AML patients frequently develop cytopenia, which can result in life-threatening bleeding and infections. Despite the administration of prophylactic platelet transfusions, these patients remain at risk of clinically significant hemorrhage. There is a growing need for new, innovative strategies, because the outcome for AML patients, particularly for the older ones, has not substantially changed in the last three decades. Thus, novel compounds to target the tumor cell's resistance to chemotherapeutic agents are essential for the improvement of patients' prognoses. AS101 is a non-toxic, organic, tellurium-based small compound with immunomodulating properties which have previously shown bone marrow sparing effect. In addition in preclinical studies AS101 has shown synergistic effect with several cytotoxic drugs. This study will investigate the safety and efficacy of AS101 formulation in combination with the standard therapy for newly diagnosed elderly AML and AML transformed MDS patients.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether addition of AS101 to the standard chemotherapy regimen is effective in the treatment of newly diagnosed elderly (≥60) AML patients and AML transformed myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients.