Designer Immune Cells Diminish Cancer in Leukemia Cases

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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-07/designer-immune-cells-diminish-cancer-in-leukemia-cases.html

Human immune cells reprogrammed in the laboratory to attack leukemia helped drive out the blood cancer in adults and children with aggressive forms of the disease, according to studies on the new strategy.

The research, reported today at the American Society of Hematology’s annual meeting in New Orleans, showed that 15 of 32 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia experienced a reduction of their cancers and 7 achieved remission. In patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 19 of 22 children experienced complete remission, as did all five adults tested.

The technology has now been licensed to Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG (NOVN) to open international trials, said researcher Carl June, a professor of immunotherapy at the University of Pennsylvania. Multicenter trials will start in the U.S. next year at 8 centers around the country, and international trials should begin in 2014, he said.

“This cell therapy is showing a very promising remission rate in both adult and children with advanced leukemia where there is no therapy that works,” June said in a telephone interview. “It’s an exciting time.”