Midostaurin, enasidenib, CPX-351, gemtuzumab ozogamicin, and venetoclax bring new hope to AML

In 2017, 4 drugs received US Food and Drug Administration marketing approval for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treatment: targeted therapies for mutant FLT3 and IDH2, a liposomal cytarabine-daunorubicin formulation for therapy-related AML and AML with myelodysplasia-related changes, and resurgence of an antibody-drug conjugate designed to target CD33. Promising results also emerged for the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax combined with low-intensity therapy in older patients unfit for intensive chemotherapy. This quintet of new drugs is likely to reshape the therapeutic landscape of AML.