Elias Jabbour, MD, a professor in the Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the rationale to evaluate KO-539 in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). 

During the 2020 ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition, preliminary findings from the ongoing first-in-human, phase 1/2a KOMET-001 trial (NCT04067336) were presented, demonstrating activity with KO-539, an oral, selective menin inhibitor, in patients with relapsed/refractory AML. Moreover, the agent demonstrated activity in patients who harbored genomic mutations, including 

 mutations are associated with poor prognosis in patients with AML, says Jabbour. Currently, patients with 

mutant disease do not have any FDA-approved options available. Patients with 

 mutations tend to respond well to high-dose cytarabine, as well as venetoclax (Venclexta). However, patients with 

 mutations would benefit from additional treatment options, says Jabbour. Additionally, exploring KO-539 in combination with venetoclax may offer these patients a more effective treatment strategy compared with single-agent therapy, concludes Jabbour. 

Videos

Elias Jabbour, MD, discusses the rationale to evaluate KO-539 in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia.  



Dr. Jabbour on the Rationale to Evaluate KO-539 in Relapsed/Refractory AML 

Rebecca L. Olin, MD, MSCE, associate professor, Department of Medicine (Hematology/Oncology), UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses the rationale to evaluate menin inhibitors in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). 

Inhibiting menin appears to provide benefit in patients with 

 mutations. Historically, these subgroups of patients with AML, particularly those with 

 translocations, have been difficult to treat, Olin says. 

As such, novel menin inhibitors are being evaluated in ongoing clinical trials, Olin says. For example, the investigational agent KO-539 is being examined in the ongoing, first-in-human KOMET-001 study (NCT04067336) for patients with relapsed/refractory AML.

Rebecca L. Olin, MD, MSCE, discusses the rationale to evaluate menin inhibitors in acute myeloid leukemia.

Updates in Relapsed/Refractory AML | Supplements and Featured Publications

Dr. Jabbour on the Rationale to Evaluate KO-539 in Relapsed/Refractory AML

Dr. Olin on the Rationale to Evaluate Menin Inhibitors in AML