Blood Cancer United, formerly The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, has announced that the first patient has been treated in a new sub-study under its Beat AML Master Clinical Trial, marking a precision medicine for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

The new sub-study, conducted in collaboration with AVEO Oncology, an LG Chem company, is evaluating ficlatuzumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF), in combination with venetoclax and azacitidine. The trial is enrolling adults aged 60 years and older with newly diagnosed, untreated AML.

The study is currently open at the University of California, San Francisco and The University of Kansas Medical Centre, with additional sites expected to follow.

Lore Gruenbaum, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Blood Cancer United, said, “The shift to venetoclax plus azacitidine as standard of care for older AML patients was practice-changing, but relapse rates remain high and long-term outcomes are poor. By evaluating new triplet combinations, we aim to improve survival and quality of life for patients.”

The ficlatuzumab sub-study is one of four active trials within the Beat AML Master Clinical Trial, an umbrella precision-medicine platform that uses rapid genomic testing to match patients to targeted therapies based on their genetic profiles. To date, more than 1,850 patients have undergone genomic testing within seven days of diagnosis, with over 650 patients enrolled in Beat AML treatment sub-studies across 14 US clinical sites.

John Byrd, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Beat AML commended, “Beat AML has evolved into a powerful network of innovative clinical trials advancing precision medicine in AML. As we approach its 10-year milestone, the programme continues to deliver meaningful improvements in survival and quality of life for patients.”

Recent Beat AML sub-studies have also delivered promising results. A revumenib-based triplet demonstrated high complete remission rates in patients with KMT2A-rearranged AML, significantly improving median overall survival compared to standard venetoclax and azacitidine therapy. Meanwhile, the Opti-AML study is evaluating shorter venetoclax treatment durations to reduce toxicity while maintaining efficacy, with results expected in 2026.