Scientists: Drug can kill leukaemia
Tuesday November 03 2009
Scientists have discovered a new drug which they claim is able to kill leukaemia.
Researchers maintain the drug, called PBOX-15, can even destroy the cancerous cells in adult patients with a poor prognosis and who have shown resistance to other treatments.
The groundbreaking study was carried out by academics at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), in partnership with University of Sienna, Italy, and is published in the renowned international journal Cancer Research.
Professor Mark Lawler, of TCD's school of medicine, said it could be another three to five years before the drug is used as a life saving treatment.
"We are still at an early stage," he said. "Now we have to move it on to see if there are any side effects and bring it forward as a potential therapy for patients. But it's very exciting. We want to give hope to cancer patients."
Prof Lawler, lead investigator on the study, revealed PBOX-15 attacked and broke down the skeleton in leukaemia cells in samples given by patients. It was also successful when used in the treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL), a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow which is the most common leukaemia in the western world in adults.
Latest data from the National Cancer Registry showed 114 new cases of CLL were diagnosed in the Irish Republic in 2007. The TCD researchers said PBOX- 15 was more effective than the current medication, fludarabine, used to treat the disease and also killed CLL cells that were resistant to treatment.
John McCormack, of the Irish Cancer Society, said the findings of the study had to be brought from the laboratory to the bedside. "One of our objectives is to fund researchers that will ultimately develop new and better treatments for cancer patients," said Mr McCormack. "The findings that are being published today emphasise the potential for basic science discoveries to translate to clinical benefit.
"These now need to be brought from the laboratory to the bedside so that they will ultimately benefit patients with this common form of leukaemia."
Prof Lawlor said the study involved researchers across the different disciplines of chemistry, biochemistry and molecular medicine at TCD, together with colleagues in Sienna, St James's Hospital, Dublin, and Belfast City Hospital.
Press Association
