Recent research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has unveiled a promising approach to treating certain blood cancers using PMD-026, a drug initially developed for breast cancer. The studies focused on myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), slow-growing blood cancers, and a specific form of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) known as FLT3-ITD AML. MPNs often progress to AML, which has limited treatment options and poor outcomes. The researchers identified that the protein RSK1 plays a crucial role in promoting inflammation and cancer progression in these diseases. By inhibiting RSK1 with PMD-026, they were able to halt disease progression in laboratory and animal models.
In the first study, published in Nature Communications, treatment with PMD-026 in mice resulted in a significant reduction of cancer activity within the bone marrow, eliminating up to 96% of cancer cells after four weeks. Additionally, the drug reduced bone marrow scarring and prevented the transformation of MPNs into AML. The second study, appearing in Blood Cancer Journal, demonstrated that PMD-026 could effectively target FLT3-ITD AML, especially in cases where the cancer had developed resistance to existing FLT3 inhibitors. These findings suggest that PMD-026 may offer a novel therapeutic strategy for patients with these challenging blood cancers, potentially improving outcomes and expanding treatment options. Click for More Details
