Published in the Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research, this is the first-ever study to investigate the effectiveness of targeting the MERTK kinase receptor using antibody-drug conjugates in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The research findings

Battula and his research team experimented with a new antibody-drug conjugate (ADC)—RGX-019-MMAE—that targets and binds to the MERTK receptor. In preclinical models, they found that it effectively dismantled the growth and spread of leukemic cells, while sparing healthy tissue surrounding the cancer, with high selectivity.

“This ADC can specifically target AML cells while reducing harmful side effects, such as anemia, which is commonly seen with conventional chemotherapy,” Battula said.