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A more effective and better-tolerated treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) could improve quality of life for people living with the disease. A new study led by Adelaide University and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) has provided the first direct evidence that a targeted therapy can rapidly and consistently suppress the molecular signals that drive CML.
The researchers compared the blocking ability of a new therapy called asciminib with commonly used tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) medications, imatinib and nilotinib. These existing medications have helped many CML patients manage their disease for the past two decades. The findings are published in the journal Leukemia.
"We found asciminib was much more powerful at suppressing the cancer-driving protein that causes the leukemia cells to spread," said associate professor Chung Hoow Kok from Adelaide University's Center for Cancer Biology and SA Pathology.
"This is a huge step forward in the search for better, frontline treatment options for patients who don't respond to current medications. Currently, 25% of patients will develop resistance or intolerance to existing treatments."
To test the potency of the drug, researchers developed a new way to measure how effectively the treatment switches off the cancer-driving protein inside patients' blood cells.
"Within just one week, asciminib achieved substantially stronger suppression of the cancer-driving protein than the currently available treatments," said Adelaide University professor Tim Hughes, who is the leader of SAHMRI's Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Group.
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