Promising Drug Combination Offers Hope for Leukemia Patients
Recent research indicates that a new combination of drugs may benefit leukemia patients who haven’t responded to conventional treatments. A team from Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) has made notable findings by analyzing samples from over 300 individuals diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Each year, more than 20,000 people in the U.S. receive a diagnosis of AML, marking it as one of the most common and aggressive forms of leukemia.
The researchers discovered that combining venetoclax, a drug used commonly for leukemia, with palbociclib, typically used in breast cancer treatment, resulted in a stronger and longer-lasting effect against leukemia than using venetoclax alone. This was confirmed through studies on human tissue samples and mouse models that had human leukemia cells.
Jeffrey Tyner, a professor at OHSU’s School of Medicine and part of the research team, noted that this new drug combination may be particularly effective for patients whose tumors show resistance to standard therapies.
Initial tests included a wide array of drug combinations without any preset favorites. However, the leukemia and breast cancer drug pair stood out with the most promising results, prompting the team to further investigate why this combination works so well.
The study revealed that AML cells treated only with venetoclax adapted by boosting protein production, allowing them to survive. However, adding palbociclib stopped this adaptation, making it harder for the cancer cells to thrive. In experiments, while venetoclax alone did not improve survival, the combination led to most mice living 11 to 12 months, with one mouse still alive at the end of the study.
“The combination provides a better understanding of the reasoning behind the improved outcomes, which helps prepare for clinical trials,” Tyner explained.
Although venetoclax was approved by the FDA in 2019 and is usually combined with another cancer drug, azacitidine, resistance has remained an issue. Tyner remarked, “Almost everyone will eventually develop resistance.”
Despite improvements in initial response rates and quality of life, the five-year survival rate for AML currently sits between 25% and 40%. “We still have a long way to go,” he said.
While the research shows promise, the team currently lacks data on the clinical effectiveness of this drug combination in AML patients, apart from some anecdotal reports. Their next goal is to test the combination in clinical trials.
“This is both our limitation and our aim,” Tyner stated. The researchers hope for further advancements through these upcoming trials.
