Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology Meeting Highlights Primacy of the Genasense(TM) Target in Cancer Therapy
BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J., Dec 5, 2002 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ --
Multiple presentations during the 44th Annual Meeting of the American Society of
Hematology (ASH) this week, will focus on the pivotal role of Bcl-2, the target
of Genta's (Nasdaq: GNTA) lead anticancer drug (Genasense (TM)), as a major
contributor to cancer growth, progression and resistance. The ASH meeting will
take place in Philadelphia, PA from December 6-10, 2002.
Bcl-2 regulates a critical pathway in the body known as programmed cell death
(or apoptosis). Cancer cells frequently develop multiple defects in this pathway
that can delay or completely prevent cell death, even after treatment with high
doses of chemotherapy. The Bcl-2 protein is found in high levels in most
patients with hematologic cancers (such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma), and
solid tumors (such as melanoma and cancers of the lung, breast, colon and
prostate). High levels of Bcl-2 are believed to be a fundamental cause of the
inherent resistance of cancer cells to being killed by contemporary forms of
anticancer therapy. Bcl-2 expression has been linked to lower response, faster
time to cancer progression, and markedly decreased survival.
The scientific importance of this critical factor is highlighted in the upcoming
ASH meeting, which includes more than 600 presentations related to apoptosis and
129 separate presentations concerning Bcl-2. The role of Bcl-2 and apoptosis in
oncology will be the subject of a scientific symposium on Friday, December 6,
entitled: "Restoration of Apoptotic Function: Bcl-2 Antisense and Decoy Aptamers
as Novel Targeted Therapies." The meeting, which will be chaired by Dr. Sandra
Horning, Professor of Medicine at Stanford University, will feature the
following presentations and speakers:
-- "Apoptosis: Pathways and Targets"
John C. Reed, MD, PhD, President and CEO, The Burnham Institute,
La Jolla, CA
-- "Bcl-2 as an Antisense Target: Pre-Clinical Development"
Rebecca Auer, MB, ChB, MRCP, Leukaemia Research Fund
St. Bartholomew's Hospital and The Royal London School of
Medicine
London, U.K.
-- "Bcl-2 Antisense in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Clinical Advances"
Kathryn Kolibaba, MD, Northwest Cancer Specialists
Vancouver, WA
-- "Decoy Aptamers: Development as a Potential Clinical Strategy in
Oncology"
Bruce Sullenger, PhD, Professor, Department of Surgery, Duke
University, Durham, NC |
