AbbVie is on the verge of developing a drug that could significantly enhance the outcomes of patients with an aggressive form of leukemic cancer.
In a report published by Reuters on Wednesday, August 13, AbbVie, one of the most successful biotech firms in the world, has announced that its mid-phase trial for ventoclax has produced successful results.
This drug is designed for patients who have chronic lymphocytic leukemia(CCL), specifically for those who have a gene mutation known as 17p deletion.
According to Cancer Network, CCL is the most common type of leukemia that affects U.S. adults with more than 15,000 people. However, because it's chronic, the disease has a very slow growth and development that more often than not, patients don't require very intensive treatments.
A mutation of the 17p or TP53 gene can change that. Considered as the genome guardian, it is largely responsible for cellular death and proliferation, as well as for repair of DNA in case it gets damaged. If it's missing, cancer cells can become more aggressive and less receptive to conventional forms of treatment such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy, thereby reducing the life expectancy for as short as 2 years.
Although the results of the trial still have to be published, it involves patients who are already in the advanced stages or have relapsed. Others have never been treated. The drug's processes can trigger the destruction of cancer cells. So far, during this part of the trial, they're able to bring down cancer cell presence to their desired level.
AbbVie, who is also working closely with Calico, a Google-backed company that performs intensive anti-aging therapies and research, is planning to seek approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the market. It may not have a hard time doing so since it's already been identified as a breakthrough therapy, which can speed up the drug's review process.