Adult Leukemia Program

The clinical research mission of the Adult Leukemia Program is to develop and bring new and better therapies to patients. At any given time, the program offers patients a wide array of opportunities to participate in clinical research studies relating to all stages and types of leukemia and related disorders.

Patients have access to trials that originate within Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center and other Harvard-affiliated institutions, those sponsored by private industry, as well as those that are part of a collaborative effort, such as the Cancer and Leukemia Group B, of which the program is a member.

Physician-researchers within the program are currently involved in a number of exciting avenues of investigation, which include targeted therapies aimed at making cancer treatment more specific and less toxic. These include:

• immunotherapy for acute leukemia and myelodysplasia involving agents such as interleukin-2 and autologous vaccines
• integrating antibody-based therapy against leukemia cells with standard chemotherapy
• promoting the differentiation or normal growth of bone marrow cells in patients with myelodysplasia
• working with molecules that interrupt the normal cascade of biochemical signals within the cell that promote the growth of leukemia

Other innovative offerings include treating adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia by applying the principles used in successful pediatric treatments of this condition and clinical trials and treatments specialized for older adults.

Featured Clinical Trials

Trial 18-351: A phase 1b study of venetoclax in combination with intensive induction and consolidation chemotherapy in treatment-naïve patients with acute myelogenous leukemia
Principal Investigator: Richard Stone, MD

Trial 18-170: A phase 1 study of ABL001 in combination with dasatinib and prednisone in patients with BCR-ABL positive (BCRABL+) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia
Principal Investigator: Marlise Luskin, MD, MSCE

Trial 17-718: A phase 1 study of ipilimumab in combination with decitabine in relapsed or refractory myelodysplastic syndromes/acute myeloid leukemia
Principal Investigator: Jacqueline Garcia, MD

Trial 17-717: A phase 3 trial to evaluate the efficacy of the addition of inotuzumab ozogamicin (a conjugated anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody) to frontline therapy in young adults (ages 18-39 years) with newly-diagnosed precursor B-cell ALL
Principal Investigator: Daniel DeAngelo, MD, PhD

Trial 17-056: A phase 1 study of SL-401 in combination with azacitidine and venetoclax in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML), in treatment-naive patients with AML not eligible for standard induction, in patients with blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN), or SL-401 in combination with azacitidine in patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes
Principal Investigator: Andrew Lane, MD, PhD