Exciting times in CLL: an ASCO 2013 interview with Dr Susan O’Brien

[Cllcanada]

I just came across this bit obscure video with Dr. Susan O'Brien of MD Anderson...you may find it of interest...

pharmastrategyblog.com/2013...

[Hidden]

Wow! so much going on, so many trials, and so many combination drugs being worked on, my brain is reeling and I can't pretend to understand half of the talk and charts which flash up. I'm learning most probably a lot slower than others here, but nevertheless I know more than before, and I came away with the feeling that the future will be more positive for CLL sufferers. I will return to this and other presentations and information supplied by the you guys and try to keep on learning.

Bub

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero in reply to Hidden]

Bub

It is important to remember you are looking into the future of CLL drug development and most of what is dicussed will never be commercially available or viable. But often one line of research will lead to other lines of research, and new uses will be found for old drugs, new 'cocktails', will be tried etc.

A case in point...two drugs gossypol and navitoclax have been trialed in CLL over the past 10 years. Both were found to be fairly toxic at the doses required. However, a researcher recently found that when combined and used together the drugs were extremely effective in CLL at very low doses...

cancer.dartmouth.edu/about_...

Two new treatments will arrive next year at least in the U.S. ... obinutuzumab a monoclonal antibody to replace Rituxan, and ibrutinib, a BTK inhibitor that will likely be in limited use for high risk CLL and later for refractory/relapsed patients with fewer options...

Both these treatments and others still in clinical trials will have a profound effect on CLL, I have no doubt.

[MartyR]

Hey Guys,

I find this video interview - very informative and encouraging for CLL sufferers now and in the future. I have read articles and seen a couple of other similar interviews with Dr O'Brien - where she sets the scene and openly discusses the current research, trials and results.

Certainly moving towards an oral and perhaps non-toxic treatment for CLL will be a positive step in the not to distant future!

I am two months into a trial Dr O'Brien mentions {see below and other posts.} which appears to be giving me the responses that Phase II describes - so perhaps I maybe one of the lucky 50% on this trial.

NCT01569295 is a PIII, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the efficacy and safety of GS-1101 (150mg twice daily) in combination with bendamustine and rituximab for 390 patients with previously treated CLL. The primary outcome is progression free survival. The study stared in May 12 and is due to complete Dec 16 (date for primary data collection Oct 15)

Marty

[PaulaS Volunteer in reply to MartyR]

A lot of people are watching your progress with great interest, Marty. Thanks for keeping us up to date with it all.

[PaulaS Volunteer]

Interesting interview with Dr O'Brien. And a drug called Gossypol?? I wonder where they got that name from? So much easier to remember than most!

Have to add that the red rose photo warms the heart. Something very special about it.

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero]

Gossypol is a natural phenol derived from the cotton plant. Also see AT-101.

It is highly toxic... you need a cow at the very least

Fascinating story about Gossypol... it was used in South Africa... people drank milk from cows eating cottenseed cake and managed to control their CLL!

thefreelibrary.com/Long-ter...

[FCLL]

Hi Marty,

My father's about to start the same trial - how did yours go?