Active clinical trials for "Anemia, Aplastic"

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation may provide long-term remissions for some patients with hematological malignancies. However, allogeneic transplantation is associated with a significant risk of potentially life threatening complications due to the effects of chemotherapy and radiation on the body and the risks of serious infection. In addition, patients may develop a condition called Graft versus host disease that arises from an inflammatory reaction of the donor cells against the recipient's normal tissues. The risk of graft versus host disease is somewhat increased in patients who are receiving a transplant from an unrelated donor. One approach to reduce the toxicity of allogeneic transplantation is a strategy call nonmyeloablative or "mini" transplants. In this approach, patients receive a lower dose of chemotherapy in an effort to limit treatment related side effects. Patients undergoing this kind of transplant remain at risk for graft versus host disease particularly if they receive a transplant from an unrelated donor. The purpose of this research study is to examine the ability of a drug called CAMPATH-1H to reduce the risk of graft versus host disease and make transplantation safer. CAMPATH-1H binds to and eliminates cells in the system such as T cells that can cause graft versus host disease (GvHD). As a result, earlier studies have shown that patients who receive CAMPATH-1H with an allogeneic transplant have a lower risk of GvHD. In the present study, we will examine the impact of treatment with CAMPATH-1H as part of an allogeneic transplant on the development of GvHD and infection. In addition, we will study the effects of CAMPATH-1H on the immune system by testing blood samples in the laboratory.

Transplantation with stem cells is a standard therapy in many centers around the world. Previous experience with stem cell transplantation therapy for leukemias, lymphomas, other cancers, aplastic anemia and other non-malignant diseases, has led to prolonged disease-free survival or cure for some patients. However, the high doses of pre-transplant radiation and chemotherapy drugs used, and the type of drugs used, often cause many side effects that are intolerable for some patients. Slow recovery of blood counts is a frequent complication of high dose pre-transplant regimens, resulting in a longer period of risk for bleeding and infection plus a longer time in the hospital. Recent studies have shown that using lower doses of radiation and chemotherapy (ones that do not completely kill all of the patient's bone marrow cells) before blood or bone marrow transplant, may be a better treatment for high risk patients, such as those with Dyskeratosis Congenita (DC) or Severe Aplastic Anemia(SAA). These low dose transplants may result in shorter periods of low blood counts, and blood counts that do not go as low as with traditional pre-transplant radiation and chemotherapy. Furthermore, in patients with Dyskeratosis Congenita or SAA, the stem cell transplant will replace the blood forming cells with healthy cells. It has recently been shown that healthy marrow can take and grow after transplantation which uses doses of chemotherapy and radiation that are much lower than that given to patients with leukemia. While high doses of chemotherapy and radiation may be necessary to get rid of leukemia, this may not be important to patients with Dyskeratosis Congenita or SAA. The purpose of this research is to see if this lower dose chemotherapy and radiation regimen followed by transplant is a safe and effective treatment for patients with Dyskeratosis Congenita or SAA.

Background: Severe plastic anemia can lead to problems with bone marrow platelet production and result in low blood platelet counts, which require frequent platelet transfusions to improve blood clotting. A standard treatment for SAA involves injections of rabbit-antithymocyte globulin (r-ATG). r-ATG is developed by injecting horses with a type of human white blood cells called thymocytes. The horse's immune system reacts against these cells and makes antibodies that can destroy them. These antibodies are collected and purified to make r-ATG. Horses can also be used for this procedure to make horse-antithymocyte globulin (h-ATG). h-ATG is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of aplastic anemia. h-ATG is a standard first-line method to treat aplastic anemia, but researchers do not know how effective it is in patients who were first treated unsuccessfully with r-ATG. Objectives: - To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of horse-ATG (with cyclosporine) in increasing blood counts and reducing the need for transfusions in aplastic anemia patients who have failed to respond to prior immunosuppressive treatment with rabbit-ATG and cyclosporine. Eligibility: - Patients 2 years of age and older who have consistently low blood platelet counts related to aplastic anemia that has not responded to conventional treatment with rabbit-ATG. Design: After initial screening, medical history, and blood tests, patients will be admitted to the inpatient unit at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. Researchers will perform a skin test with h-ATG to check for allergic or other adverse reaction. After the skin test, h-ATG will be given into a vein continuously over 4 days. Cyclosporine will also be given to improve the response rate of ATG treatment. Treatment with cyclosporine will start the same day as the h-ATG, either in liquid or capsule form, and continued for 6 months. The dose of cyclosporine will be monitored and adjusted based on blood levels and signs of side effects in the kidney and liver. To prevent or treat infections that may result from cyclosporine s effect on the immune system, patients will also take inhaled or capsule doses of pentamidine. After the study is completed, patients will have followup evaluations every 3 months, 6 months, and annually for 5 years. Evaluations will include blood samples and periodic bone marrow biopsies.

