Improving Response to FLT3 Inhibitors-BCL2 the Rescue?

As single agents, FLT3 inhibitors are active in FLT3-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) therapy but not curative. The BCL2 inhibitor, venetoclax, enhances responses to low intensity AML chemotherapy but its activity is limited by MCL1 upregulation. FLT3 inhibitors downregulate MCL1 and synergize with venetoclax in preclinical AML models.See related article by Ma et al., p. 6815. ©2019 American Association for Cancer Research.