Hematology

Interferons are being investigated as a possible treatment for COVID-19, but their effects are not yet clear.

The new expanded approval was based on positive results from the phase 3 E1912 study.

A new study revealed that researchers have found a genetic test that could help doctors determine which patients with multiple myeloma are at “ultra high risk” of their cancer progressing aggressively in its early stages.

Additionally, this treatment gradually reduced the need for prophylactic FVII use, suggesting an effective control of bleeding that leads to a sustained clinical benefit in patients who received the highest doses of AAV5-hFVIII-SQ.

Importantly, when considering the useof small molecule inhibitors, potential drug interactions must be evaluated.

Additionally, blood group O has a significantly lower risk for the infection compared with non-O blood groups, according to the researchers.

A case study of a patient in Wuhan, China suggests that the immunosuppressant tocilizumab may be an effective coronavirus disease 2019 treatment for patients with multiple myeloma and other blood cancers.

MDS are a group of closely related blood cancers characterized by ineffective production of healthy red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, which can lead to anemia and frequent or severe infections.

Further, these natural killer (NK) cells appear to be more effective the earlier they are in development, creating the possibility of an immunotherapy that would not use cells from a patient or a matched donor.

The phase 3 trial showed a statistically significant improvement in overall survival (OS) and composite complete remission rate.

A bipartisan coalition in Congress has introduced new legislation designed to ensure Medicare patients have access to Part B home infusion medications.

Treatment with cord blood-derived chimeric antigen receptor natural killer-cell therapy targeting CD19 resulted in clinical responses in relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

A study offers evidence that chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy may not only extend patients’ survival, but also improve their quality of life after treatment.

The drug also received orphan drug designation.

Many people are unaware that acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the leading cause of acute leukemia in adults.

Two recently approved leukemia drugs could be enlisted against treatment-resistant lung cancer.

CAR NK cells are allogenic, which is defined as taking the cells from a non-related healthy donor rather than the patient themselves. Therefore, CAR NK cells have the potential to be manufactured in advance and stored for off-the-shelf immediate use.

Research may help to develop usable hematopoietic stem cells that could regrow a patient with leukemia’s blood system after chemotherapy and irradiation.

Valoctocogene roxaparvovec (Valrox, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc) would be the first gene therapy in the United States for the most common form of hemophilia if approved by the FDA.1

Belantamab mafodotin has the potential for durable responses in patients with multiple myeloma whose disease has relapsed or is resistant to standard therapies.

Patricia Spears discusses what clinical trials can offer and when to start discussing them with patients. This video was filmed December 11 at the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Immunotherapy drug blinatumomab showed benefit in pediatric patients with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia who have minimal residual disease following chemotherapy.

A combination therapy of carfilzomib, dexamethasone, and daratumumab extended progression-free survival when compared with carfilzomib and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

An oral formulation of azacitidine improved overall survival in patients with acute myeloid leukemia in first remission.

The current observational, longitudinal study focused on patient-reported outcomes on functioning, symptoms, and quality of life in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.