The first trial of a
new type of leukaemia drug has been announced by Cancer Research UK.
Designed for acute leukaemia patients aged between six months and 18 years, the cancer treatment is known as AT9283 and belongs to the class of drugs called aurora kinase
inhibitors.
The trial, which is set to involve 15 children, will be based at the Great
North Children's Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne. It will test the drug's
effectiveness in treating patients who are no longer responding to treatment.
Dr Nigel Blackburn, director of drug development at Cancer Research UK's Drug
Development Office, hailed the launch of the study as "incredible
news".
He added: "There's an urgent need to develop new treatments for young
people with leukaemia."
Roughly 100 children with leukaemia under the age of 15 die each year in
Britain, according to Cancer Research UK.
The treatment options for people with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia include
chemotherapy, steroids, growth factors and radiotherapy.
© Adfero Ltd
Cancer treatment news : 28 January 2012
