U.S. medical scientists report investigating two novel biologics for their potential benefit to multiple myeloma patients.
The separate clinical trials are being conducted at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
A Phase 2 trial with VEGF Trap will assess the drug's ability to slow tumor growth in patients with multiple myeloma. VEGF Trap is a recombinant human fusion protein that binds VEGF, a key molecule in tumor blood-vessel growth (angiogenesis).
The other investigation is a Phase 1 trial of hLL1, a humanized monoclonal antibody that has shown significant growth inhibition of multiple myeloma and B-lymphoma cells in preclinical studies.
"These two exciting antibody trials may give new hope to myeloma patients with relapsed and refractory disease," said Dr. Ruben Niesvizky, principal investigator of both studies.
Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer that causes white blood cells to become malignant and attack the body's bones, resulting in painful fractures, kidney failure and death. The disease affects an estimated 40,000 Americans annually.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
