First Precision Medicine Clinical Trial for a Rare Adult Blood Cancer

Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML) is a rare and under-researched cancer that affects older Australians.

Its prevalence is predicted to increase in the next 10 years especially in people that have previously had chemotherapy.

The prognosis for people with this cancer is poor with a median overall survival of 30 months. We have designed the first precision-medicine led approach to this cancer with multiple centres nationally currently recruiting patients.

Our study will enable Australian patients with CMML to get access to early and potentially life-saving targeted therapy that has less toxicity than standard chemotherapy. We are testing the effectiveness of a monoclonal antibody, lenzilumab, a humanised anti-cytokine, for patients with RAS pathway mutations (common mutations that cause rapid dividing in leukaemia cells) and high dose Vitamin C for patients with standard care. The scientific basis of the study is underpinned by our high-quality research examining the role of certain growth factors that cause the leukaemia to grow.

Patients or carers who wish to enrol in the study should see details for their location on the Australian Clinical Trials registry here.

This project is funded by the Medical Research Future Fund