Successfully modulate drugs that can cure blood cancer

However, Dr. Andrew Roberts also acknowledged that Venetoclax is only the last resort in case there is no other way when the drug also leaves many unpleasant side effects.

People with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) - a form of blood cancer - can completely recover when scientists from the Research Institute Walter and Eliza Hall and doctors of the Royal Melbourne Hospital successfully tested the new drug called Venetoclax. It can greatly improve the health status of most patients and in some cases completely recover.

Specifically, the results of a four-year clinical trial for 116 patients showed a very positive signal.

Venetoclax will automatically target cancer cells and will not affect normal white blood cells.

About 79% of patients have halved the number of cancer cells, of which up to 20% even completely relieve their symptoms. Even the doctors did not detect the existence of cancer cells among those completely relieved. In fact, the first time of the experiment was very gloomy when most other treatments had failed so the end result made everyone happy and relieved.

Explaining the principle of action of Venetoclax, Dr. Andrew Roberts, the head of the program, said that when absorbed into the body, the drug will attack a protein called BCL-2 , which is identified is one of the important factors that helps blood cancer cells survive in the human body. In other words, BCL-2 prevents the death of cancer cells. Venetoclax will automatically target cancer cells and will not affect normal white blood cells. In fact, scientists have discovered BCL-2 since the 1980s but have not been able to find out what kind of substance can inhibit it. Under the action of the new drug Venetoclax, proteins provide life for inhibited blood cancer cells, which in turn leads to their gradual elimination from the body.

However, Dr. Andrew Roberts also acknowledged that Venetoclax is only the last resort in case there is no other way when the drug also leaves many unpleasant side effects such as nausea, pneumonia, diarrhea, Respiratory infections, anemia, and prostate cancer. In addition, some patients reported no side effects at all. This can be a serious problem if you want to use Venetoclax, but if patients are willing to take risks to limit the spread of blood cancer cells, this is the plan for they.

Scientists have discovered BCL-2 since the 1980s but have not been able to find out what kind of substance can inhibit it.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a type of blood and bone marrow cancer, spongy tissue inside the bone, where blood cells are created. The term "chronic" in lymphocytic leukemia comes from the fact that it usually progresses more slowly than other types of leukemia. The "lymphocytic" in chronic lymphocytic leukemia comes from cells affected by the disease - a group of white blood cells called lymphocytes, which help the body fight infections. In 2015, about 15,000 people were diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute, and about 4,000 of them died. The most common chronic lymphocytic leukemia affects older people , although it can occur at any age and can rarely affect children.

Currently, Venetoclax has been put into the list of priority tests for mass production by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This list includes drugs that FDA considers potential to provide significant advances in disease diagnosis, treatment or prevention. Phase 2, phase 3 of the test work has been planned and will be conducted this year.