Advances in menin inhibition in acute myeloid leukemia

Abstract

Menin has emerged as a promising therapeutic target in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The menin-MLL1 interaction promotes an oncogenic transcriptional program that drives leukemogenesis in HOX-mediated acute leukemias, including KMT2A-rearranged (KMT2Ar), nucleophosmin 1-mutated (NPM1m), and NUP98-rearranged (NUP98r) AML, prompting development of menin inhibitors for treatment of these subtypes. Successes in clinical investigation have led to recent FDA approval of revumenib for KMT2Ar AML, with numerous trials examining menin inhibitors as monotherapy and in combination with other antileukemic drugs ongoing. Although menin inhibitors represent a major advancement in AML treatment, acquired resistance is an evolving barrier to efficacy. Here, we examine the biological rationale for menin inhibition and discuss the landscape of clinical trials and resistance mechanisms associated with menin inhibitors.

Keywords: KMT2A; NPM1; acute myeloid leukemia; menin inhibitors.