Clinical study of rubidazone (22 050 R.P.), a new daunorubicin-derived compound, in 170 patients with acute leukemias and other malignancies

Abstract

Rubidazone was used as sole chemotherapy in 170 adults and children with acute leukemia and sarcoma. When rubidazone was employed to treat the first attack, complete remission was achieved in : 1) 40 out of 70 patients (57%) with AML; 2) two out of six patients with AML where previous chemotherapy had failed; 3) four out of five patients with ALL; 4) 12 out of 14 patients with acute monoblastic leukemia. When used to treat relapse, rubidazone produced complete remission in : 1) 14 out of 31 cases of AML; 2) 18 out of 39 cases of ALL; 3) 2 out of 3 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Treatment of a case of rhabdomyosarcoma was unsuccessful. In the treatment of acute myeloblastic and monoblastic leukemias, it may be concluded that rubidazone induces a higher rate of complete remission than any other previously reported drug which was used alone. It also achieves remission rates similar to those resulting from a combination of daunorubicin and Ara-C. Furthermore, when compared with daunorubicin, rubidazone allows better control of the induction of aplasia.

Treatment of acute myelogenous leukaemia in patients aged 50–65: idarubicin is more effective than zorubicin for remission induction and prolonged disease‐free survival can be obtained using a unique consolidation course

“…Another alternative is to use new anthracyclines or anthracenediones whose therapeutic indices appear to be superior to classic molecules such as daunorubicin (DNR) or adriamycin. The efficacy of zorubicin (ZRB), the benzoyl-hydrazone derivative of DNR, has been reported previously in AML ( Jacquillat et al, 1976;Boiron et al, 1981;Keating et al, 1981;Harousseau et al, 1991;Morrisson et al, 1992). Another molecule, idarubicin (IDR), is of particular interest.…”

Critical issues in autologous bone marrow transplantation in adult acute leukemia

“…Adult acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are malignancies with great primary sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents. In AML, a complete remission rate of 70% to 80% can be obtained (1)(2)(3)(4); however, as with ALL, most patients usually die of recurrent disease within 1 yr of initial chemotherapy. The long-term survival of AML patients who achieve complete remission (CR) is about 20% at 5 yr (5)(6).…”