Imatinib shows potential in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)

Phase II data presented at the European Respiratory Society show Imatinib to demonstrate efficacy in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

Pazopanib demonstrates efficacy in Sarcoma and Ovarian cancer

Phase III data presented at the European of Medical Oncology (ESMO) show pazopanib to be effective in soft tissue sarcoma (STS), epithelial ovarian cancer, and non small cell lung cancer. GSK plan to initiate Phase III trials in other cancer types.

Amgen publish series of amido-benzisoxazole c-Kit inhibitors

Amgen have published a series of c-Kit inhbitors

Gleevec receives priority review in US for GIST after surgery

Gleevec (imatinib) has been granted priority review status by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the first therapy to be reviewed for use after surgery in kit-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).

FDA grants SuperGen Orphan Drug Designation for MP-470 in Glioblastoma Multiforme

SuperGen have announced that the U.S. FDA has granted orphan drug designation for the company’s lead drug candidate, MP-470 in the the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme. MP-470 inhibits c-MET, c-RET, c-KIT, PDGFR and FLT3

Imatinib in connective tissue diseases

Three papers in this months Arthritis and Rheumatism discuss Imatinib in connective tissue diseases:

Treatment of pulmonary fibrosis for twenty weeks with imatinib mesylate in a patient with mixed connective tissue disease
Imatinib mesylate treatment of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis
Is imatinib mesylate a promising drug in systemic sclerosis?

Amgen publish series of c-Kit inhibitors

Amgen have published the discovery of amido-benzisoxazole c-Kit Inhibitor.

Retrospective study shows imatinib treatment induces hypogammaglobulinemia

A retrospective study of 72 chronic myeloid leukemia and 15 gastrointestinal stromal tumor patients has shown that patients developed a significant reduction of gammaglobulin and immunoglobulin serum levels.

Kinase Domain Mutation detection indicates risk of disease progression

Researchers from Imperial College London have published data showing that screening of patients for bcr-abl mutations following imatinib treatment can indicate a patient’s risk of disease progression

Resistance to imatinib (Gleevec) caused by LYN kinase

Data published in this weeks Journal of the National Cancer Institute shows that activation of LYN kinase is associated with resistance to imatinib (Gleevec) in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)