Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Laboratory

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia in Western countries. The clinical course of CLL is highly heterogeneous. During the last decade, the treatment options for CLL has developed from single and combination chemotherapy to immune-chemotherapy and targeted agents, thereby significantly improving the outcome for patients. A more comprehensive approach to immune complications, treatment outcome, and disease outcome among patients with CLL is warranted. 

By capture of paraclinical, clinical and demographic data along with genetic and functional characterization of primary CLL cells in our laboratory, we assemble multidimensional data on patients with CLL through the PERSIMUNE platform. With this unique three-pronged setup (translational research, clinical trials and registry based “real world evidence”), we explore patterns predictive of treatment outcome, infectious complications and disease outcome upon specific treatment. 

By development of machine learning based algorithms in collaboration with DTU Compute, we aim for individually tailored CLL specific treatment and supportive care in CLL. By developing investigator-initiated, inter-group studies in collaboration between the Nordic, Hovon and German CLL study groups, we assure assessment of novel combination treatments for CLL and form a basis for testing individually tailored treatment in future clinical trials

With the B-cell receptor pathway as the core, our group has been part of a paradigm shift for treatment of CLL with novel targeted therapies developed also for patients with the most dismal outcome due to TP53 aberrations. With the parallel development of translational and experimental studies based on our own unique CLL biobank, CLL epidemiology studies based on the comprehensive Danish National CLL database, and CLL clinical inter-group trials, we have created a unique position for development of not only prognostic algorithms but also tailored novel treatment regimens, which can be prospectively validated via investigator-initiated clinical trials.

Carsten Utoft Niemann, MD, PhD, Principal Investigator, Head of CLL Laboratory, Chair of Nordic CLL Study Group

Mail: carsten.utoft.niemann@regionh.dk

Christian H. Geisler, Prof Emeritus, MD

Caspar da Cunha-Bang, MD, PhD 

Fie Juhl Vojdeman, MD, PhD: currently Dept of Biochemistry, Bispebjerg Hospital

Rudi Agius Post. Doc. 

Michael Asger Andersen, MD

Christian Brieghel, MD

Rebecca XMS Valentin, MD

Rebecka Svanberg, MD 

Emelie Hamotal Curovic Rotbain, MD

Yasmin Ben Dali

Mariam Hleuhel 

Kathrine Aarup

Lone Bredo Pedersen, Scientific laboratory technician

Trine Enevoldsen, laboratory technician, in collaboration with the clinical trial unit

Jane Hinrichsen, laboratory technician, in collaboration with the clinical trial unit

Betina Gall, laboratory technician, in collaboration with the clinical trial unit

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia:

Mantle Cell Lymphoma:

Bidrag (CLL og lymfoproliferative sygdomme) til Kap. 34: Blodsygdomme i Medicinsk Kompendium (19. udgave) red. af Jesper Hastrup, Hendrik Vilstrup og Ove Schaffalitzky, ISBN 978-87-628-1752-4, in press

Niemann CU and Christiansen I: Kronisk Lymfoproliferative Sygdomme, kapitel i Hæmatologi i klinisk praksis (Overgaard U and Birgens H ed.), Munksgaard januar 2017

Niemann CU and Christiansen I: Kronisk Lymfoproliferative Sygdomme, kapitel i Hæmatologi i klinisk praksis (Overgaard U and Birgens H ed.), Munksgaard januar 2017

von-Tresckow J, Bahlo J, Niemann CU, Kater AP, Fink AM, Fischer K, Ritgen M, Kreuzer KA, Stilgenbauer S, van Oers R, Geisler CG, Hellek M, Eichhorst B: The GAIA (CLL13) trial – an international, randomized, four-arm study for first line treatment of physically fit CLL patients without del17p or TP53 mutation, Integr Cancer Sci Therap, 2017 doi: 10.15761/ICST.1000252 Volume 4(5): 1-2

Niemann CU and Christiansen I: Kronisk Lymfoproliferative Sygdomme, kapitel i Hæmatologi i klinisk praksis (Overgaard U and Birgens H ed.), Munksgaard 2016. In Press

Herman SEM, Montraveta A, Niemann CU, Mora-Jensen H, Gulrajani M, Krantz F, Mantel R, Smith LL, Harrington B, Colomer D, Covey T, Byrd JC, Izumi R, Kaptein A, Urlich R, Johnson AJ, Lannutti BJ, Wiestner A, and Woyach JA: The Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor acalabrutinib demonstrates potent on-target effects and efficacy in two mouse models of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Clin Cancer Res. 2016 nov, DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-16-0463

Sutton LA, Young E, Baliakas P, Hadzidimitriou A, Moysiadis T, Plevova K, Rossi D, Kminkova J, Stalika E, Pedersen LB, Malcikova J, Agathangelidis A, Davis Z, Mansouri L, Scarfò L, Boudjoghra M, Navarro A, Muggen AF, Yan XJ, Nguyen, 20Khac F, Larrayoz M, Panagiotidis P, Chiorazzi N, Niemann CU, Belessi C, Campo E, Strefford JC, Langerak AW, Oscier D, Gaidano G, Pospisilova S, Davi F, Ghia P, Stamatopoulos K, Rosenquist R: Different spectra of recurrent gene mutations in subsets of chronic lymphocytic leukemia harboring stereotyped B-cell receptors. Haematologica. 2016 Aug;101(8):959-67

Skarzynski M, Niemann CU, Lee YS, Martyr S, Maric I, Salem D, Stetler-Stevenson M, Marti GE, Calvo KR, Yuan CM, Valdez J, Soto S, Farooqui MZH, Herman SEM, Wiestner A: Inter¬actions between ibrutinib and anti-CD20 antibodies; competing effects on the outcome of combi¬nation therapy, Clin Cancer Res. 2016 Jan 1;22(1):86-95. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-15-1304. Lipsky AH, Farooqui MZH, Tian X, Martyr S, Cullinane AM, Nghiem K, Sun C, Valdez J, Niemann CU, Herman SEM, Saba N, Soto S, Marti G, Uzel G, Holland SM, Lozier JN, Wiestner A: Incidence and risk factors of bleeding-related adverse events in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia treated with ibrutinib, Haematologica. 2015 Dec;100(12):1571-8. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2015.126672

Niemann CU, Geisler CH: Målrettet behandling af lymfoproliferativ sygdom: Kinasehæmmere og Bcl-2 hæmmere, Ugeskr Læger 2014;176:V66229

Niemann CU: Målrettet behandling af kronisk lymfatisk leukæmi, Statusartikel, Ugeskrift for Læger, 2014, April, Ugeskr Læger 2014;176:V11130682

Niemann CU, Polliack A, Hutchings M: Suspected Richter transformation: positron emission tomography/computed tomography tells us who should have a biopsy and where. Leuk Lymphoma. 2014 Feb;55(2):233-4