Novel Investigational Agents and Pathways That May Influence the Future Management of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Leukemia or blood cancer has been treated with chemotherapy since the 1970s. The treatment had undergone little change until the last decade when many new molecules were approved. Many different targeted agents that are effective in subgroups of leukemia targeting specialized pathways or in patients with specific mutations are now available. Classification systems have advanced with time from being based on the appearance of leukemia underneath the microscope to now being based on the presence of mutations and other genetic characteristics. We have explored multiple different approaches to fighting leukemia based on modulating and priming the immune system or with the help of cellular therapy and bone marrow transplants. Many newer pathways to targeting cancer are being tested in the laboratory and are being brought to the bedside through clinical trials. This is an exciting decade for researchers and clinicians and many major changes are expected to unravel in the treatment of leukemia. ABSTRACT: Acute Myeloid leukemia (AML) is a clinically heterogeneous disease with a 5-year overall survival of 32% between 2012 to 2018. The above number severely dwindles with age and adverse risk of disease, presenting opportunities for new drug development and is an area of dire unmet need. Basic science and clinical investigators across the world have been working on many new and old molecule formulations and combination strategies to improve outcomes in this disease. In this review, we discuss select promising novel agents in various stages of clinical development for patients with AML.