- Essential thrombocythemia,
- polycythema vera,
- chronic myelogenous leukemia,
- agnogenic myeloid metaplasia (primary myelofibrosis),
- myelofibrosis (secondary) and
- myelodysplastic syndrome
Chicago -- July 11, 2000 -- The MPD Foundation announced that it has awarded its first research grant, in the amount of $100,000, to Josef P. Prchal, MD. The grant will help fund Dr. Prchal's research into the genetic cause of polycythemia vera, a rare type of hematological malignancy.
Polycythemia vera is one of four closely-related myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs), in which the precursor cells that produce all the body's blood cells develop and proliferate abnormally. The other three MPDs are essential thrombocythemia, myelofibrosis and chronic myelogenous leukemia. Currently, the only cure for any of the myeloproliferative disorders is an expensive, often-risky bone marrow transplant.
Recently, scientists have made extraordinary progress in treating some cancers and other diseases by identifying the specific gene associated with the disease, and developing compounds that interact only with that gene. But the promising results come only after a long, hard search, because humans have 100,000 or so different genes in every cell in their bodies. By identifying the gene associated with polycythemia vera, Dr. Prchal hopes to learn how the gene malfunctions to cause the disease, and how to counteract that malfunction to either cure or prevent polycythemia vera.
Dr. Prchal is Professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, which has a nationally recognized genetic research program that will be deeply involved in the search for the polycythemia vera gene.
Myeloproliferative disorders affect only about one person in 100,000, so most of the medications used to treat the disorders have been developed originally to treat leukemia and other more common blood diseases. Robert Rosen, a Chicago businessman and polycythemia vera patient, established the MPD Foundation in 1999 to raise public awareness of the myeloproliferative disorders and to raise funds to encourage original research in the field. Mr. Rosen is President of the Foundation. Joyce Niblack, a leading advocate for the MPD community, is Executive Vice President, Robert Pritzker is Vice President and Woody Woodruff is Secretary.
The Foundation's Medical Advisory Board is chaired by Ernest Beutler, MD, Professor and Chairman, Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, and Senior Consultant, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Scripps Clinic Medical Group. He is joined by John K. Camoriano, MD, Department of Hematology and Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale.
The Foundation is incorporated in the State of Illinois and has been awarded non-profit status by the IRS.
More information on the myeloproliferative disorders, treatment options, and an Internet support group can be found at the MPD website or contact Joyce Niblack .
For Information about the MPD Foundation, contact Bob Rosen
MPD Foundation
MPD Foundation #273 858 Armitage St. Chicago, IL 60614
773-933-7050