FLT3 and IDH1/2 Inhibitors for Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Focused Clinical Narrative Review of Forthcoming Drugs from an Indian Context

Abstract

Therapeutic approaches for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have witnessed minimal evolution in recent decades, primarily relying on advancements in supportive care and transplantation to drive improvements in overall survival rates. However, treatment with intensive chemotherapy may not be feasible for patients with advanced age or reduced fitness, and outcomes for patients with relapsed/refractory disease continue to be suboptimal. Several agents with a novel mechanism of action have been developed in the past decade and have shown efficacy in patients with both newly diagnosed and relapsed AML. Out of these, several FLT3 (FMS like tyrosine kinase 3) and IDH1/2 (isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2) inhibitors have received regulatory approval in specific clinical settings and are available for clinical use. This is an actively expanding field with several ongoing clinical trials in advanced phases. We provide a focused narrative review of drugs from these two categories with available clinical data.