(Source: Blood)

Authors: Michael J. Keating, Argyris Dritselis, Uma Yasothan & Peter Kirkpatrick Ofatumumab (Arzerra; Genmab/GlaxoSmithKline) — a fully human cytolytic monoclonal antibody that is specific for CD20 — was approved by the US FDA for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in October 2009. (Source: Nature Reviews Drug Discovery)

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients are prone to various complications, such as infections, autoimmune diseases (AID), second tumors or transformations. CLL is the most frequent type of leukemia in the western world, but it is rarely seen in Asian countries . Very limited data published in Chinese patients with respect to the incidence rate, category and prognosis of CLL complications. To explore the characteristics of complications in Chinese CLL patients, 203 cases of CLL patients from the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Tianjin, China, from the year 2000 to 2007 were reviewed and followed-up retrospectively. (Source: Leukemia Research)

Abstract: The TCL1 mouse has been proposed as a mouse model for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. This review details how it resembles the aggressive form of the disease rather than the more common indolent form. Although fulfilled predictions in the human disease based on investigations in the mouse model are at present lacking, there are remarkable similarities between human and mouse leukemias that have led to interesting observations on the pathophysiology of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and have identified putative therapeutic targets. (Source: Leukemia Research)

Authors: Kluger N, Cartron G, Bessis D, Guillot B, Girard C PMID: 20107742 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Acta Derm Venereol A...)