>[Genasense + Rituxan versus lymphoma]
>Mol Cancer Ther. 2004;3:1693-1699
Enhanced efficacy of therapy with antisense BCL-2 oligonucleotides plus anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody in scid mouse/human lymphoma xenografts
Mitchell R. Smith, Fang Jin and Indira Joshi
Department of Medical Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Request for reprints: Mitchell R. Smith, Lymphoma Service, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Room C307, 333 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111. Phone: 215-728-2674; Fax: 215-728-3639. E-mail: m_smith@fccc.edu
Monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody (rituximab) is active, but not curative, therapy for B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. BCL-2 is an antiapoptotic protein whose expression is dysregulated in most indolent B-cell malignancies. Antisense oligonucleotides (AS-ODNs) that down-regulate BCL-2 expression induce apoptosis and chemosensitize B-cell lymphoma cells. We hypothesized that BCL-2 down-regulation by AS-ODNs would sensitize cells to rituximab and improve therapeutic results. There is enhanced apoptosis and reduction in cell numbers when DoHH2 cells are treated in vitro with rituximab plus BCL-2 AS-ODNs, compared with either agent alone. There is little in vitro effect on WSU-FSCCL cells by rituximab, AS-ODNs that down-regulate BCL-2 by targeting the immunoglobulin portions of the BCL-2-immunoglobulin fusion molecule, or a combination of the two. The combination is more effective than either agent alone in clearing DoHH2 cells from ascites in scid mice. Combination therapy with AS-BCL-2-ODNs and rituximab significantly prolongs survival in both the DoHH2 and WSU-FSCCL models. With higher and repeated doses, this combination could be curative. We conclude that the combination of rituximab and antisense-mediated down-regulation of BCL-2 has enhanced activity against human lymphoma, prolongs survival, and could cure mice bearing human lymphoma. This merits investigation in clinical trials. <<
Of course, someone with money has to fund them. Don't know if Biogen is sufficiently interested. They probably would have said something by now, as this article was submitted almost a year ago. Though, I suppose they might not have known about this research, as the authors don't appear to directly affiliated with either company.
Cheers, Tuck |
