Expert opinion on investigational drugs
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Expert Opin Investig Drugs · Feb 2006
ReviewCurrent therapeutic uses of lenalidomide in multiple myeloma.
Thalidomide has demonstrated a broad spectrum of pharmacological and immunological effects, with potential therapeutic applications that span a wide spectrum of diseases: cancer and related conditions; infectious diseases; autoimmune diseases; dermatological diseases; and other disorders such as sarcoidosis, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Immunomodulatory derivative lenalidomide has more potent antitumour and anti-inflammatory effects. The molecular mechanisms of antitumour activity of lenalidomide have been extensively studied in multiple myeloma (MM). ⋯ Importantly, lenalidomide induces significant clinical responses even in patients with relapsed/refractory MM. Therefore, lenalidomide represents a new class of antitumour agents that is useful in the treatment of MM. Lenalidomide has received fast track designation from the FDA for the treatment of MM and myelodysplastic syndromes.
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Regardless of the cause, a common pathophysiological feature of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome is a dysfunction of the endogenous surfactant system. Although exogenous surfactant therapy has proven to be an effective treatment for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, no similar current effective therapy exists for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. This is mainly due to the complexity of the lung injury that is involved with this disorder. Results from clinical trials, to date, have failed to show an improvement in patient survival after administration of exogenous surfactant; however, ongoing and future research efforts suggest that this therapy may eventually be feasible.
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Expert Opin Investig Drugs · Nov 2005
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyPirfenidone for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: therapeutic potential prompts further investigation.
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Expert Opin Investig Drugs · Aug 2005
ReviewThe role of pixantrone in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Pixantrone is an anthraquinone-based inhibitor of topoisomerase II. It is similar to both the anthracycline doxorubicin and the anthracenedione mitoxantrone, but lacks the 5,8-dihydroxy substitution pattern of mitoxantrone, and has a tricyclic system unlike the tetracyclic structure seen with anthracyclines. Anthracyclines are the most active drugs in lymphoma therapy, but their use is limited by their cumulative and irreversible cardiotoxicity. ⋯ Interestingly, pixantrone showed no measurable cardiotoxicity compared with its parent compound mitoxantrone or other anthracyclines at equi-effective doses in several animal models. Together with its superior cytotoxic activity in leukaemia and lymphoma models, these features render the drug a promising candidate for clinical development in indolent and aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In this review, the latest results of the use of pixantrone in indolen-t and aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are summarised.
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Stiripentol (STP) is a new antiepileptic compound produced by Biocodex. It is not structurally related to any of the other currently marketed antiepileptic products as it belongs to the group of aromatic allylic alcohols. It has recently been proved to increase GABAergic transmission in experimental models. ⋯ The French experience in compassionate use suggests that STP might also be of benefit when combined with carbamazepine in paediatric patients with pharmacoresistant partial epilepsy. Nevertheless, two controlled adjunctive-therapy trials were recently completed in paediatric populations with epilepsy. The interactions of STP with a large number of drugs need to be carefully taken into account by adjusting the doses of the combined antiepileptic drugs in order to improve the tolerability of the therapeutic association.