AML |

Algorithm uncovers DS in AML patients on IDH inhibitors

Published on December 7, 2018December 7, 2018 by Jen Smith

Kelly J. Norsworthy, MD
Photo by Jen Smith

An algorithm has proven effective for identifying differentiation syndrome (DS) in patients taking ivosidenib or enasidenib, according to a speaker at the 2018 ASH Annual Meeting. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that DS is going unnoticed in some patients with acute myeloid... [Read Article]

Serious side effect of AML treatment going unnoticed, FDA warns

Published on November 30, 2018November 30, 2018 by HT Staff

Enasidenib (Idhifa®)
Photo from Business Wire

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a safety communication warning that cases of differentiation syndrome are going unnoticed in patients treated with the IDH2 inhibitor enasidenib (Idhifa). Enasidenib is FDA-approved to treat adults with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and an IDH2... [Read Article]

FDA approves gilteritinib for relapsed/refractory AML

Published on November 29, 2018November 29, 2018 by HT Staff

Gilteritinib (Xospata)
Photo courtesy of
Astellas Pharma

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved gilteritinib (Xospata) for use in adults who have relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with a FLT3 mutation, as detected by an FDA-approved test. The FDA also expanded the approved indication for the LeukoStrat CDx FLT3 Mutation... [Read Article]

FDA grants priority review to quizartinib

Published on November 27, 2018November 27, 2018 by HT Staff

Micrograph showing AML
Image from Paulo
Henrique Orlandi Mourao

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for priority review a new drug application (NDA) for the FLT3 inhibitor quizartinib. With this NDA, Daiichi Sankyo is seeking approval for quizartinib to treat adults with relapsed/refractory FLT3-ITD acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The FDA grants... [Read Article]

FDA approves venetoclax for AML

Published on November 21, 2018November 21, 2018 by Jen Smith

Venetoclax
Photo courtesy of Abbvie

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval to venetoclax (Venclexta®) for use in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The BCL-2 inhibitor is now approved for use in combination with azacitidine, decitabine, or low-dose cytarabine to treat adults with newly diagnosed AML who are age 75 and... [Read Article]

FDA approves glasdegib for AML

Published on November 21, 2018November 21, 2018 by Jen Smith

AML cells
Image by Lance Liotta

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the hedgehog pathway inhibitor glasdegib (Daurismo™) to treat certain patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Glasdegib is approved for use in combination with low-dose cytarabine (LDAC) to treat adults with newly diagnosed AML who are age 75 and older... [Read Article]

FDA approves generic drugs for APL

Published on November 16, 2018November 15, 2018 by HT Staff

Fresenius Kabi’s
arsenic trioxide
Photo from Business Wire

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now approved three generic arsenic trioxide products for use in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Two of the products—from Zydus Cadila and Amring Pharmaceuticals—were approved on November 13. The third—from Fresenius Kabi—was approved in August and launched... [Read Article]

AP-1 plays key role in various AML subtypes, team says

Published on November 13, 2018November 12, 2018 by Andrew D. Bowser

Micrograph showing AML
Image from Armed Forces Institute of Pathology

The AP-1 transcription factor family is of “major importance” in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to researchers. The team said they identified transcription factor networks specific to AML subtypes, which showed that leukemic growth is dependent upon certain transcription factors, and “the global activation... [Read Article]

‘Compelling’ new target found for monocytic AML

Published on November 11, 2018November 11, 2018 by HT Staff

Chengcheng “Alec” Zhang, PhD
Photo from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Efforts to determine why immune checkpoint blockade is not successful in treating leukemia have resulted in a “compelling” new target to treat monocytic acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to researchers. They discovered that leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor B4 (LILRB4), a marker of monocytic... [Read Article]

‘Encouraging’ phase 2 results in rel/ref AML

Published on November 9, 2018November 9, 2018 by Jen Smith

Naval Daver, MD
Photo courtesy of
MD Anderson Cancer Center

The combination of azacitidine and nivolumab produced “encouraging” results in a phase 2 trial of patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to researchers. The overall response rate was 33%, and the median overall survival (OS) was 6.3 months. However, the... [Read Article]

Quizartinib receives accelerated assessment for AML

Published on November 7, 2018November 6, 2018 by HT Staff

Micrograph showing AML
Image from Paulo
Henrique Orlandi Mourao

The European Medicines Agency has granted accelerated assessment to the marketing authorization application (MAA) for the FLT3 inhibitor quizartinib. With this MAA, Daiichi Sankyo Company, Ltd., is seeking authorization for quizartinib to treat adults with FLT3-ITD-positive, relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Accelerated assessment... [Read Article]

Changes related to AML relapse may be reversible

Published on November 6, 2018November 6, 2018 by Neil Osterweil

AML cells

New research suggests relapse of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is related to changes in immune-related gene expression that may be reversible. Researchers observed downregulation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II genes in samples from patients who relapsed after HSCT. However, interferon-gamma “rapidly reversed this... [Read Article]

EVI1 overexpression promotes leukemogenesis, study suggests

Published on November 1, 2018November 1, 2018 by HT Staff

AML cells
Image by Lance Liotta

Preclinical research suggests the oncoprotein EVI1 can promote leukemogenesis by suppressing erythropoiesis and lymphopoiesis while shifting differentiation toward the expansion of myeloid cells. Researchers developed a new mouse model that mimics chromosomal rearrangements at 3q26, which are associated with poor-prognosis acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndromes, and myeloproliferative... [Read Article]

Team finds potential therapeutic target for AML

Published on October 31, 2018October 30, 2018 by HT Staff

TRIB2 model
Image courtesy of P. Eyers

Researchers have found the cancer-associated pseudokinase Tribbles 2 (TRIB2) to be a potential therapeutic target in solid tumors and blood cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Using a thermal shift assay, the team discovered TRIB2-binding compounds that either stabilized or destabilized TRIB2 in vitro. They found... [Read Article]

Fusion protein identified as new target in AML

Published on October 28, 2018October 28, 2018 by HT Staff

Lab mice
Photo by Aaron Logan

Researchers have identified a promising therapeutic target for t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to preclinical data published in Cancer Cell. The fusion protein RUNX1/ETO drives t(8;21) AML by promoting cell-cycle progression. Using an RNAi screen, the team recognized the cell-cycle regulator cyclin D2 (CCND2) as having critical involvement... [Read Article]