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.

Vion Pharmaceuticals files for bankruptcy

VION PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., a pharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel cancer therapeutics, announced that it had voluntarily filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

18 Dec 2009

Ambit Biosciences and Astellas Pharma to jointly develop and commercialize FLT3 kinase inhibitors

Ambit Biosciences Corporation and Astellas Pharma Inc. today announced that they have entered into a worldwide agreement to jointly develop and commercialize FLT3 kinase inhibitors in oncology and non-oncology indications.

18 Dec 2009

ODAC to review Cell Therapeutics' NDA for pixantrone

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI) announced today that on February 10, 2010 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) will review the New Drug Application (NDA) for pixantrone for the treatment of relapsed/refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

17 Dec 2009

ODAC to conduct public advisory meeting to review ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals’ NDA for Omapro

ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited announced today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has notified the company that the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) will conduct a public advisory meeting on 10 February 2010 to review the Company’s NDA for Omapro™ (omacetaxine mepesuccinate) for injection.

17 Dec 2009

Reprints Desk signs distribution deals with seven STM journal publishers

Derycz Scientific, Inc., a company that is pioneering a fresh way of facilitating the flow of information from content publishers to enterprise customers and their constituents, today announced that wholly-owned subsidiary Reprints Desk, Inc. has signed distribution deals with seven additional scientific, technical and medical (STM) journal publishers, expanding the pay-per-view content available to Reprints Desk customers and enhancing the speed of delivery.

16 Dec 2009

Genes work together by huddling in clusters inside nucleus, research reveals

Research from the Babraham Institute has revealed for the first time that genes work together by huddling in clusters inside the nucleus - the information centre of a cell. These findings, published in the online edition of the journal Nature Genetics, represent a paradigm shift in our understanding of how the genome is spatially organised in relation to gene expression.

16 Dec 2009

Preclinical study of Arno Therapeutics' drug candidate AR-42 presented at ASH 2009

Arno Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology therapeutics, today announced the presentation of a poster at the annual American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting that describes the preclinical activity of Arno’s drug candidate AR-42 against leukemia stem cells (LSCs).

16 Dec 2009

Italian patent issued for NPM1 to test patients with AML

Xenomics, Inc., a developer of transrenal molecular diagnostics, announced today that a key Italian patent covering a unique diagnostic application with critical significance for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has issued.

16 Dec 2009

New study to help researchers develop highly effective drug for MLL

A new study could point the way to the development of better drugs to fight a deadly form of childhood leukemia called mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL).

15 Dec 2009

Update on new clinical developments and other initiatives related to Ceplene

EpiCept Corporation today provided an update on new clinical developments and other initiatives related to Ceplene® (histamine dihydrochloride), the Company’s therapy approved in the European Union for the remission maintenance and prevention of relapse of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in first remission.

15 Dec 2009

Study may pave way for effective drug development for childhood leukemia

A new study could point the way to the development of better drugs to fight a deadly form of childhood leukemia called mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL).

15 Dec 2009

Clarient and BioView team up to develop diagnostic tool for early detection of lung cancer

Clarient, Inc., a premier technology and services resource for pathologists, oncologists and the pharmaceutical industry, and BioView Ltd. (TASE: BIOV) today jointly announced that they will collaborate on studies to validate the clinical utility of a non-invasive test for the early detection of non-small cell lung cancer.

14 Dec 2009

Combination of Herceptin and chemotherapy improves treatment for women with HER2+ breast cancer

Using Herceptin with chemotherapy, instead of after, clearly improves treatment of women with HER2+ breast cancer, and should be the new standard of care, says a Mayo Clinic researcher who led what is regarded to be a key clinical trial determining the best use of Herceptin.

14 Dec 2009

Herb milk thistle help treat liver inflammation in cancer patients who receive chemotherapy, finds study

A new study finds that the herb milk thistle may help treat liver inflammation in cancer patients who receive chemotherapy. Published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study indicates that the herb could allow patients to take potent doses of chemotherapy without damaging their liver.

14 Dec 2009

ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals and Hospira enter into exclusive agreement

ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited and Hospira, Inc. announced today that they have entered into an exclusive agreement to license, develop and commercialize ChemGenex’s product candidate omacetaxine mepesuccinate, a novel targeted cytotoxic pharmaceutical product, in Europe, the Middle East and parts of Africa (the Territory).

13 Dec 2009

Phase 2 pivotal trial of AC220 initiated by Ambit Biosciences

Ambit Biosciences Corporation announced today the enrollment and dosing at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center of the first patient in the ACE (AC220 Monotherapy Efficacy) Phase 2 pivotal trial in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

11 Dec 2009

CyMap technology wins first prize in the Medical and Healthcare category

CyMap, an innovative lens-free microscope developed by Cancer Research UK scientists and members of the Optical Biochips Consortium*, has won first prize in the Medical and Healthcare category of The Engineer's Technology and Innovation Awards as well as the overall Grand Prix prize.

11 Dec 2009

Chemotherapy improves overall survival in postmenopausal breast cancer patients

Chemotherapy generally improves survival in postmenopausal breast cancer patients, according to a landmark study led by Dr. Kathy Albain of Loyola University Health System.

11 Dec 2009

Tasigna demonstrates greater efficacy over Gleevec in chronic Ph+ CML patients

In a large Phase III clinical trial, Tasigna (nilotinib capsules) demonstrated greater efficacy over Gleevec (imatinib) in the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in chronic phase. The new clinical data were just presented as a late breaking abstract at the 51st annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), in New Orleans, Louisiana.

11 Dec 2009

Eli Lilly provides financial guidance for 2010

At its annual meeting today with the investment community, Eli Lilly and Company highlighted how its innovation-based strategy will enable it to better serve patients and compete effectively in a challenging health care environment. The company also detailed the progress being made in its labs and across its five new business units on an expanding pipeline of innovative molecules and marketed medicines, and provided investors with the company's financial guidance for 2010.

10 Dec 2009