The LLS Blog

#ASH15 Day 2: Immunotherapy for Lymphoma

By Andrea Greif | December, 2015

Today at the American Society of Hematology (#ASH15) Annual Meeting we turn our attention to lymphoma, and in particular emerging immunotherapy approaches to treat this blood cancer that affects the lymphatic system, a key player in the body’s immune system. Exciting progress is being made on this front.

Several LLS-funded researchers were among a group at a session entitled “Novel Immunotherapy Strategies in Lymphoma.”

One presenter, Craig Moskowitz, M.D., of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, shared findings from a Phase 1 study of a therapy called denintuzumab mafodotin (SGN-CD19A).

This investigational drug is what is known as a monoclonal antibody drug conjugate - an antibody (a protein used by the immune system to neutralize pathogens) combined with a cytotoxic agent that kills cancer cells. The antibody helps deliver the toxin directly to the cancer cells with minimal impact to surrounding cells.

Moskowitz said therapy was well tolerated by patients in a Phase 1 trial, and showed durable responses. A Phase 2 study is now beginning.

The First Official Day of #ASH15

By Andrea Greif | December, 2015

Beat AML is a collaboration launched nearly three years ago by LLS and the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), to go on the offenensive against acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a blood cancer with a poor prognosis and little change in the standard of care in 40 years. More than a dozen abstracts from the first phase of the initiative will be featured throughout the American Society of Hematology (#ASH15) Annual Meeting in Orlando over the next few days.

#ASH15 is an opportunity for researchers from around the world to present their latest data from clinical trials testing new therapies, or combinations of existing therapies, to improve outcomes for patients with blood cancers, including leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and other blood-related disorders. Precision  medicine and immunotherapy are two of the themes running through many of the presentations at #ASH15.

Targeted Therapy focus of LLS-hosted Symposium at ASH

By Andrea Greif | December, 2015

As researchers gain greater understanding of how cancer works, they are becoming more adept at developing precisely targeted therapies that go after the tumor cells while sparing the healthy cells.

Today The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) kicked off the 57th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in Orlando with a satellite symposium entitled, “Molecularly Targeted Therapies for Hematologic Malignancies.”

The program featured five renowned blood cancer experts: A. Thomas Look, M.D., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Adolfo Ferrando, M.D., Ph.D., Columbia University; Thomas J. Kipps, M.D., Ph.D., University of California at San Diego; Pier Paolo Pandolfi, M.D., Ph.D., Harvard Medical School, and Constantine S. Mitsiades, M.D., Ph.D., of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Larry Kwak, M.D., Ph.D., of City of Hope, moderated.