Two companies, Tolero Pharmaceuticals Inc. and AbbieVie, have agreed to collaborate to clinically research a potential combination therapy for relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukaemia. The potential therapy is comprised of venetoclax and the investigational drug alvocidib. For more detailed information, you can view the source press release here, at Tolero’s website.
About Acute Myeloid Leukaemia
Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer. According to the NHS, AML originates in white blood cells called myeloid cells that are found the bone marrow and involved in protecting the body from bacterial infections, parasites, and the spread of tissue damage. In people with AML, the body begins to produce too many immature white blood cells (blast cells) that aren’t able to function effectively, and can lead to a reduction in red blood cells and platelets. Often AML affects people over the age of 65, but this is not always the case.
AML is described as relapsed if the cancer returns after a period of improvement, and refractory if it does not respond to treatment.
About the Potential Combination Therapy
A combination of venetoclax and alvocidib is being investigated as a possible therapy for relapsed or refractory AML.
Venetoclax is a small molecule that works by inhibiting BCL-2 (B-cell lymphoma-2), and is approved for certain forms of lymphoma and leukaemia. Alvocidib is an investigational small molecule drug that inhibits CDK9 (cyclin-dependent kinase 9), which is involved in expressing MCL-1. At the moment, alvocidib is in Phase 2 of development for the treatment of MCL-1 dependent AML. Non-clinical studies have found that the two proteins affected by the drugs, MCL-1 and BCL-2, are used by some cancer cells to survive.
The drugs are being investigated as a combination therapy, because pre-clinical research has suggested that venetoclax and alvocidib may synergistically work to kill cancer cells. This potential mechanism of action will be explored further in a planned study of the therapy in patients who have relapsed or refractory AML.
For more detailed information about this partnership and the drugs, you can view the original press release here.
