Patent ID: 10407732

Abstract:
Disclosed are: (i) methods for identifying leukemia patients who (or leukemia cells that) do not exhibit an MLL-translocation, rearrangement or MLL-partial tandem duplication but who are nonetheless susceptible to treatment with DOT1L inhibitors; and (ii) methods for treating leukemia patients who (or inhibiting proliferation or inducing apoptosis of leukemia cells that) do not exhibit an MLL-translocation, rearrangement or MLL-partial tandem duplication with DOT1L inhibitors. The patients identified as susceptible and the patients (or cells) treated exhibit elevated expression of a HOX cluster gene or of a HOX cluster-associated gene. Elevated expression of such genes can be measured, e.g., by quantitating the relevant RNA and comparing it to that of a healthy individual (or cell) or to a predetermined standard or it can be inferred by determining whether the patient or cell possesses a mutation that is associated with elevated HOX cluster gene or HOX cluster associated gene expression and thereby inferring that the relevant expression with be elevated.