Targeting CD38 for acute leukemia.

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Oncology
• Immunotherapy

Background:

• Acute leukemia (AL) prognosis remains poor, especially for relapsed or refractory (R/R) cases, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
• CD38 is highly expressed in hematological malignancies like acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and a subset of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the efficacy and potential of CD38-targeting therapies for R/R adult ALL and AML.
• To explore the role of CD38 monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and CAR-T cell therapy in acute leukemia treatment.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on CD38-targeting agents in hematological malignancies.
• Focus on studies investigating CD38 therapies in ALL and AML models and clinical trials.

Main Results:

• CD38-targeting therapies have demonstrated promising efficacy in multiple myeloma with manageable toxicity.
• These therapies are being actively explored and show sound antileukemic effects in ALL and AML.

Conclusions:

• Targeting CD38 represents a promising therapeutic avenue for R/R acute leukemia.
• CD38-based treatments, including antibodies and CAR-T cells, are expected to become effective options for ALL and AML patients.