HEMATOLOGY

The recent approval of the second-generation proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib by the FDA comes nine years after the initial approval of bortezomib, the first-in-class drug of its type.

Edward Bradley, MD, gives an overview of the mechanism of action and development of moxetumomab pasudotox, a monoclonal antibody directed at CD22.

Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) showed high response rates to therapy with ibrutinib.

Julian Adams, PhD, President, Research and Development, Infinity Pharmaceuticals, describes a phase I trial of IPI-145, a potent inhibitor of PI3KEδ and PI3K-γ.

Elotuzumab in combination with lenalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone showed efficacy in patients with previously treated multiple myeloma.

A phase I study found that idelalisib produced rapid and prolonged tumor shrinkage in half of patients with relapsed or refractory CLL who received the drug as monotherapy.

Lenalidomide has been approved to treat patients with mantle cell lymphoma who have relapsed or whose disease has progressed after two prior therapies including at least one prior treatment with bortezomib.

Working in a laboratory at the National Institutes of Health, Benjamin W. Purow, MD, became the first researcher to demonstrate that the Notch pathway plays a role in gliomas.

Francesco Lo-Coco, MD, Hematology, University Tor Vergata, speaks at the 2012 American Society of Hematology annual meeting about the use of arsenic trioxide in acute promyelocytic leukemia.

The American Association for Cancer Research is an annual showcase of the latest scientific cancer research, with updates on phase I, often first-in-human clinical trials.

Philip L. McCarthy, MD, Director, Blood & Marrow Transplant Program, Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, comments on the move from doublet therapy to triplet therapy for multiple myeloma.

While there is no standard treatment for most patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia who are age 65 years and older, several regimens are being tested in clinical trials.

A phase III study of inotuzumab ozogamicin for patients with relapsed or refractory CD22+ aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma who are not candidates for high-dose chemotherapy was halted after a scheduled interim analysis.

Ola Landgren, MD, PhD, Head, Multiple Myeloma Section, National Cancer Institute, discusses the standard of care for patients with high-risk smoldering myeloma.

Researchers have determined that high expression of microRNA-155 was associated with a poorer prognosis in patients with AML and that inhibition of a molecule that regulates the microRNA may serve as a therapeutic target for these patients.

Bruce D. Cheson, MD, Professor of Medicine, Head of Hematology, Director of Hematology Research, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, describes the mechanism of action of antibody drug conjugates and their use.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the most common acute form of leukemia in adults, is potentially driven by at least one genetic mutation in nearly all cases.

Implementation of a pharmacist-led glycemic control team was associated with improved glycemic control and utilization outcomes in a population of noncritically ill surgical patients.

Photos from the 54th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, held at the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA, from December 8-11, 2012.

Quizartinib, a novel tyrosine kinase inhibitor, demonstrated a clinical benefit in patients with a particularly deadly form of acute myeloid leukemia in results of a phase II study presented during the 54th Annual ASH Meeting.

The novel targeted agent ibrutinib has demonstrated dramatic activity in hard-to-treat patients with CLL when used alone and in combination with rituximab, raising the prospect of a promising new therapy for elderly and frail patients who currently have few viable options.

Mark J. Levis, MD, PhD, discusses the design and results of a phase II trial of quizartinib in patients with FLT3-ITD positive or negative relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia.

The combination of pomalidomide and a steroid significantly improved outcomes for patients with multiple myeloma, marking what researchers say is a notable advancement for a sizable proportion of those treated for the disease.

Researchers have demonstrated that ponatinib can overcome a wide range of mutations that cause treatment resistance—including the stubborn T315I mutation—in all stages of CML and Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL).

Pamela Crilley, DO, explains the benefits and downfalls of prescribing tyrosine kinase inhibitors for the treatment of CML.