Southwest Oncology Group Opens New Lymphoma Trial with CuraGen's and TopoTarget's PXD101
PXD101 is designed to inhibit histone deacetylase (HDAC). Histones are a class of proteins around which DNA is wrapped. The tightness of the wrapping controls the activity of the genes on the DNA. HDAC is an enzyme that changes the way histones bind to the genes. Laboratory studies suggest that drugs such as PXD101 can act on histones to kill cancer cells or prevent them from growing.
The purpose of the trial is to evaluate how B-cell lymphoma cells respond to the new agent, how patients tolerate the treatment and how long patients can live with the treatment without the disease becoming worse. Based on published preliminary data, study leaders are particularly interested in whether PXD101 will enhance expression of immune-mediating molecules on the tumor cells' surface and thereby increase the immune system's ability to target the lymphoma.
Study leaders would like to enroll up to 40 patients with refractory aggressive diffuse large, high-grade Burkitt's or Burkitt's-like or primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma for the trial. So far, 81 Southwest Oncology Group institutions are participating in the trial.
Most read news
Topics
Organizations
Other news from the department research and development
Get the life science industry in your inbox
From now on, don't miss a thing: Our newsletter for biotechnology, pharma and life sciences brings you up to date every Tuesday and Thursday. The latest industry news, product highlights and innovations - compact and easy to understand in your inbox. Researched by us so you don't have to.