Articles tagged with: Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation
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Vidaza May Be More Cost Effective Than Dacogen – Results of a recent analysis indicate that Vidaza (azacitidine) may be more cost-effective than Dacogen (decitabine) for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients. The analysis makes use of U.S. health care treatment costs and assumptions about treatment outcomes based on previously published clinical trial results. The total of all health care costs for a patient treated for two years with Vidaza is estimated to be $150,322, compared to $166,212 for Dacogen. The analysis was sponsored by Celgene, the manufacturer of Vidaza. For more information, please see the analysis in the journal Leukemia & Lymphoma (abstract).
Free Conference For MDS Patients And Their Families – On November 12, the MDS Foundation will host a free one-day conference for MDS patients and their families in Philadelphia. The conference will start at 10 a.m. with a patient support group discussion. In the afternoon, new therapies and treatment options for MDS will be presented and discussed. Complimentary breakfast and lunch will be served. For more information, please see the MDS Foundation website.
Webinar: MDS And Health Insurance Coverage – On November 17, the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation (AA&MDSIF) is hosting a webinar to explain health insurance coverage rules to MDS patients and their families. The webinar, which starts at 3 p.m. ET, will also include information about prescription and co-pay assistance programs that may be of interest to MDS patients. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the webinar. For more information or to register, please see the AA&MDSIF website.
For a more detailed listing of MDS-related events, please check the MDS Beacon Events Calendar.
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FDA Advisory Committee Recommends Ferriprox For Accelerated Approval – The pharmaceutical company ApoPharma announced last week that the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended that the FDA grant accelerated approval to the iron chelation agent Ferriprox (deferiprone). Specifically, the advisory committee recommended that Ferriprox receives accelerated approval for the treatment of patients with blood transfusion-related iron overload when current chelation therapy is inadequate. The FDA normally follows the recommendations of its advisory committees but is not obligated to do so. Ferriprox has already been approved for the treatment of blood transfusion-related iron overload in Europe since 1999. Current treatment options for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients with transfusional iron overload include Desferal (deferoxamine) and Exjade (deferasirox). For more information, please see the Apotex press release.
Webinar: The Latest Developments In MDS – On September 29, the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation (AA&MDSIF) is hosting a webinar summarizing the main findings of the State-of-the-Science Symposium on MDS, which the National Institutes of Health held at the beginning of the month. Dr. David Steensma of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston will lead the webinar, which starts at 3 p.m. ET. Dr. Steensma will talk about the implications of these findings for patients and their family members. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the webinar. For more information or to register, please see the AA&MDSIF website.
Free Conference For MDS Patients And Their Families – On October 1, the MDS Foundation will host a free one-day conference for MDS patients and their families in Boston. The conference will start at 10 a.m. with a patient support group discussion. In the afternoon, new therapies and treatment options for MDS will be presented and discussed. Complimentary breakfast and lunch will be served. For more information, please see the MDS Foundation website.
For a more detailed listing of MDS-related events, please check the MDS Beacon Events Calendar.
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Telik Begins Phase 2 Trial Of Telintra For MDS – Earlier this month, the pharmaceutical company Telik announced the start of a Phase 2 clinical trial of its investigational drug Telintra (ezatiostat HCl) in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The trial will investigate the efficacy and safety of Telintra in MDS patients with a deletion in chromosome 5 who are resistant to or have relapsed after treatment with Revlimid (lenalidomide). The main aim of the study will be to determine what percentage of participants achieve transfusion independence or a reduction in transfusions. For more information, please see the Telik press release.
Webinar About MDS Treatments – The Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation (AA&MDSIF) will be holding a webinar this Wednesday, June 29, about currently approved treatments for MDS. Dr. Gail Roboz, Director of the Leukemia Program at Weill Medical College of Cornell University, will speak about Vidaza (azacitidine), Dacogen (decitabine), and Revlimid, including their efficacy, side effects, and dosing schedule. The webinar will run from 3 p.m. to 4:15 pm ET and will include a question and answer session. For additional information or to register, please see the AA&MDSIF website.
