is expected to draw nearly 500 leading scientists to present on high-profile topics like epigenetics, metastasis and systems biology, and create synergies among the many subfields of basic science.

12 Oct 2009

New York Governor participates in roundtable discussion on stem cell research

Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University hosted a roundtable discussion on stem cell research with New York Governor David A. Paterson today. Allen M. Spiegel, M.D., the Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean of Einstein, and eight stem cell researchers discussed advances in medical therapies and treatments that Einstein scientists have been investigating since receiving more than $14 million in State funding for stem cell research.

9 Oct 2009