Impact of compounds on cells from haematological malignancies
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Impact of investigational compounds encompassing biologics and non-biologics on cells from patients with haematological malignancies
IRAS ID
237181
Contact name
John Gordon
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Celentyx Ltd
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
New (or repurposed) therapeutic compounds (drugs) will be tested on cells from patients with different types of blood cancers (i.e. leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma) with the aim of finding novel or better treatments for these diseases in the future. Malignant blood cells taken from patients will be cultured with a variety of compounds (which could include 'biologics' such as antibodies or 'small chemical entities') and their effects on the cell populations will be studied. A range of effects will be studied to include (but not limited to): the viability of the target cells; the degree to which the cells divide; whether the cells commit suicide (a process called 'apoptosis'); whether the cells change their state (i.e. 'differentiate'); whether they become activated; whether they become more susceptible to other drugs.
Patient samples will be sourced primarily from NHS hospital Haematology Clinics where blood is already being taken for considerations relating to patient benefit (e.g. diagnosis, disease progression monitoring, etc). The laboratory studies will be performed within a University Medical School (or allied laboratory) setting. Blood samples will be processed to isolate the cells which are then placed into plastic containers together with the drugs under study. The containers will then be placed into incubators for set intervals (usually hours or several days) before they are then looked at for the different changes under investigation. This will tell us about the 'efficacy' of the test drug and whether it may become a useful therapy for patients with the cancers being studied at some point in the future.
REC name
East of England - Essex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/EE/0470
Date of REC Opinion
3 Jan 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion