Blocking prolidase to kill acute myeloid leukemia cells
Prolidase Inhibitors as Therapeutic Agents for Acute Myeloid Leukemia
This project is testing drugs that block the enzyme prolidase to kill leukemia cells in adults with acute myeloid leukemia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11260235 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are designing and optimizing drugs that inhibit the enzyme PEPD (prolidase) to trigger a form of cell death that specifically destroys AML cells. In lab tests they will measure how well these compounds kill human leukemia cells and avoid activating a related inflammatory pathway. Promising compounds will be refined for potency and selectivity and evaluated in preclinical models to check safety and anti-leukemia activity. The goal is to find drugs that reliably kill AML cells without causing harmful inflammation elsewhere in the body.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (21+) diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, especially those with relapsed or treatment-resistant disease, would be the most relevant candidates for future trials based on this work.
Not a fit: Children, people with non-AML cancers, or patients whose leukemia does not respond to inflammasome-based killing are less likely to benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to a new targeted treatment for AML that kills cancer cells while limiting dangerous inflammation.
How similar studies have performed: Related drugs that inhibit DPP8/9 have shown they can kill AML cells but also trigger harmful inflammation via NLRP1, so this project’s selective CARD8-activating approach is novel and supported by encouraging preliminary lab data.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bachovchin, Daniel — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Bachovchin, Daniel
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.