Testing a new medication for hard-to-treat blood cancer

This is an early-stage clinical trial testing a new medication called HPB-092 for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (a blood cancer) that has returned after treatment or no longer responds to standard drugs. The medication works by blocking two proteins that help leukemia cells grow and survive. Researchers want to find the right dose, understand how the body processes it, and see if it can help patients whose cancer is resistant to existing treatments.

Many patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia don't benefit from current medications because the cancer becomes resistant to them or the side effects are too severe. This medication targets two proteins at once—FLT3 and IRAK4—which researchers believe may work better for patients whose cancer has stopped responding to other drugs.