What is the role of immune checkpoint directed therapy in the treatment of AML?

During the 61st American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting in Orlando, US, the AML Global Portal were delighted to speak to Amer Zeidan, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, US. We asked: What is the role of immune checkpoint directed therapy in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML)?

Amer Zeidan discusses a large randomized trial in patients with AML and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) investigating immune checkpoint blockade. In total, 213 patients were randomized to receive azacitidine (AZA) or AZA with an anti-PDL1 inhibitor durvalumab . Whilst the final results did not show a difference in overall response rate (ORR), it was noted that the study has provided invaluable information about how immune checkpoint blockade plays a role in AML.