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Update on Antigen-Specific Immunotherapy of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

  • Acute Lymphocytic Leukemias (F Ravandi, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Hematologic Malignancy Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Among the few drugs that have shown a benefit for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in randomized clinical trials over the last several decades is the CD33 antibody-drug conjugate, gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO). Undoubtedly, this experience has highlighted the value of antigen-specific immunotherapy in AML. A wide variety of therapeutics directed against several different antigens on AML cells are currently explored in preclinical and early clinical studies. On the one hand, these include passive strategies such as unconjugated antibodies targeting one or more antigens, antibodies armed with drugs, toxic proteins, or radionuclides, or adoptive immunotherapies, in particular utilizing T cells engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) or modified T cell receptor (TCR) genes; on the other hand, these include active strategies such as vaccinations. With the documented benefit for GO and the emerging data with several classes of therapeutics in other leukemias, in particular small bispecific antibodies and CAR T cells, the future is bright. Nevertheless, a number of important questions related to the choice of target antigen(s), patient population, exact treatment modality, and supportive care needs remain open. Addressing such questions in upcoming studies will ultimately be required to optimize the clinical use of antigen-specific immunotherapies in AML and ensure that such treatments become an effective, versatile tool for this disease for which the outcomes have remained unsatisfactory in many patients.

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Acknowledgments

S.A.B... is the recipient of a “Hematology Opportunity for the Next-Generation of Research Scientists” (HONORS) Award from the American Society of Hematology. R.B.W. is a Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Scholar in Clinical Research.

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Conflict of Interest

Dr. Sarah A. Buckley reports no conflict of interest.

Dr. Roland B. Walter has received research funding from Amgen, Inc., Amphivena Therapeutics, Inc., and Seattle Genetics, Inc., and is a consultant for Covagen AG, Amphivena Therapeutics, Inc., and AstraZeneca, Inc.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any otherwise unpublished studies with human subjects or animals that were performed by the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Sarah A. Buckley

  2. Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N, D2-190, Seattle, WA, 98109-1024, USA

    Roland B. Walter

  3. Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Roland B. Walter

  4. Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Roland B. Walter

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  1. Sarah A. Buckley
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Correspondence to Roland B. Walter.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Acute Lymphocytic Leukemias

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Buckley, S.A., Walter, R.B. Update on Antigen-Specific Immunotherapy of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Curr Hematol Malig Rep 10, 65–75 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11899-015-0250-9

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