Dr. Ravandi on Targeting CD33 in Relapsed/Refractory AML

Farhad Ravandi, MBBS, professor of medicine, department of leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses targeting CD33 in patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Considering recent FDA approvals, patients with relapsed/refractory AML still have limited treatment options, Ravandi says. CD33 is expressed by virtually all patients with AML, making it a somewhat universal target. Bispecific antibodies have shown impact in relapsed/refractory acute lymphocytic leukemia, giving investigators the idea that this class of agents may work in AML as well.

Findings from a phase I study of the anti-CD33 bispecific T-cell engager antibody construct AMG 330 were presented at the 2018 ASH Annual Meeting. Patients enrolled on this trial had relapsed/refractory AML with >5% blasts in their bone marrow. Responses were observed in 5 out of 40 patients. These responses consisted of 2 complete responses (CRs), 2 CRs with incomplete count recovery, and 1 morphologic leukemia-free state.