AbbVie medication candidates detailed at annual EHA congress

Data from research on AbbVie candidate medications was featured during the European Hematology Association (EHA) Annual Congress that took place in Denmark this past week.

Information on two investigational medication candidates, venetoclax, a B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) inhibitor, and duvelisib, a phosphoinositide-3-kinase delta and gamma inhibitor, were presented during the conference. Venetoclax had 10 abstracts that were presented, with one abstract for duvelisib.

"BCL-2 inhibition is an exciting new mechanism of action and the data that will be presented demonstrate venetoclax's potential across a range of blood cancers," Dr. Michael Severino, EVP of research and development and chief scientific officer at AbbVie, said. "The data underscore AbbVie's growing hematology portfolio and our commitment to changing the way blood cancer is treated with innovative new treatment options."

Venetoclax acts as an inhibitor to B-cell lymphoma. The BCL-2 protein is tasked with programming cell death and with this medication, certain functions that are exacerbated in cases of lymphoma are prevented from taking place.

Duvelisib is currently within a Phase II and a Phase III study with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and follicular lymphoma, respectively. The drug candidate acts as an inhibitor for two proteins that have been found to support cancerous cell growth.