This study will test whether the immune-suppressing drug rituximab can increase blood counts and reduce the need for transfusions in patients with moderate aplastic anemia, pure red cell aplasia, or Diamond Blackfan anemia. These are rare and serious blood disorders in which the immune system turns against bone marrow cells, causing the bone marrow to stop producing red blood cells in patients with pure red cell aplasia and Diamond Blackfan anemia, and red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets in patients with aplastic anemia. Rituximab is a laboratory-made monoclonal antibody that recognizes and destroys white blood cells called lymphocytes that are responsible for destroying bone marrow cells in these diseases. The drug is currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a disease of white blood cells.

OBJECTIVES: I. Confirm the efficacy demonstrated in a pilot study using high dose cyclophosphamide in patients with severe aplastic anemia. II. Determine whether the addition of filgrastim (G-CSF) to high dose cyclophosphamide shortens the time to recovery in these patients. III. Determine whether this regimen is efficacious in treating paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

The present study will be conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of AMG531 and to determine the recommended initial dose of AMG531 on the basis of its efficacy and safety when it is administered subcutaneously (SC) to the Aplastic Anemia (AA) patients with immunosuppressive-therapy refractory thrombocytopenia and also to assess the pharmacokinetics of this product. Its efficacy and safety during the extension period beyond one year will also be evaluated.

The investigators hypothesis is that eltrombopag given to patients with moderate to very severe aplastic anemia will result in an increase in platelet counts. The investigators hypothesize that in patients with moderate to very severe aplastic anemia, treatment with eltrombopag will lead to fewer platelet transfusions, red blood cell transfusions, and fewer bleeding events. The investigators hypothesize that in patients with moderate to very severe aplastic anemia, eltrombopag will have an acceptable toxicity rate <3%, at doses that result in increased platelet counts. Finally the investigators hypothesize that plasma eltrombopag levels in peripheral blood will correlate with improved platelet counts.

Aplastic anemia is a rare disorder characterized by pancytopenia and a hypo cellular bone marrow.but,It is very serious disease causing morbidity and mortality. Aplastic anemia can be treated effectively with haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and immunosuppressive drug regimens but haematopoietic stem cell transplantation has limitations due to its cost and many patient are unsuitable. Immunosuppressive drug has a significant number of patients have persistent cytopenias. Currently, the treatment of these patients is regular transfusion, which are expensive, inconvenient, and associated with serious side effects related to iron overload and transfusion. Eltrombopag is an oral thrombopoietin mimetic that selectively binds at the transmembrane and juxtamembrane domains of the thrombopoietin receptor, at sites distinct from the binding site of thrombopoietin therefore it does not compete for binding with the native molecule. It promoting thrombopoiesis and release of platelets from mature megakaryocytes. Also, promote other hematopoietic stem cell as well as in thrombopoiesis .

Background: - Some people have bone marrow and lung disorders that are caused by genetic problems. These problems often involve damage to the ends of the chromosomes that pass down genes. One of these disorders is aplastic anemia. This is a disorder in which the bone marrow does not make enough blood cells. Currently, doctors use a male hormone-based drug called Danazol to improve bone marrow function and treat aplastic anemia. More information is needed on whether Danazol can help repair the damaged chromosomes that cause aplastic anemia and similar disorders that cause low blood cell counts or lung problems. Objectives: - To study the safety and effectiveness of Danazol for bone marrow and lung disorders caused by damaged genes. Eligibility: - Individuals at least 2 years of age who have low blood cell counts or lung fibrosis caused by damaged genes. Design: Participants will be screened with a physical exam and medical history. Then they will have blood and urine tests, imaging studies, and a lung function test. They will also take a 6-minute walking test and have a bone marrow biopsy. Participants will receive Danazol to take twice a day for the duration of the study. Participants will have regular study visits at 6, 12, and 24 months, with blood tests, imaging studies, a lung function test, and a 6-minute walking test. A bone marrow sample will be collected at the 12-month visit. Participants will remain on the study for up to 2 years. Researchers will follow up with them for 2 years after the end of the study.

This is a Prospective Phase II Study to evaluate Cord Blood Transplantation in Inherited or Acquired Severe Aplastic Anemia Refractory or in Relapse after Immunosuppressive Therapy in the absence of an HLA identical donor;