A combination of tretinoin [retinoic acid] and indomethacin may become the first effective therapy for patients with myelodysplasia, a condition that can progress to leukaemia. The drug combination is currently in phase II trials in the UK. It is hoped that the treatment will offer a real alternative to blood transfusions by overcoming the problems of neutrophil deficiency for patients with this preleukaemic condition. The potential of this new form of therapy was described as‘very exciting’by a spokesman from the UK Leukaemia Research Fund.Inpharmafound out more about the project by speaking to one of the lead researchers, Dr Geoff Brown from the University of Birmingham, UK.