title: Emerging drugs for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
abstract: Although the philosophy of management of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) has been altered with the advent of fludarabine-based therapies, impact on long-term survival is unclear and a significant proportion of patients will develop resistance to fludarabine. Similar to other haematological malignancies, a potential for 'cure' is likely to be achieved only if 'high-quality' complete remissions (CRs) are achieved. Treatment options for patients who develop resistance to fludarabine continue to be limited, with only a proportion obtaining a response (usually not CRs) with salvage therapies. This review summarises novel therapies that are being evaluated in patients with CLL, specifically those targeting the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family of proteins and receptors (e.g., CD40, CD80, HLA-DR) involved in mediating survival signals from the microenvironment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Leukaemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Karen W L
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Yee
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: O'Brien
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D018122:B7-1 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D009596:Nitrophenols; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010879:Piperazines; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051918:Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 2 / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013449:Sulfonamides; D013873:Thionucleotides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: C501332:ABT-737; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018122:B7-1 Antigen; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D009596:Nitrophenols; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D010879:Piperazines; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051918:Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 2; D013449:Sulfonamides; D013873:Thionucleotides; C448700:epratuzumab; C408162:oblimersen; C448699:apolizumab; C437823:galiximab