Dr. Pollyea on Indications for Anti-CD33 Therapy in AML

Daniel Pollyea, MD, MS, associate professor of medicine/hematology, and the clinical director of Leukemia Services at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, discusses indications for anti-CD33 therapy in the treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

For anti-CD33 therapies, such as gemtuzumab (Mylotarg), the first indication would be having CD33 expression on the blast; more than 90% of patients with AML do, according to Pollyea. Second, the most common use for this approach is good-risk, newly diagnosed patients with AML, Pollyea says. For those with a core-binding factor or cytogenetic abnormalities, gemtuzumab can be added to a 7+3 regimen, Pollyea explains. 

Roles exist for anti-CD33 monoclonal therapy in the AML treatment paradigm, and other agents beyond gemtuzumab are currently under development, Pollyea adds. New strategies include bispecific T-cell engager therapy with a CD33-targeting agent linked to CD3-targeting agent, which could have benefit in the relapsed or refractory setting, Pollyea notes. There are many opportunities to target CD33 in AML, Pollyea concludes.