Four prominent cancer research organizations have announced the opening of patient enrollment for myeloMATCH, a suite of clinical trials designed to evaluate precision medicine treatments for adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). This initiative aims to accelerate the development of new therapies and improve outcomes for patients with these challenging myeloid malignancies.
Led by the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, Canadian Cancer Trials Group, ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group, and SWOG Cancer Research Network, myeloMATCH will operate within the National Cancer Institute (NCI) National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN). The trials are expected to be available at hundreds of cancer care sites across the United States and Canada.
Precision Medicine Approach
myeloMATCH distinguishes itself by offering advanced biomarker testing at no cost to patients. This testing identifies specific genomic and molecular characteristics in blood and bone marrow samples that drive leukemia, potentially serving as therapeutic targets. Results are returned to physicians within approximately three days, enabling rapid assignment to appropriate treatment trials. This expedited timeline addresses a significant limitation of current commercial testing options.
"myeloMATCH provides a portfolio of biomarker-driven treatment trials that adult patients newly diagnosed with AML or MDS will enroll to sequentially over their entire treatment journey," said Harry P. Erba, MD, PhD, of Duke University School of Medicine, co-chair of myeloMATCH’s senior science council. "At each step along that journey, the goal is to continually reduce the patient’s tumor burden, to target residual disease more effectively, and ultimately cure more patients of the disease."
Trial Structure and Tiers
The myeloMATCH program is structured into four tiers, each addressing a different stage of the patient's treatment journey:
- Tier 1: Initial induction therapy for newly diagnosed patients to reduce disease burden.
- Tier 2: Treatment for patients with residual disease after initial therapy.
- Tier 3: Consolidation therapy or stem-cell transplant.
- Tier 4: Treatment for progressively lower levels of residual disease, utilizing advanced lab tests to identify ultra-low-level measurable residual disease (MRD).
Current Trials
Currently, three treatment trials are open for enrollment:
- A study comparing cytarabine + daunorubicin versus cytarabine + daunorubicin + venetoclax versus venetoclax + azacitidine in adults younger than 60 with intermediate-risk AML (MM1YA-CTG01 AL6 or NCT05554393).
- A study comparing usual chemotherapy to four experimental combination treatments in adults younger than 60 with high-risk AML (MM1YA-S01 or NCT05554406).
- A study that tests adding gilteritinib to the usual treatment of azacytidine plus venetoclax in patients with AML who have mutations in the FLT3 gene and who are older or are otherwise not candidates for intensive chemotherapy (MM1OA-EA02 or NCT06317649).
Addressing Unmet Needs
myeloMATCH aims to address the significant unmet needs in the treatment of AML and MDS. Acute myeloid leukemia is characterized by the bone marrow's production of excess abnormal immature white blood cells, while myelodysplastic syndrome involves immature blood cells that fail to mature properly. The increasing understanding of the genetic heterogeneity of these diseases and the development of treatments that target these genetic abnormalities has brought us to this opportunity to more precisely and effectively treat these disorders in a comprehensive manner that focuses on care from diagnosis to cure."
Future Directions
Researchers hope to enroll 5,000 or more patients in the myeloMATCH screening protocol. By tracking patient progress and biomarkers throughout all treatment stages, myeloMATCH will facilitate the evaluation of clonal evolution in AML over the course of treatment. This comprehensive approach is expected to significantly impact the future of clinical trials in leukemia and beyond.
