title: Pixantrone: a promising drug in the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphomas.
abstract: Pixantrone (BBR2778) is a novel anthracycline derivative, manufactured by Cell Therapeutics Incorporated, WA, USA. In both preclinical and clinical studies pixantrone exhibited a significantly lower cardiac toxicity and better activity than that observed with alternative anthracyclines, as it is devoid of the putative cardiac toxicity generating 5,8-dihydroxy groups. With single-agent pixantrone, neutropenia was the dose-limiting toxicity. In relapsed aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas, weekly single-agent pixantrone 85 mg/m(2) for 3 weeks every 4 weeks was associated with a 27% overall response rate and a 15% complete response rate. When used in combination with chemotherapy regimens overall response rates of 58-74% and complete response rates of 37-57% were achieved.
authors.affiliation: Staff Grade in Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Centre, Weston Park Hospital, Sheffield S10 2SJ, UK.
authors.forename: Loaie M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: El-Helw
authors.forename: Barry W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Hancock
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007546:Isoquinolines; C086548:pixantrone