More than 50K people in Canada, US and Europe are diagnosed every year with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Their five-year overall survival rate is about 30% with relapses of the disease predicted within three years. There is an urgent need for accurate biomarkers to help identify optimal treatments for individuals and development of novel effective therapeutics for high-risk patients and those who cannot receive standard treatments. The project will focus on Cyclin K (CCNK), a protein-coding gene, as a novel target for AML. It builds on previous research conducted by the UofM Leucegene program. Researchers have identified UM511 as a proprietary molecule able to induce the degradation of CCNK. The project will optimize this novel compound, develop a biomarker based on chemo-genomics and perform synergy testing by combining the optimized compound with existing AML drugs. This project will generate important benefits for Canada. UofM researchers will work with RejuvenRx, an emerging biotech company focused on cancer therapeutics, to ultimately advance the new drug through clinical trials to its market launch. Within three to five years after the funding ends, an IND (Investigational New Drug) application will be submitted and Phase I/II trials likely completed. Assuming positive results, the drug will lead to the creation of dozens of high-quality jobs, generation of Canadian IP, and, most importantly, significantly improved therapeutic outcomes and survival rates for certain AML patients.
Receptor Leader/Organization: Anne Marinier (RejuvenRx Inc.)