The Californer - Landmark Clinical Trial Results Offer New Hope for Kids with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)

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SAN DIEGO, Dec. 7, 2024 ~ At the 66th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in San Diego, Calif., groundbreaking results from a major clinical trial were revealed today. The trial, supported in part by the St. Baldrick's Foundation, has the potential to redefine the standard of care for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

The Children's Oncology Group (COG) announced transformative findings that have been hailed as one of the most significant advancements in pediatric oncology in decades. This milestone is a result of 25 years of donations to St. Baldrick's head-shaving events, fundraisers, and the generosity of dedicated donors.

As COG's largest philanthropic donor, St. Baldrick's plays a crucial role in funding groundbreaking discoveries and clinical trials that bring these innovations to patients. Through COG's cooperative research network, thousands of children gain access to lifesaving clinical trials each year. Currently, more than 100 trials are actively recruiting participants. The annual grant from St. Baldrick's helps cover the cost of these trials by providing per-patient reimbursements to member institutions, ensuring that more children have access to cutting-edge treatments.

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The latest trial conducted by COG demonstrates that adding blinatumomab, a targeted immunotherapy drug, to traditional chemotherapy significantly improves disease-free survival (DFS) rates for children with standard-risk (SR) ALL. The results are so impactful that all ongoing SR ALL trials have been suspended by COG to incorporate this game-changing treatment into its protocols.

The trial enrolled over 4,200 children and achieved unprecedented results:

- A 96% three-year DFS rate for children receiving blinatumomab compared to 87.9% with chemotherapy alone.

- Blinatumomab was shown to be well-tolerated with minimal severe side effects, paving the way for reducing the use of older and more toxic chemotherapy drugs.

Dr. Doug Hawkins, COG Group Chair, stated, "Blinatumomab represents a paradigm shift in how we treat ALL. For the first time, we can envision replacing toxic treatments with a safer, targeted therapy without compromising, and even improving, survival rates. We are grateful for the support of so many donors who helped make this discovery possible, including the St. Baldrick's Foundation."

Blinatumomab is a type of immunotherapy and monoclonal antibody that targets CD19, a protein found on leukemia cells. By engaging the body's immune system, the drug enables it to recognize and destroy cancerous cells more effectively. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, blinatumomab shows no evidence of causing long-term side effects, which is especially critical for young patients.

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The success of this trial highlights the crucial role of philanthropic support in advancing pediatric cancer research. To date, St. Baldrick's has granted over $101 million to COG, empowering them to explore cutting-edge treatments like blinatumomab and changing the outlook for children diagnosed with ALL.

Kathleen Ruddy, CEO of the St. Baldrick's Foundation said, "This transformative breakthrough represents a monumental step forward in our fight to conquer kids' cancer. Thanks to the unwavering support of our donors, volunteers, partners and advocates, we're not only improving survival rates but also paving the way for safer, less toxic treatments. Together we are making cures a reality."

With these groundbreaking results from COG's trial using blinatumomab for ALL treatment in children with SR ALL patients can look forward to a new era in treatment options that are both safer and more effective. The medical community is optimistic about extending this treatment approach to other childhood cancers as researchers continue to build on this success.

For more information about the St. Baldrick's Foundation and how you can support lifesaving pediatric cancer research, visit StBaldricks.org.

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