Free One-Day Conference For MDS Patients In Seattle – The MDS Foundation is sponsoring a forum for MDS patients and their families on July 9 at the Renaissance Seattle Hotel. A support group discussion will be held in the morning, and Dr. Joachim Deeg of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center will give a presentation on new therapies and treatment options in the afternoon. There is no cost for the event, but registration is required. For more information or to register, please see the MDS Foundation website.
For a more detailed listing of upcoming MDS-related events, please check the MDS Beacon Events Calendar.
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OXiGENE Is Recruiting MDS Patients For Phase 1 Clinical Trial Of OXi4503 – The biopharmaceutical company OXiGENE, based in South San Francisco, is currently recruiting myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients for a Phase 1 clinical trial for its investigational drug OXi4503 that is being developed to treat blood cancers. The goal of the study is to assess the maximum tolerated dose and the safety of OXi4503 in patients with MDS or relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia. OXi4503 is believed to work by blocking the blood flow to tumor cells which leads to tumor cell death. OXi4503 is currently also being evaluated for the treatment of solid tumors. For more information, please see the OXiGENE press release or the clinical trial description.
HHS Reduces Premiums And Eases Enrollment Requirements For Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans –The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on Tuesday that it will reduce insurance premiums by up to 40 percent for federally-administered Pre-Existing Condition Insurance plans (PCIPs) in 18 states and the District of Columbia. PCIPs are insurance plans for people who have pre-existing conditions, such as MDS, that have made it difficult or impossible to find private health insurance. The HHS will no longer require patients to have a denial letter from an insurance company to enroll. However, patients must still meet certain eligibility requirements, such as being U.S. citizens, having been without health insurance for at least six months, and having a letter from a health care provider stating that they have or had a medical condition, disability, or illness. For more information, please see the HHS press release or the Healthcare.gov website.
Free One-Day Conference For MDS Patients And Caregivers – The Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation (AA&MDSIF) is hosting an educational conference for MDS patients and caregivers on June 11 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Cleveland Airport Marriott. Leading MDS experts will discuss new and current treatment options, tips to improve quality of life, and answer questions. The event is free, but registration is required. For more information or to register, please see the AA&MDSIF website.
For a more detailed listing of upcoming MDS-related events, please check the MDS Beacon Events Calendar.
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Tarix Pharmaceuticals Is Recruiting MDS Patients For Phase 1 Clinical Trial For TXA127 – The biopharmaceutical company Tarix Pharmaceuticals, based in Cambridge, MA, is currently recruiting MDS patients for a Phase 1 clinical trial for its developmental drug TXA127. The goal of the study is to assess the safety of TXA127 in adult patients with blood cancers who have received double stem cell transplants from umbilical cord blood. TXA127 is believed to stimulate the transplanted stem cells to produce new, healthy blood cells, which could decrease the time for the transplant patient’s blood counts to recover. Stem cell transplantation is currently the only known potential cure for MDS. For more information, please see the Tarix Pharmaceuticals press release or the clinical trial description.
Revlimid-Dexamethasone Combination May Stimulate Red Blood Cell Production In MDS Patients – Recent pre-clinical research has shown that Revlimid (lenalidomide) and dexamethasone (Decadron) have different methods to increase red blood cell production and that they may act synergistically in increasing red blood cell counts. When used in combination, dexamethasone has been shown to enhance Revlimid’s efficacy in multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells. According to the study authors, their findings indicate that the combination therapy may be a treatment option for MDS patients. For more information, please see the related study in the journal Blood (abstract).
Karmanos Cancer Institute Raises $868,000 For Patient Care And Research – The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit raised $868,000 at its 29th Annual Dinner Gala on April 30. The proceeds will benefit the Joseph Dresner Family Bone Marrow Transplant And Malignancies Center at the Karmanos Cancer Institute in their treatment of patients with blood disorders. For more information, please see the related press release.
Free One-Day Conference For MDS Patients And Caregivers – The Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation (AA&MDSIF) is hosting an educational conference from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 14 at the Westin Waltham-Boston. The conference will educate MDS patients, survivors, and their caregivers, family, and friends on new treatments options, tips to improve quality of life, and how to become more informed and powerful patients. The event is free, but registration is required. For more information or to register, please see the AA&MDSIF website.
For a more detailed listing of MDS-related events, please check the MDS Beacon Events Calendar.