Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Biotech / Medical : Celgene-CELG -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: margie who wrote (312)	5/20/1999 1:59:00 PM
From: Biomaven	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 804

These results look very good indeed. Basically 8 of 9 patients responded. A drop in CDAI averaging 125 is huge. Here is a description of the CDAI index: Gut 1980 Apr;21(4):279-86 An index of inflammatory activity in patients with Crohn's disease. van Hees PA, van Elteren PH, van Lier HJ, van Tongeren JH An objective and quantitative standard of inflammatory activity for patients with Crohn's disease was developed. This Activity Index (AI) was derived from data of 63 patients with Crohn's disease who had been submitted to a total of 85 clinical examinations. On the basis of 18 predictor variables three physicians gave an overall evaluation of the severity of inflammatory activity in each patient. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to investigate which combination of variables contributed most to the overall evaluation. The combination of the following nine variables gave a very good correlation (r = 0.95) with the overall evaluation: serum albumin, ESR, body weight related to length, abdominal mass, sex, temperature, stool consistency, bowel resection, and extraintestinal symptoms related to Crohn's disease. This combination of variables expressed in a score that was used as an activity index proved to be very useful in the assessment of disease activity and of the effect of therapy. Index values below 100 are associated with inactive disease, values between 100 and 150 can be regarded as indicating slight inflammatory activity, values between 150 and 210 as indicating moderate, and values above 210 as indicating severe-to-very-severe inflammatory activity. Peter

To: margie who wrote (312)	5/20/1999 7:32:00 PM
From: Miljenko Zuanic	Respond to of 804

Thanks margie. Remarkable results for 4 weeks therapy at minimal T dose. 12 weeks results probably are even more convicting. Here is another abstract, from Australia, T for IBD: Thalidomide-effective therapy in chronic resistant inflammatory bowel disease. Department of Gastroenterology. St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia. Carolyn Macumber, Anthony P Wettstein Dr, Christopher R Vickers Dr, Michael Hing, Paul D Edwards, David J Byrnes Dr, Alan P Meagher, St. Vincent's Hosp, Sydney Australia There is increasing evidence for involvement of tumour necrosis factor a in the chronic inflammation of Crohn's disease. Chimeric Monoclonal Ab to TNFa is effective short term treatment in severe CD. Thalidomide is used for HIV and Behcet's ulceration. It exerts a dose-dependent and selective effect on TNFa production. It also has reported effect in ulcerative colitis. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of thalidomide as adjunctive therapy for resistant IBD. Methods: Ten patients (8M, mean age 45:30-77) with chronic IBD (5CD, 4UC, 1 indeterminate colitis) resistant to high dose immunosuppression (prednisone +/- azathioprine) were administered a daily dose average 100mg (100-300) of thalidomide for 3 months in an open protocol. Response was assessed by clinical, serological, and histological analysis. Results: 3 patients withdrew at 4 weeks (2 anxiety, 1 chest pain). All 3 had subjective improvement in bowel habit. Of the remaining 7 patients, 86% ! (4CD, 1UC, 1IC) had a marked clinical response with normal stool frequency, increased consistency, loss or urgency and rectal bleeding. One patient with CD had no response. 5 of 6 (83%) responders achieved either macroscopic and histological remission (4) or significant improvement (1), no change (1). Despite the study's short duration, improvement was seen in ESR (mean ¯ 7mm/hr) and CRP (mean ¯ 2.6mg/L). Of 10 enrolled, 9 patients described their well-being as much improved. Side effects: all 10 had mild sedation, xerostomia and skin dryness, constipation (3), DVT (1). Conclusion: Thalidomide may be effective adjunctive therapy for treatment-resistant IBD in selected patients, yielding remission at 3 months, with tolerable side effects.