ATLANTA, GA – Patients treated with lenalidomide for relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) have experienced a major response to therapy, according to a study conducted by Asher Chanan-Khan, MD, Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI). The research (abstract # 6517)* will be presented at the 2006 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, June 2-6, Atlanta, GA.

Lenalidomide is among a new class of oral cancer drugs which are chemically similar to thalidomide but are more potent in the laboratory and appear to lack some of the more common side effects of thalidomide.

This phase II study is the first to report clinical activity of lenalidomide in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Of the 19 patients treated daily with 25 mg of lenalidomide, 13 achieved a significant clinical response (10 a partial response, three a complete response) and two had a complete molecular response; all with a predictable and manageable safety profile. The most common side effects experienced by patients included flare reaction, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. A clinical trial with a slow dose escalation of lenalidomide is the next investigation.

CLL, a cancer of the blood-forming system, involves cells in an advanced stage of development that cannot perform their vital functions. Approximately 9,560 new cases of CLL will be diagnosed in 2006.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology is the world’s leading professional organization representing physicians of all oncology subspecialties who care for people with cancer. ASCO’s more than 20,000 members from the United States and abroad set the standard for patient care and lead the efforts to discover more effective cancer treatments, increase funding for clinical and translational research, and ultimately, improve cancer care for the estimated 10 million people diagnosed with cancer worldwide each year.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation’s first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Upstate New York. RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers. For more information, visit RPCI’s website at www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org.

*Material is embargoed until presentation: Asher Chanan-Khan, MD, Department of Medicine, RPCI, will present abstract # 6517 – “Lenalidomide (L) induces high response rates with molecular remission in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)” in the poster discussion session on Sunday, June 4, 2-6 pm EST.