On the therapeutic front, drugs targeting cytokine pathways, such as ruxolitinib (a JAK inhibitor) and lenzilumab (an anti-GM-CSF antibody), have shown early promise in modifying disease activity and improving symptoms. Understanding and targeting these inflammatory circuits may not only help slow disease progression but also improve quality of life for patients. As our knowledge grows, incorporating inflammation into both our diagnostic frameworks and treatment approaches will likely become standard in the care of CMML.

P1, N=10, Not yet recruiting, Chinese PLA General Hospital

These include lenzilumab (anti-GM-CSF) and IO-202 (anti-LILRB4), which have demonstrated promising early efficacy signals but require further study. Established treatments, which include hypomethylating agents and hydroxyurea as well as the JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib, provide limited survival benefits in CMML, underscoring the urgent need for novel therapeutic development. Coordinated dedicated research efforts have started to evaluate new agents in CMML. Along with further diagnostic and prognostic refinement, these advances are welcomed for this rare and heterogenous disease.

P3, N=72, Withdrawn, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre | Not yet recruiting --> Withdrawn

P1, N=78, Completed, CSL Behring | Recruiting --> Completed

Interim analysis of the PREACH-M trial demonstrated that GM-CSF neutralization with LENZ/AZA, for the treatment of CMML with RAS-pathway mutations resulted in 55% CR, achieved early in treatment, durability up to 18 months, thus far, and no unexpected serious adverse events. These data suggest CMML is driven by a non-redundant cytokine that responds to immunotherapy. Xu Y, Guo R, Miao M, Zhang G, Lan J, Jin J. Real-world data on efficacy and safety of azacitidine therapy in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia in China: results from a multicenter, retrospective study.

Introduction: Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is characterized by accumulation of classical CD14+CD16- inflammatory monocytes driven in part by hypersensitivity to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), a pro-inflammatory cytokine. CMML is a disorder of profound innate immune activation, driven by GM-CSF and other pro-inflammatory cytokines. Early treatment with LENZ/AZA, a precision immunotherapeutic approach, leads to a) efficacy in INNATE-1 that exceeds historical CR rates for hypomethylating agents1,2; and b) evolving efficacy in INNATE-2, in which pro-inflammatory activity is more robust. Xu Y, Guo R, Miao M, Zhang G, Lan J, Jin J. Real-world data on efficacy and safety of azacitidine therapy in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia in China: results from a multicenter, retrospective study.

The PRaG 2.0 trial demonstrates that PD-1 inhibitors in combination with SBRT/HFRT, GM-CSF, and IL-2 could be a potential treatment regimen for patients with advanced refractory solid tumors, with an acceptable benefit/risk profile.

The PRaG 2.0 trial demonstrates that PD-1 inhibitors in combination with SBRT/HFRT, GM-CSF, and IL-2 could be a potential treatment regimen for patients with advanced refractory solid tumors, with an acceptable benefit/risk profile.

The schedule of RC48-ADC was changed from once every 2 weeks to once every 3 weeks, and was still effective with significantly reduced side effects. These preliminary results suggest that PRaG3.0 regimen has a manageable safety profile and enhancing potential sensitivity in pretreated patients with HER2-expressing cancers. Clinical trial information: NCT05115500.