Some information from Cardiff to add to the recent GA101 posts
Professor Chris Fegan and patient discuss the promising results of the clinical trial of obinutuzumab (GA101) in combination with Chlorambucil cardiffandvaleuhb.wales.nhs... Cardiff CLL Research Group cardiffcll.wordpress.com
May 2013
"Leukaemia specialists at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board have led a successful trial of a first-of-its kind cancer treatment, offering new hope for elderly patients with leukaemia.
The data from the trial run by Roche will be presented at the world’s biggest cancer conference, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, in Chicago at the start of June.
The data is on GA101, a targeted cancer antibody which reduced the risk of cancer worsening or death during the study, when used with a conventional form of chemotherapy, known as chlorambucil.
Professor Chris Fegan, a haematologist who led the United Kingdom part of this international study at the Clinical Research Facility at the University Hospital of Wales, said:
“This data marks an exciting step forward in the treatment of chronic lymphatic leukaemia, the most common type of adult leukaemia in the western world.
“One of the key challenges we face in treating chronic lymphatic leukaemia is that the majority of patients are over 60 and have pre-existing medical conditions which make them unfit to receive the most aggressive treatments.
“This data shows that adding GA101 to chlorambucil chemotherapy can improve response and remission time for these patients.
“As the leading haematology centre in Wales we are always looking to get involved in cutting-edge studies in the hope that they can benefit our patients.
“The CLL research group base at the University Hospital of Wales site works on all aspects of drug development from the lab to the patients; it is always rewarding to see new treatments develop from our work”.
John White from Barry has CLL and took part in the study. His treatment under the programme resulted in a complete response which should keep his disease at bay for a long time. Professor Fegan hopes that this will enable John to have a normal life expectancy.
John said: “It was the most professional treatment, Professor Fegan and the whole staff are so dedicated, I can’t praise them enough. There was no pain with the treatment, it was absolutely wonderful. The results are marvellous, I’m still alive and kicking and have no pain"
Cardiff & Vale University Health Board
cardiffandvaleuhb.wales.nhs...
In a 14 second ITV news video sample Professor Fegan describes the drug as a "game changer"
THU 16 MAY 2013 itv.com/news/wales/topic/ca...
The express: on the topic express.co.uk/news/uk/40000...
Snippet
"Study author Professor Chris Fegan, from Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, said: "These significant data mark an exciting step forward in the treatment of this disease. One of the key challenges we face in treating CLL is that many patients are over the age of 60 and suffer from co-existing medical conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, which make them unfit to receive the most aggressive treatments.
"These data show that adding GA101 to chlorambucil chemotherapy offers a tolerable combination that can substantially improve response and remission time for patients in urgent need of new treatment options."
Professor Chris Bunce, research director at Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, added: "The blood cancer chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is the most common type of adult leukaemia but it is currently incurable, so new treatments are desperately needed. These results give hope to those patients who previously had few options left for effective treatment.
"In recent years the introduction of treatments known as monoclonal antibodies, which harness the body's own immune system to target cancer cells, has successfully prolonged survival times for CLL patients when combined with traditional chemotherapy. However, not all patients respond to treatment.
"Obinutuzumab is the first 'second generation' monoclonal antibody and it appears to be significantly more effective than earlier versions. Monoclonal antibody treatments are used in the treatment of many types of lymphoma as well as CLL, so the development of a more effective version could be a very exciting prospect. In the immediate term, these results give hope of effective, life-prolonging treatment to those CLL patients who previously had few options left.""
Roche Media release ahead of Asco roche.com/media/media_relea... :
Can anyone provide further information folowing the ASCO presentation ?
Clinical trial results & reviews of new treatments for CLL written in easy to understand terms 
