SCRI to present findings of blood cancer trials at 53rd ASH annual meeting

Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI) investigators will present the findings of several important blood cancer trials during the 53^rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in San Diego December 10-13.

"Our physicians are committed to bringing innovative new treatments to cancer patients and elevating SCRI's reputation as a world leader in clinical research in the areas of leukemia, lymphoma and other hematologic malignancies," said SCRI Chief Medical Officer and Executive Director, Drug Development Howard A. Burris III, M.D.

Ian W. Flinn, M.D., Ph.D., director, hematologic malignancies research and the Sarah Cannon Center for Blood Cancers, will present the preliminary result of a phase II trial of ofatumumab for older patients and patients who refuse fludarabine-based regimens with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma. The session, titled, "CLL - Therapy, Excluding Transplantation: Poster III", will be held December 12 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. PT.

Jesus G. Berdeja, M.D., director, myeloma research and senior investigator, hematologic malignancies will present data in oral and poster presentations at the meeting. The first will show findings of a phase 1/2 study of oral MLN9708, a novel, investigational proteasome inhibitor, in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone in patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma in an oral session called "Myeloma - Therapy, excluding Transplantation I" on Monday, December 12 at 11:30 a.m. PT. The second study, a phase II trial of combined bendamustine, bortezomib and dexamethasone in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients who are not candidates for high-dose chemotherapy: results of a planned interim safety analysis, will be presented in a poster session titled "Myeloma - Therapy, excluding Transplantation: Poster II" on Sunday, December 11, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. PT.