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Targeted Oncology
Published in: Targeted Oncology 3/2018

01-06-2018 | Review Article

Targeting BCL-2 in Hematologic Malignancies

Authors: Nadia Khan, Brad Kahl

Published in: Targeted Oncology | Issue 3/2018

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Abstract

Resistance to apoptosis is one of the hallmarks of cancer and members of the B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) family of proteins are central regulators of apoptosis. Many cancers become resistant to chemotherapy and apoptosis by up-regulating BCL-2 and other family members, making these proteins attractive targets for cancer therapy. Venetoclax is an orally administered, small-molecule apoptosis stimulant that targets BCL-2 proteins by acting as a BCL-2 homology domain 3 (BH3) mimetic. The drug is approved in the USA and EU as a monotherapy for the for the treatment of certain patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and is in phase III clinical development for multiple myeloma (MM), and in phase II or I/II clinical trials for acute myeloid leukemia, and several B-cell malignancies, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia, follicular lymphoma, and mantle-cell lymphoma.
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Metadata
Title
Targeting BCL-2 in Hematologic Malignancies
Authors
Nadia Khan
Brad Kahl
Publication date
01-06-2018
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Targeted Oncology / Issue 3/2018
Print ISSN: 1776-2596
Electronic ISSN: 1776-260X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11523-018-0560-7

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