Phase 1 study results show that the new drug alisertib, or MLN8237, was effective in about one-third of 58 patients for treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) or chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The data also showed that about half of patients experienced manageable side effects. The current study, published in Investigational New Drugs, looks at the safety, tolerability, and preliminary success of alisertib in treating non-Hodgkin lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, but it is also being studied for its efficacy in treating T cell lymphoma.
Novel Drug May Be Effective Against NHL, CLL
A new chemotherapy drug being investigated for its potency against two types of cancer was found by scientists to be effective in about one-third of the 58 patients who participated in a phase I study. The drug, alisertib or MLN8237, inhibits the enzyme aurora A kinase, which is known to be very active during cell division.