MIAMI (Reuters Health) Oct. 31 — An antisense drug dampens the overexpression of Bcl-2 in certain types of leukemia, making the cancer cells more sensitive to chemotherapy.

Dr. Guido Marcucci, with the Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, and colleagues described their results using the compound, Genasense, at the American Association for Cancer Research Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics Meeting in Miami Beach, Fla.

To learn more about this drug: Genasense FDA Grants Orphan Drug Status to Genasense for Three Cancer Indications

"Genasense penetrates the cells, destroys the (precursor of) Bcl-2, and downregulates Bcl-2 expression, making cells more sensitive to the treatment," the investigator explained.

Dr. Marcucci's team tested the drug in 20 patients who were being treated for acute lymphocytic or acute myelogenous leukemia. None of the patients had responded to standard chemotherapy, and some had relapsed.

During the study, patients were continuously infused with Genasense for 5 days and then treated with a standard chemotherapy regimen of fludarabine, cytarabine, and filgrastim. Of the 20 patients, nine achieved complete remission.

The researchers also point out that the side effects associated with chemotherapy, including fever, nausea, and vomiting, did not occur at higher-than-expected levels, indicating that Genasense was not toxic.

"This is a very encouraging first step, which suggests that Genasense may have a role in making leukemia patients sensitive to chemotherapy again," Dr. Marcucci noted in a written statement.

"Genasense would probably be effective in treating several different types of cancer, but only those that express Bcl-2," Dr. Marcucci told Reuters Health. He said that some other cancers that may be helped by this drug include Hodgkin's lymphoma and melanoma.

Source: Reuters

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