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Seattle Genetics Raises Funds For Research – Seattle Genetics announced that it is increasing its cash by approximately $118.2 million through the issuance of common stock. The funds will be used, among other things, for research and development, including clinical trials. The company has several compounds under development for the treatment of blood cancers. In particular, they are conducting clinical trials for lintuzumab (SGN-33), which has received orphan drug status from the FDA for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. For more information, please see the Seattle Genetics press release.

Blood And Stem Cell Transplant Patient/Family Luncheon – The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) will be hosting a luncheon for blood and stem cell transplant patients and their caregivers in cooperation with The Nebraska Medical Center on August 20 at 11:30 am in Omaha, NE. The event is free, but registration is requested. For more information, please visit the LLS Web Site.

For a more detailed listing of MDS-related events, please check the MDS Beacon Events Calendar.

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Lorus Therapeutics Announces Japanese Patent Protection For LOR-2040 – Canadian biopharmaceutical company Lorus Therapeutics announced Wednesday that it now has patent protection in Japan for its cancer-treatment drug LOR-2040.   The drug is currently involved in clinical trials for acute myeloid leukemia and high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes.  For more information, please see the Lorus Therapeutics press release.

Telik Publishes Positive Results Of Telintra In MDS Patients – Telik, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company located in Palo Alto, CA, announced Monday that they published positive results from a Phase 1 clinical trial of Telintra (ezatiostat hydrochloride) in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients.  Telintra has been shown to improve cytopenias in MDS and chemotherapy patients.  For more information, please see the Telik press release.

Leukemia Cup Regatta – The Sayville Yacht Club in Blue Point, NY will hold its 2009 Leukemia Cup Regatta on August 15 and 16, hosted by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).  The Leukemia Cup Regatta is an annual series of sailing races across the United States to raise money to fight leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. Participating sailors race in honor of a community member who has blood cancer. For details, please visit the LLS Web site.

Team In Training Season Kicks Off – The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training (TNT) program will hold kick-off meetings in Durham, SC and Minnetonka, MN on August 13. Attend the kick-off parties to meet staff, mentors, team members, and patients, or learn more about TNT, the world’s largest endurance sport training program.  All TNT event fundraising supports the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.   For more information, please see the LLS events page for Durham and Minnetonka.

For a more detailed listing of MDS-related events, please check the MDS Beacon Events Calendar.

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Phase 2 Trial For Drug AR-67 Opens – Arno Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company that specializes in cancer treatment, announced on Thursday the enrollment of their first patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of AR-67 in adults with MDS who have failed prior therapies. AR-67, previously known as DB-67, inhibits the DNA enzyme topoisomerase I, thereby halting the advance of cancerous tumors. AR-67 will be administered intravenously for five days over approximately 16 weeks. The study, which hopes to enroll 25 MDS patients, will occur at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. For more information, please see the Arno Therapeutics press release.

Wisconsin Boy Scout To Hold Blood And Marrow Donor Awareness Drive – In partnership with the American Red Cross, boy scout Micah Topel of Evansville, WI will host “Micah’s Drive for Life” – a combination blood drive, bone marrow donor drive, and organ/tissue donor sign up – on Thursday, August 6 at the UAW Local 95 Hall. The drive will raise awareness about blood, bone marrow, and organ donations and raise money for the Restoring Hope Transplant House where families can stay while patients are receiving treatment at University of Wisconsin-Madison Hospital. For more information, see the Janesville Gazette article.

Chinese MDS Patients Have Different Genetic Abnormalities Than Western Patients – A study reported that 68 percent of Chinese patients with MDS showed genetic mutations, but at different types and rates than those observed in western patients. The observed chromosomal abnormalities included varying numbers of copies, structural irregularities, and translocations, in which different sections of chromosomes were switched.  Twelve translocations in this study had never been reported before.  Researchers hypothesize that eastern and western patients develop MDS through different abnormalities due to environmental factors and exposure to different chemicals and infectious agents. More information can be found in Leukemia Research.

For a more detailed listing of MDS-related events, please check the MDS Beacon Events Calendar.

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FDA Considers Alternative Dosing Regimen for Dacogen – A supplemental new drug application for an alternative dosing regimen for Dacogen (decitabine) has been accepted by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The proposed five day regimen consists of a single daily dose of Dacogen with reduced infusion time, and is likely to be more convenient for patients. The current dosing schedule requires three hours of continuous intravenous administration of Dacogen every eight hours for three days. Dacogen has been approved by the FDA as a treatment for myelodysplastic syndromes.  For more information, please see the Eisai press release.

Best of Washington Party – Washingtonian Magazine will hold its annual Best of Washington summer party on Wednesday, July 15 at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. The event begins at 7 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m. The party features unlimited cocktails and cuisine from over 50 restaurant winners of the magazine’s Best of Washington contests. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Presidential tickets are available at a discount to LLS supporters: use the code LLS1 at the Best of Washington checkout. For more information, please see the Best of Washington 2009 Web site.

Leukemia Cup Regatta – “Sail for the Cures” with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Upcoming events are scheduled for: July 10 to 12 in Deltaville, VA; July 17 in Beachwood, NJ; and July 16 to 19 in Rocky River, OH. Sailors compete for the Leukemia Cup in honor of a community member with blood cancer with an opportunity to win prizes for raising money to support LLS, including a Fantasy Sail Weekend with world-class sailor and National Regatta Chairman Gary Jobson. For more information, visit the LLS Leukemia Cup Regatta Web site.

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Tamibarotene Clinical Trial Progress Update – The biopharmaceutical company CytRx announced Monday that their ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial of tamibarotene as a third-line treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) progresses with favorable patient responses. In the study, 45 percent of APL patients achieved a leukemia-free state in which no leukemia cells were found in the bone marrow. Since APL is a form of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), a condition which high-risk MDS patients can develop, the company may look into examining tamibarotene for treatment of MDS patients. For more information, see the CytRx press release.

Leukemia Cup Regatta – The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) will hold its 11th Annual Southern Chesapeake Leukemia Cup Regatta at the Fishing Bay Yacht Club & Stingray Harbour Yacht Club in Deltaville, VA on July 10 through 12. The Leukemia Cup Regatta is an annual series of sailing races across the United States to raise money to fight leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. The weekend will include auctions and chances to win prizes while the participating sailors race in honor of a community member who has blood cancer. For details, please visit the LLS Web site.

19th Annual Bobby Mitchell Toyota Hall of Fame Golf Classic – On July 12, more than 45 NFL and NBA Hall of Famers will play in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) annual golf tournament weekend at the Lansdowne Resort in Lansdowne, VA. Bobby Mitchell, who was diagnosed with leukemia shortly before beginning his professional football career, founded the tournament to raise money for leukemia research. The tournament begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 2:00 p.m. Through $5 donations to the cause, the public can watch the tournament and participate in a putting contest to win a trip to the Hall of Fame. Children under 12 are admitted free. For further details, please visit the LLS Web site.

Funding Gives Go-Ahead To Phase 3 Tosedostat Trial – UK-based Chroma Therapeutics received £15 million through private funding, which will allow a Phase 3 registration trial of tosedostat (CHR-2797) to proceed. Tosedostat treats myelodysplastic syndromes by inhibiting proteins that promote cellular growth. For more information, please see the related Chroma Therapeutics press release (pdf).