Making CD33-targeted treatments safer for acute myeloid leukemia

Base-Edited Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells To Enable Safe Use Of Highly Potent CD33-Targeted Radioimmunotherapy

NIH-funded research Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center · NIH-11131202

This project aims to make powerful CD33-targeted treatments for acute myeloid leukemia safer by protecting healthy blood stem cells.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionFred Hutchinson Cancer Center NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Seattle, United States)
Project IDNIH-11131202 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

For patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), treatments that target a protein called CD33 on cancer cells can be very effective, especially when combined with radiation. However, these powerful treatments can also harm healthy blood-forming cells because they also have CD33, leading to severe side effects like infections. Our goal is to genetically modify a patient's own healthy blood stem cells to remove the CD33 protein, making them resistant to the treatment. By doing this, we hope to allow patients to receive higher, more effective doses of the CD33-targeted radiation therapy without damaging their healthy cells. This approach could lead to better outcomes and fewer severe side effects for AML patients.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates would be patients with acute myeloid leukemia who could benefit from CD33-targeted radioimmunotherapy.

Not a fit: Patients whose leukemia does not express the CD33 protein or who are not candidates for stem cell manipulation would likely not benefit from this specific approach.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could allow patients with acute myeloid leukemia to receive more effective, higher doses of CD33-targeted radioimmunotherapy with fewer severe side effects.

How similar studies have performed: Early clinical trials have shown that CD33-targeted radioimmunotherapy can be effective against AML, but the current approach to protect healthy cells is novel.

Where this research is happening

Seattle, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.