MDM2 inhibitors could treat resistant AML

The recipient mice had no evidence of AML at 16 weeks after transplant when the experiment ended.

Dr. Stanford and his colleagues are now trying to obtain pharmaceutical-grade MDM2 inhibitors to conduct trials in AML patients at The Ottawa Hospital.

The researchers are also screening libraries of approved drugs to see if any of these can block MDM2, and they are working with a biotech company to develop a test to identify chemotherapy-resistant AML patients who would respond to MDM2 inhibitors.

The current research was supported by grants from the Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Cancer Research Society, National Institutes of Health, and a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Integrative Stem Cell Biology. One study author reported a relationship with Epicypher, Inc. No other conflicts of interest were reported.