title: High efficacy of monomethoxypolyethylene glycol-conjugated L-asparaginase (PEG2-ASP) in two patients with hematological malignancies.
abstract: Two patients with hematological malignancies were successfully treated with monomethoxypolyethylene glycol-conjugated Escherichia coli L-asparaginase (PEG2-ASP), which reportedly lacks both antigenicity and immunogenicity but retains catalytic activity as well as slow clearance in an experimental animal model. A 20-year-old male patient with leukemic lymphoma was refractory to conventional chemotherapy but responsive to L-asparaginase (L-ASP) followed, however, by severe adverse effects. On relapse, an intravenous infusion of 100-200 IU/day dose of PEG2-ASP alone led to a complete remission 2 months later without hypersensitivity or other significant adverse reactions. Surprisingly, he remained in a complete remission for over one year with a regular weekly infusion of PEG2-ASP, combined with a weekly small dose of Ara-C. During this period, blood asparagine was not detectable. The other patient, a 64-year-old woman with chronic myelogenous leukemia in blast crisis achieved, within 6 weeks, a complete remission with twice-weekly infusions of PEG2-ASP. Thus, PEG2-ASP is a highly effective antitumor agent overcoming the limitations in therapeutic use of L-ASP.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeshima
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Higashi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamaguchi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugie
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001215:Asparaginase / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C070137:monomethoxypolyethylene glycol-conjugated asparaginase; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D001215:Asparaginase