title: Emerging 'A' therapies in hemoglobinopathies: agonists, antagonists, antioxidants, and arginine.
abstract: Sickle cell disease and thalassemia have distinctly different mutations, but both share common complications from a chronic vasculopathy. In the past, fetal hemoglobin-modulating drugs have been the main focus of new therapy, but the increased understanding of the complex pathophysiology of these diseases has led to the development of novel agents targeting multiple pathways that cause vascular injury. This review explores the pathophysiology of hemoglobinopathies and novel drugs that have reached phase 1 and 2 clinical trials. Therapies that alter cellular adhesion to endothelium, inflammation, nitric oxide dysregulation, oxidative injury, altered iron metabolism, and hematopoiesis will be highlighted. To evaluate these therapies optimally, recommendations for improving clinical trial design in hemoglobinopathies are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital and Research Center Oakland, Oakland, CA 94609, USA. evichinsky@mail.cho.org
authors.forename: Elliott
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vichinsky
mesh_terms: D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D006453:Hemoglobinopathies / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D012107:Research Design; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D007501:Iron; D010100:Oxygen