In the past decade, several important new drugs have been developed, and new uses have been discovered for existing drugs. These drugs have greatly improved cure rates and remission periods for patients with leukemia. Many are more effective and better tolerated than older treatments and have fewer adverse effects on normal tissues.
Two examples of the drugs used today to treat leukemia are arsenic trioxide and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). These treatments kill leukemia cells, stop the leukemia cells from dividing, or help the leukemia cells mature into normal white blood cells.
Gene-based therapies, such as Gleevec® (imatinib mesylate), represent a major advance in treating leukemia. When Gleevec was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2001 for certain patients with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, Dr. Harmon Eyre of the American Cancer Society called it, "a huge breakthrough... a great drug, a great new discovery."
There are currently 129 medicines in development for leukemia. Researchers are also developing immunotherapies and vaccines, where the body's immune cells and/or antibodies are used to fight the disease.
In the past decade, several important new drugs have been
developed, and new uses have been discovered for existing drugs.
These drugs have greatly improved cure rates and remission periods
for patients with leukemia. Many are more effective...
More
PhRMA answered:In the past decade, several important new drugs have been developed, and new uses have been discovered for existing drugs. These drugs have greatly improved cure rates and remission periods for patients with leukemia. Many are more effective and better tolerated than older treatments and have fewer adverse effects on normal tissues.