Description:
Summary
Current treatment strategies for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have low efficacy rates, due in part to the complex and heterogenous underlying genetics of this cancer. Oregon Health & Science University researchers have developed a precision medicine approach for the treatment of AML by identifying an effective combination therapy for a specific genetic subpopulation of patients, potentially providing a means for more effective treatment of AML.
Technology Overview
Precision medicine relies on the ability to align medical interventions with individual patients at the time of diagnosis; however, effective drugs exist for only a subset of the genes currently known to underlie tumorigenesis. AML is an aggressive cancer with a poor prognosis, particularly for older patients. This is likely due in part to the genetic complexity of this cancer, with numerous identified genetic mutations that act as both drivers and modifiers in some patients, and an absence of clear genetic causes in others.
OHSU researchers performed ex vivo profiling of a panel of 48 drug combinations for sensitivity against 122 primary patient samples from a variety of hematologic malignancies to identify genetically-associated sensitivity to drug combination therapies. Using this approach, a genetic subpopulation of patients that could potentially benefit from a combination of venetoclax and palbociclib treatment was identified. Identification of this effective combination therapies based on a specific genetic profile could provide a more personalized precision medicine approach to the treatment of AML that could improve treatment efficacy and prognosis.
Publication
Kurtz et al., Identification of Effective Combinations of Targeted Drugs for Hematologic Malignancies. Blood 128(2016): 836. Link
Licensing Opportunity
This technology is available for licensing.