New pilot study in the loop from the researchers at Haukeland

[deleder2k]

I don't know. But since they are investigating it further I guess the results were good! I can't say that for sure, but someone said that it was discovered after chemo therapy. It could be methotrexate, but I don't think that. Methotrexate was the reason they tried Rituximab in the first place.. Sounds odd if MTX is the drug.

 

[Avena]

Are there any news on this yet?

 

[deleder2k]

Study rumored to begin in February. The study design and name of the drug will be promulgated on the Regional Commitees for Medical And Health Research Ethics' website 2 months after they applied for an approval for study. I know they applied a while ago, but I don't know the exact day. I think we're speaking of days or weeks here before the name will go public.

 

[Snow Leopard]

Study rumored to begin in February.

A new study starting this February?

 

[deleder2k]

Yes. With the "new" drug. I really don't know what it is. I do not know the size of the study. The first open pilot study included 3 patients. Maybe they'll do the same as they did with phase 2 of the RTX study? 30 patients, double-blinded, placebo-controlled?

 

[greeneagledown]

I'm surprised they already have funding for a new study.

 

[deleder2k]

I've heard this medicine works quicker than Rituximab, and is way cheaper. A lot of old cancer drugs are literally free.

 

[Avena]

This is so exciting! Thank you for your response.

Do you know how they are recruiting?

 

[deleder2k]

I think they are doing it "internally". Patients that have participated in one of the earlier RTX trials and relapsed are possible candidates. Not sure if they also will include patients that haven't tried RTX yet. In the pilot study they included 3 patients. I think one or two participated in the RTX trial (+ Enbrel study), the third one was previously untreated.

 

[Snow Leopard]

Are you sure this isn't just a adalimumab/Humira trial?

Otherwise, these are current Lymphoma protocols:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABVD
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPOCH_(chemotherapy)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BEACOPP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CHOP

Not sure if any of those drugs used look suitable.

 

[greeneagledown]

Are you sure this isn't just a adalimumab/Humira trial?

Otherwise, these are current Lymphoma protocols:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABVD
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPOCH_(chemotherapy)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BEACOPP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CHOP

Not sure if any of those drugs used look suitable.

This new (or new old) drug isn't necessarily going to be a cancer drug. It's probably an immunosuppressant. @deleder2k noted that Ciclosporin, mycophenolic acid, and Azathioprine were all on the exclusion list for the Enbrel study, so those seem like reasonable possibilities. I don't know of any drugs besides Rituximab that treat both cancer and certain immune diseases.

 

[deleder2k]

This new (or new old) drug isn't necessarily going to be a cancer drug. It's probably an immunosuppressant. @deleder2k noted that Ciclosporin, mycophenolic acid, and Azathioprine were all on the exclusion list for the Enbrel study, so those seem like reasonable possibilities. I don't know of any drugs besides Rituximab that treat both cancer and certain immune diseases.

I agree. We will probably know in a few weeks.

 

[Snow Leopard]

I don't know of any drugs besides Rituximab that treat both cancer and certain immune diseases.

Besides Methotrexate...

 

[greeneagledown]

Besides Methotrexate...

Touche. I'd actually never heard of that drug until you mentioned it, but I just googled it and it is, indeed, used in treating both cancer and autoimmune diseases. So that could be a possibility, too.

 

[deleder2k]

Treatment with Methotrexate for lymphoma was the thing that started this adventure. They didn't give the patient more Methotrexate, but Rituximab. I know they got the idea for the new trial because a patient was treated with some sort of cancer. I am not sure if the new trial will use a drug that is used only for cancer treatment, or they will use something that is just immunosuppressive. I think when the first patient responded with Methotrexate back in 2004 (?), they figured out that Rituximab would do the same tricks because they thought it had to do with the b-cells.

 

[Freddy]

@deleder2k Do you have any idea, whether "the drug" works somehow complementary to rituximab, i.e. helps people who showed no benefit with rituximab? Or is it rather the same principle of action just faster? Any rumors?

 

[deleder2k]

It is faster and cheaper. I know that one from the pilot study had participated in the Rituximab study. She got better with RTX, but relapsed after a few months. They also want to try it on patients that have tried out RTX without any effect.

 

[Avena]

It is great to hear that they don't give up on the non-responders from Rituximab! A bit frustrating to have some hints without the full information, though... Do we even know that it is a prescription drug?
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/aps/2011/157015/

 

[deleder2k]

No, but it is highly unlikely that it would be a non-prescription drug.

Three drugs were listed specifically on the exclusion list for the Enbrel study; cyclosporine, azathioprin, mycophenolate mofetil. Maybe it is one of those. I really don't know.

The name of the drug will probably show up here first (Chief investigator is Øystein Fluge) https://helseforskning.etikkom.no/i...B87E7D8620DE040F28156A418DC.p_search_id=26503

 

[Anne]

Thanks @deleder2k ! Keep up the reporting!

Also, if you can, let us know the minute you hear of a new publication of Fluge and Mella (thinking of the follow-up study)