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Local Clinic Participates in Sickle-Cell Trial

A Little Rock Clinic has been chosen for a national study of sufferers of Sickle-cell disease, according to a press release.

The trial, led by private firm Selexys Pharmaceuticals, will include 175 patients who will receive the drug SelG1, a humanized antibody used to prevent the binding of blood cells that can cause chronic pain in sickle-cell patients. Many participants will receive high or low doses depending on the extent of their pain while others will receive a placebo.

Derek Lewis, a physician with the Arkansas Primary Care Clinic in Little Rock, said pain is often experienced in the extremities and can lead to anemia, organ failure and other illnesses.

"It's very important to get stuff like the flu shot and the pneumonia shots because the spleen ruptures sometimes," Lewis said. "Pneumonia is very common in sickle-cell patients."

According to a Selexys press release, the company hopes to obtain all data by the end of 2015.

Liz Fox currently studies print journalism and English literature at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. In addition to her reporting duties at KUAR, she serves as entertainment editor for UALR's student newspaper, The Forum, and works at Arkansas Business magazine as an editorial intern.