Active clinical trials for "Polycythemia Vera"

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MK-0683 in the treatment of PV and ET. This agent has most recently been shown to be a potent inhibitor of the autonomous proliferation of haematopoietic cells of PV and ET patients carrying the JAK2 V617F mutation. Accordingly, it may be anticipated that MK-0683 - by decreasing the JAK2 allele burden - may influence clonal myeloproliferation and in vivo granulocyte, platelet and endothelial activation , which are considered to be major determinants of morbidity and mortality ( thrombosis, bleeding, extramedullary haematopoiesis , myelofibrosis ) in these disorders. The effects of MK-0683 at the molecular level will be studied by global/ focused gene expression profiling, epigenome profiling and proteomics.

LBH589 is an oral drug that targets the myelofibrosis cells in the bone marrow and induces cell death by allowing for the expression of certain suppressed genes that are important in regulating cell survival. Based on laboratory studies, the hypothesis is that this drug will selectively kill the stem cells responsible for causing myelofibrosis and result in reduction in spleen size and ultimately restoration of normal bone marrow function.

This study involves screening for portal vein thrombosis and portal hypertension in patients with Philadelphia negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). These include polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and myelofibrosis. Portal vein thrombosis and portal hypertension are serious complications that are often seen in myeloproliferative patients. These complications are usually diagnosed when patients become symptomatic, and are often already at an advanced stage. They can further progress to cause non-reversible damage to the liver, also called cirrhosis of the liver. As a result of this, patients often accumulate fluid in the abdomen which is ascites; and can develop swelling of veins in the lining of the esophagus known as varices. If untreated, varices have the risk of rupturing resulting in life-threatening bleeding. When diagnosed at an advanced stage, the treatment is usually supportive therapy and there are no treatments available at present which can reverse these conditions. This study is looking at screening for these two conditions using Doppler ultrasound and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Researchers will use abnormal blood and/or bone marrow cells, or materials derived from these abnormal cells, like DNA, RNA, protein or plasma, in laboratory studies. Toenail clippings will provide normal material like DNA for comparison with the abnormal material derived from the blood and/or bone marrow. The results of these studies will be correlated with subjects' disease symptoms and response to their experimental treatment. The MPD-RC researchers are interested in studying molecules from the blood and bone marrow, the exact molecules changing over time with the investigators choosing only the most promising for investigation. The investigators are attempting to better understand the causes of MPD and to develop improved methods for the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. These syndromes carry a high risk of developing leukemia. It is important to continue to learn more about these blood cancers and to learn more about the effectiveness and potential side effects of various treatments. It is believed that further basic knowledge about these cancer cells as well as the effects of treatment will lead to the improvement of current therapies and the development of entirely new treatments for these diseases. The MPD-RC is hoping to determine if a number of laboratory tests (biomarkers) will allow for the prediction of response in future patients to the treatment they would receive.

The three main chronic myeloproliferative disorders are polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET) and idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF). These are clonal neoplastic diseases characterized by proliferation of one or more hematopoietic lineages. Recently a mutation of the Janus Kinase 2 (JAK2) gene that leads to the substitution of phenylalanine for valine at position 617 of the JAK2 protein, JAK2 V617F, has been found in 76% to 97% of patients with PV, 29% to 57% of patients with ET and 50% of patients with IMF. This mutation confers constitutive activity on to the JAK2 protein and appears to play an important role in the pathobiology of these conditions. However, not all patients with myeloproliferative disorders have this mutation and it may not be the primary cause of these diseases. The primary goal of this prospective natural history study is to investigate the molecular basis of these diseases in groups of patients who have JAK2 V617F and in those who do not. A second goal is to identify biomarkers for PV and the other myeloproliferative disorders that are easier to measure than JAK2 V617F. Approximately, 150 patients with myeloproliferative disorders will be studied over 3 years. The studies will involve the collection of 40 mL to 50 mL of peripheral blood from each subject. The blood will be used to assess neutrophil gene and protein expression, gene polymorphisms, and plasma protein levels.

Patients treated with oral or sub-cutaneous drugs for polycythemia vera or essential thrombocythemia completed an unique paper questionnaire in order to describe their observance, the side effects and their own appreciation of the taken drug.

This is a Phase IV, multicenter, non-interventional, non-randomized, prospective, observational study in an adult population (patients >18 years old) of men and women who have been diagnosed with clinically overt PV and are being followed in either community or academic medical centers in the United States who will be enrolled over a 12-month period and observed for 36 months from the date the last patient is enrolled.

This study that will allow for the preservation and/or storage of a small portion one or more of the following tissues: Peripheral blood Bone marrow Bone marrow biopsy A phlebotomized unit of blood Spleen cells Toenail clippings This material will be used for the study of Myeloproliferative Disorders (MPD) by researchers. The goals of this research study are to understand the causes of MPDs, how to diagnose them more easily and how to treat them better. MPD is a disease affecting hematopoietic stem cells. Hematopoietic stem cells are cells that make blood cells. These stem cells grow in the center portion of the bones called bone marrow. Under some conditions, these cells are also found in blood. There are several diseases, which are classified as MPD. These include polycythemia vera (too many red blood cells), essential thrombocythemia (too many platelets), and idiopathic myelofibrosis (abnormal blood cells and fibers build up in the bone marrow). These syndromes carry a high risk of developing leukemia. It is important to continue to learn more about these blood cancers and to learn more about the effectiveness and potential side effects of various treatments.

The purpose of the study is to isolate and characterize stem cells of patients with Polycythemia Vera (PV) and Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) to find out why these cells are not working the way they should be and why they seem to be sensitive to regulatory factors in the blood, such as clotting.

This was a prospective, two-arm, non-interventional study of JAKAVI® (Ruxolitinib) in patients with myelofibrosis