{"id":189169,"date":"2023-12-21T09:45:21","date_gmt":"2023-12-21T19:45:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=189169"},"modified":"2023-12-21T11:48:35","modified_gmt":"2023-12-21T21:48:35","slug":"uh-research-lab-to-lifesaver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2023\/12\/21\/uh-research-lab-to-lifesaver\/","title":{"rendered":"Lab to lifesaver: UH<\/abbr> research powers medical breakthroughs"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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UH<\/abbr> Cancer Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A significant development has advanced in the fight against neuroblastoma, a type of cancer most often occurring in young children that affects immature nerve cells outside of the brain. On December 13, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA<\/abbr>)<\/a> approved the drug DFMO<\/abbr> (eflornithine, now known as IWILFIN<\/abbr>) to reduce the risk of relapse in pediatric patients with high-risk neuroblastoma<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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Andr\u00e9 S. Bachmann (Photo courtesy: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Behind the initial research leading to this approval is Andr\u00e9 S. Bachmann and his research team. Bachmann was formerly an associate professor at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Cancer Center<\/a> until 2010. He then moved to UH<\/abbr> Hilo<\/a> as department chair and professor of pharmaceutical sciences before joining Michigan State University in 2015.<\/p>\n

While at the UH<\/abbr> Cancer Center, Bachmann and his team were the first to suggest that DFMO<\/abbr> could potentially change how medical professionals treat pediatric neuroblastoma. Bachmann credits his time at the UH<\/abbr> Cancer Center for laying the groundwork for this breakthrough.<\/p>\n

“The FDA<\/abbr> announcement is a testament that basic science and pre-clinical research are important,” said Bachmann.<\/p>\n

Based on keen insights into MYCN<\/abbr>, a gene that plays a vital role in regulating cell division and tumor growth and is often amplified in this type of tumor, Bachmann\u2019s team proposed that DFMO<\/abbr> could target a MYCN<\/abbr>-activated protein called ornithine decarboxylase (ODC<\/abbr>), an indicator of poor prognosis in neuroblastoma patients.<\/p>\n

This FDA<\/abbr> approval serves as a compelling reminder of the essential role that basic research plays in advancing medicine
—Naoto Ueno<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“This FDA<\/abbr> approval serves as a compelling reminder of the essential role that basic research plays in advancing medicine,” said Naoto T. Ueno, director of the UH<\/abbr> Cancer Center. “Although the spotlight often shifts to clinical trials and FDA<\/abbr> approvals, the meticulous, foundational work sets the stage for these breakthroughs. This underscores the importance of the work initiated here at the UH<\/abbr> Cancer Center and later continued at Michigan State University. Thank you to Dr. Andr\u00e9 S. Bachmann and his team for laying the groundwork for this life-saving therapy.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The FDA<\/abbr> panel announced a breakthrough and approved the use of eflornithine in adult and pediatric patients with neuroblastoma. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[218,1363,1600,158,169,14,9],"class_list":["post-189169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research","tag-cancer","tag-manoa-research","tag-public-impact-research","tag-publication","tag-uh-cancer-center","tag-uh-hilo","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t