A potential new therapeutic approach for blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN), a very rare form of blood cancer with no standard treatment, continues to show promise as it moves through early clinical trials.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has a long history of supporting the development of SL-401, a targeted therapy that has shown significant anti-tumor effects. The current trials by Stemline Therapeutics are being sponsored in part by over $3 million in LLS funding through the Therapy Acceleration Program (TAP). TAP is a strategic initiative to partner with biotechnology companies and speed the development of new therapies.
BPDCN is a rare aggressive disease of the bone marrow and blood cells that has few effective treatment options. The disease is frequently misdiagnosed and under-reported and its overall incidence is extremely low, accounting for 0.44% of all hematologic malignancies.
Because there is no widely accepted protocol for BPDCN, patients are often treated as leukemia or lymphoma patients. Those who relapse after chemotherapy have a particularly poor prognosis. LLS considers its support critical to the development of this therapy.