Grant: Project Grant

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the deadliest hematological malignancy, especially amongst older adults. Chemotherapy is the frontline treatment option for AML, achieving high remission rates (~70%) amongst patients. Yet, nearly half will experience disease relapse, with a significant risk of recurrence lasting for at least five years post-remission. Emergent findings suggest that chemotherapy-resistant AML cells persists within treated patients, requiring more targeted strategies for complete disease elimination. Consequently, immunotherapies have gained significant traction due to the sustained and targeted responses that they can achieve towards AML. However, traditional immunotherapies primarily focus on T cells, achieving limited success against AML due to hindered function of T cells within AML patients. Therefore, we propose to develop a B cell based therapy that can generate AML targeting antibodies directly within patients. In this manner, we will provide an innovative strategy that can overcome the limitations of current therapies to effectively eliminate AML.