Leukemia working group

Composition

Chair

Prof. Dr. G. Huls (UMCG, Groningen)

Vice-chair

Prof. Dr. H.G.P. Raaijmakers (Erasmus MC, Rotterdam)

Secretary

Prof. Dr. A.A. van de Loosdrecht (Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam)

Key objectives of working group

The key objectives of this working group are:

• The working group operates in an international perspective and aims to establish trials that will incorporate novel drugs of intrest for all collaborative partners. Expansion of participation by foreign partners will increase the accrual of patient numbers in trials more and more necessary in the era of genetic driven treatments, and hence increase the effectiveness of HOVON as a study group. This is perhaps even more important than in the past for HOVON, with a view to remaining a leading player as a competitive group: good, feasible studies with short lead times. Collaboration with outstanding international AML groups have been established resulting in multinational HOVON sponsored trials.
• Investing heavily in the systematic linking of laboratory studies to clinical trials, with a view to deriving clinically-relevant biological, molecular, pharmacokinetic and immunological information from therapy studies. The success of these efforts is to a considerable extent determined by the efficiency of the sample collection, in terms of quality and quantity. The objective is both a high yield in participation from the centers, and achieving a high output from sampling. The quality, standardization and quality control of the determinations will also be a permanent point for attention. 
• Intensive investment is aimed at running centrally MRD measurements on the basis of multicolor flow cytometry and molecular methods, gene mutation analysis and genetic profiling by gene expression arrays alongside the trial, on a routine basis. This will generate important experience and will perhaps also result in a model for ensuring that other side studies linked to clinical trials can also run smoothly. It is expected that in the future any genome-wide approaches will be implemented for evaluation in the clinical approach. MRD determinations is also incorporated in the ALL trials
• A model has been developed for Phase II trials in unfit patients that offers possibilities for running multiple trials simultaneously, the advantage being that all that is required for a new trial is an amendment, thus offering the possibility of launching concept Phase III trials via a 'pick a winner', once a promising new strategy is identified in the Phase II trials. In this way, HOVON will also become an attractive partner for industry as it will be capable of rapidly testing new medicines. Now many new drugs become available and also in the unfit elderly treatment becomes genetic driven international collaboration is necessary. Such a collaboration has already established, clinical studies in this platform are currently in development.
• Currently the HOVON AML consortium consist of AML trial groups from: Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estland, Ireland and Denmark. For specific trials we collaborate with : Germany: AML-SG, France: ALPHA and Filo, Spain: CETLAM, UK; NCRI; Australia: ALLG

Publication overview

• HO100_Clofarabine added to intensive treatment in adult patients with newly diagnosed ALL
• HO70_Intensified chemotherapy inspired by a pediatric regimen combined with allogeneic transplantation in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia up to the age of 40

Meetings & Minutes

Twice a year an international HOVON-SAKK Schiphol meeting is organised at Schiphol airport.

And also twice a year a Dutch HOVON LWG is scheduled.

Please note the section where meetings dates & minutes are shown are only accessible after log in.