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Nordic MDS Group meeting
15-16 November 2007, Stockholm

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MINUTES:
Research Meeting in the Nordic MDS Group

Thursday, November 15-16, 2007
Scandic Hotel Continental, Stockholm

Dear Friends, please read through the minutes from the meeting in the Nordic MDS Group

Company representatives participate only during report of ”their” studies


Name

Site

15.11

16.11

Kjeldsen, Lars

Copenhagen

 

x

Birgegård, Gunnar

Uppsala

 

x

Samuelsson, Jan

Stockholm

 

x

Maxwell Norgaard, Jan

Aarhus

x

x

Dybedal, Ingunn

Oslo

x

x

Engström, Lena Maria

Umeå

 

x

Bäckström, Bengt

S:t Göran

x

x

Walldin, Gunilla

Stockholm

 

x

Antunovic, Petar

Linköping

 

x

Jädersten, Martin

Stockholm

x

x

Möllgård, Lars

Stockholm

x

x

Reykdal, Sigrun

Island

x

x

Skov-Holm, Mette

Danmark

x

x

Hellström-Lindberg, Eva

Stockholm

x

x

Bowen, David

UK

x

x

Nilsson-Ehle, Herman

Göteborg

 

x

Grövdal, Michael

Stockholm

x

x

Kozlowski, Piotr

Örebro

x

x

Brandefors, Lena

Sunderby Sjukhus

x

Scharenberg, Christian

Skövde

x

x

Jansson, Git

Novartis

x

x

Grandien, Alf

Stockholm

x

 

Nikpour Maryam

Stockholm

x

 

Jansson, Monika

Stockholm

x

 

Forsblom,Lalla

Stockholm

x

 

Leonie Saft

Stockholm

x

 

Nilsson, Lars

Lund

 

x

Juvonen, Eeva

Finland

 

x

Astermark, Jan

Malmö

 

x

Wallvik Jonas

Sundsvall

 

x

Ekström Tomas

Stockholm

x

 

Karimi Mohsen

Stockholm

x

 

Andersson Sandra

Stockholm

x

 

I would like to thank Novartis Sweden for supporting this meeting with an unrestricted grant to the Nordic MDS Group.


Minutes 15 November 2007. Preclinical meeting

As usual, we had a very informal and creative preclinical discussion. The keynote speaker was Alf Grandien, Karolinska Institutet Huddinge, who talked about somatic mouse models for evaluating the role of candidate genes in hemopoietic disorders. Martin Jädersten reported on the SPARC project that follows the recent publication in PNAS. Mohsen Karimi, CMM Karolinska, discussed Azacitidine-induced global hypomethylation and apoptosis, and Michael Grövdal presented the first from the Azacitidine study, now in press in Clinical Cancer Research. Jan Maxwell Norgaard, Aarhus, presented an early project targeting mitochondrial genome alternations in MDS and AML. Sandra Andersson, Karolinska Huddinge, talked about her projekt on NK cell status in MDS, and finally, Eva Hellström-Lindberg gave an overview of international experimental MDS studies and their clinical implications. We then had a very nice dinner together.

 

Minutes 16 November 2007

1. Keynote speaker was David Bowen, Leeds, who presented the new EU Leukemia Net MDS Registry for low and Int-1-risk MDS. The registry will include between 1,000 and 2,000 patients, who should be followed over a period of up to five years. Baseline data about medication, intervention and co-morbidities are important features of this registry. The central “hub” at Karolinska Huddinge will be provided with one halftime research assistant, and for each included patient there will be a nominal reimbursement of approximately 500 euros, that will be given to the department. We had a good and creative discussion together and the group was very positive. We will start in Sweden and then think about how to include patients from the other Nordic countries. Sweden/NMDSG will able to include 55 patients during the first year.

2. Herman Nilsson-Ehle reported on NMDSG03A, the Aranesp study. Thirty-six patients have been included. Inclusion during the last year has been slow due to problem of getting adequate MRI investigations of the heart. However, many patients have indeed been investigated with MRI, ergospirometry and quality of life, and have also completed the protocol. We therefore decided to close the study for further inclusion (closing date November 16, 2007). Herman, Gunnar Birgegård, Jan Samuelsson and Eva Hellström-Lindberg, the Steering Committee of this study, met after the meeting and made a plan for the final report, which hopefully will result in an abstract for EHA 2008. Undoubtedly, this study will provide new information

3. NMGSG07A.Lars Möllgård reported on the early phase of the newly started Lenalidomide study. Everything has gone well. Sweden has included three patients and Denmark is ready to start after the Christmas holidays. The process is also speeding up in the other Nordic countries.

 

4. MDS Group economy and structure
Sanna Juntunen has got a more demanding job, and has been forced to quit her long-time engagement as coordinator for the Nordic MDS Group. All possible warm regards and thank you to Sanna. The new coordinator, part-time, is Annelie Isaksson, previous department secretary at Astra-Seneca. Annelie and Sanna are now organizing the take-over. The group’s structure was discussed, and it was decided that Eva Hellström-Lindberg continues as President for the group, and that the national coordinators remain the same. Eva Hellström-Lindberg also reported on the economy, which is reasonably good. Details about the economy are found in the Agenda.

5. Nordic Guidelines for MDS. Lars Kjeldsen led the discussion around potential changes in the Guidelines. After listening to a brief report from the randomized Azacitidine study, it seems clear that the respective roles of induction chemotherapy and Azacitidine will change. We also need to discuss in which way and how to use Lenalidomide. The group decided for another physical meeting during the winter of 2008, this time in Iceland, to allow Sigrun Reyjkdal some rest from travelling.

Anna Olsson and Robert Hast have decided to leave the Guideline Group. Anna has reverted back to coagulation, and Robert needs to focus on other issues. Warm thanks to Robert and Anna. Two new members were appointed to the Guideline Group: Lars Nilsson, Lund, and Mette Skov-Holm, Aarhus.

6. Azacytidine. Eva H-L briefly reported on the randomized Azacitidine study that will be presented at ASH this year.

7. NMDSG02B. The Michael Grövdal reported on the maintenance Azacitidine study. The first report shows clearly that patients with multiple genes methylated do not enter remission. Michael will now do the remaining methylation analysis and the last follow-up, and plans for submission of the final report before summer next year. Congratulations to Micke for having an oral presentation at ASH.

8. New studies. Eva reported on a new potential 3-armed randomized phase II Pharmion study, Azacytidine vs MGCD0103, a HIDAC inhibitor, vs the combination for high-risk MDS and AML. Due to confidentiality not included in the online agenda. The study will include patients with primary high-risk MDS and AML who are not eligible for induction chemotherapy. The protocol is still under discussion and there are details to solve, so more information will follow. The AMG 531 study is continuing at Karolinska Huddinge, but so far only in a narrow phase II concept. There is potentially a phase III study planned for this patient group.

9. SCT. We also discussed stem-cell transplantation, also discussed in the Leukaemia Net and EBMT. The role for Azacitidine in this context will be discussed.

Finally, the next meeting will take place at Arlanda, Friday April 25. This meeting will be supported (not flight trips) by an unrestricted grant from Pharmion.

Finally, I would like to wish you a good December, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Warm regards

 

Eva

the protocol

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