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The Regents of the University of California, San Diego

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La Jolla, CA 92093
United States

Background

Patients diagnosed with "high risk" neuroblastoma have a high rate of failure (death) even after aggressive drug treatment and bone marrow transplantation leaves most children "cured". In 2010, we reported on the efficacy of an antibody therapeutic ch14.18, which reduces disease recurrence to about 25%. In 2015, after a long clinical trial, ch14.18 (renamed dinutuximab) received FDA approval and is now available to treat children. Alas, while fewer children are dying, even one death from this disease is too many, never mind 25%!