The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and The International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia...

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and The International Waldenstrom's
Macroglobulinemia Foundation Partner to Develop Cell Lines to Advance Research

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., July 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
(LLS) and The International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation (IWMF)
have partnered in an initiative to develop stable and immortalized
Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) cell lines that would be made widely
available to researchers to test potential new treatments for the disease.

WM occurs as low-grade B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, characterized by
B-lymphocytes in the bone marrow, and an abnormal level of the protein
monoclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM). Though the disease is slow-growing, a
curative treatment has yet to be developed. Cell lines are invaluable in
understanding the genetics and biology of cancerous cells. The development of
a biologically stable and satisfactorily representative WM cell line will
enable researchers throughout the world to test their latest ideas on
bio-identical cells and thus compare their results with those of other
researchers.

Researchers agree that new cell lines are urgently needed as it is widely
understood that the three most used existing WM cell lines may not accurately
represent the disease.

"Numerous scientists studying WM report that one of the barriers to finding a
cure is the lack of a standardized WM cell line," said LLS Chief Scientific
Officer Louis J. DeGennaro, Ph.D. "Together, LLS and IWMF are committed to
seeing this critical asset developed in a way so as not to fundamentally
change the cellular and functional characteristics of the original tumor, and
thus enable researchers to better understand the unique aspects of WM biology
and advance more effective treatments for WM patients."

Under the agreement, LLS and IWMF will seek applications and select up to
three laboratories to co-fund for up to $100,000 for one year. Continued
funding, potentially for up to two additional years, will be contingent on
available funds and assessments of progress toward the goal of developing
suitable cell lines.

"IWMF has funded several research projects where WM cell lines have been
utilized," said Tom Meyers, Ph.D., IWMF vice president of research. "In most
cases it is difficult to compare some of the research results because the cell
lines are different. This will no longer be the case if this cell line
development is successful."

To read about the request for applications or to fill out an application,
please visit the following links:
http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/graphics/National/Web/WaldenstromsMacroglobulinemiaRFAInformationPacket.pdf

http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/graphics/National/Web/WM_LLS_Application_Template.doc

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society(R) (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary
health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia,
lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of
patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around
the world and provides free information and support services.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in White Plains, NY, LLS has chapters
throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org or
contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through
Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. www.lls.org.

About The International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation
The IWMF was started in 1994 when Arnold Smokler, a pharmacist, developed the
disease and could find little information about it. Initially, he formed a
support group in the Washington, D.C. area. By 1998 the organization had grown
substantially and it was incorporated in Florida as a non-profit corporation
under its current name. The organization has continued to grow with worldwide
membership of nearly 4,000. The IWMF provides support to patients and their
caregivers, enables patients and caregivers to communicate with one another,
sponsors educational forums on the disease featuring prominent doctors and
researchers associated with the disease, publishes booklets on the disease and
its treatment and supports research aimed at understanding the disease and,
ultimately finding a cure. Since 2000, nearly $4 million has been given to
institutions conducting research on the disease.
Contact: Andrea Greif, (914) 821-8958
andrea.greif@lls.org

SOURCE The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Andrea Greif for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, +1-914-821-8958, or
andrea.greif@lls.org