VIDEO: Greatest unmet needs in AML treatment

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And though we've had a wealth of riches in terms of novel targeted therapies and approvals for acute myeloid leukemia, there still remain some clear gaps and areas of improvement. One would be for the therapy of patients who have P53 mutant AML or myelodysplastic syndrome for whom every single novel therapy tested now seems to be relatively ineffective. We've seen the development of P53-targeted therapies and reactivators, which unfortunately did not meet clinical endpoints.

We're awaiting the results of SIRP alpha and CD47-based antibody therapy, which was recently shown in a phase 3 trial and MDS to be possibly not helpful. And so we are still needing agents for those particular patients.

We also have been really encouraged by the improved outcomes and response rates and the fact that the new combination of venetoclax and hypomethylating agents can provide improvement of life and duration of response for older patients, ages 75 and above. However, none of those patients who are treated with then an HMA therapy are living forever. And so when they fail venetoclax HMA, we are sort of at a loss as to what the next line of therapy to offer those patients would be.

So, I think that we are looking at combinations of what we call triplet therapies with venetoclax azacitidine. We're looking at maybe potentially extending the benefits of adoptive T-cell therapy or less intensive transplants. But the treatment of those patients remains a challenge as well.