Drug targets hard-to-reach leukemia stem cells responsible for relapses

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that hard-to-reach, drug-resistant leukemia stem cells (LSCs) that overexpress multiple pro-survival protein forms are sensitive – and thus vulnerable – to a novel cancer stem cell-targeting drug currently under development. The findings, published in Cell Stem Cell, open the possibility that diseases like chronic myeloid leukemia and some solid tumor cancers might – in combination with other therapies – be more effectively treated with this drug, and with a lower chance of relapse. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Goff DJ, et al. A Pan-BCL2 Inhibitor Renders Bone-Marrow-Resident Human Leukemia Stem Cells Sensitive to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibition. Cell Stem Cell, Online 17 January 2013.