Targeting FLT3 in relapsed or hard-to-treat acute myeloid leukemia
Official title: Targeting FLT3 for the Treatment of Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Funded at Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope · NIH-11172241 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project develops immune-cell therapies that aim to attack the FLT3 protein on leukemia cells for people with relapsed or treatment-resistant acute myeloid leukemia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Duarte, United States) |
| Project start | July 9, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $489,159 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA265095-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11172241 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with relapsed or refractory AML whose leukemia cells test positive for FLT3 expression and who are eligible for cellular therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose leukemia does not express FLT3, who have other types of blood cancer, or who are medically unfit for cellular therapies may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
If you have relapsed or refractory AML, researchers are building immune cells that recognize the FLT3 protein found on some leukemia cells. They have created CAR T cells and CAR natural killer (NK) cells that target FLT3 and tested them in mice implanted with patient leukemia samples. The team is also using a tyrosine kinase inhibitor drug to raise FLT3 levels on leukemia cells so the immune cells can find them more easily. Early lab and animal tests showed slowed leukemia growth and no obvious harm to normal blood stem cells in those experiments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer a new targeted cell therapy that removes FLT3-positive leukemia cells while preserving normal blood stem cells.
How similar studies have gone: CAR T cell therapies have produced major remissions in some B‑cell cancers, and early-phase cellular approaches targeting AML (including FLT3) are promising but remain experimental.
Where this research is happening
-
Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope
Duarte, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Caligiuri, Michael a — Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope
- Study coordinator: Caligiuri, Michael a
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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.