DCPS is an enzyme with a central role in cellular RNA processing, and Sprint Bioscience has previously shown that both cell lines and patient samples are sensitive to DCPS inhibition. The new study, based on samples from 24 AML patients, confirms that low levels of the protein FHIT may serve as a biomarker for identifying patients with particularly strong treatment responses.

The study also shows a clear connection between FHIT and the clinically established biomarker IDH2, where IDH2 mutations frequently coincide with low FHIT levels and consequently increased sensitivity to DCPS inhibitors. Together, these findings strengthen the potential of using biomarkers for patient selection and further support DCPS as a promising and potentially safe target for future AML treatments.

The need for new treatment options for AML remains high, particularly for older patients who often do not respond to or tolerate today’s intensive chemotherapy regimens, leading to frequent relapses.

“The new findings provide strong support for DCPS inhibition and clearly show how FHIT and IDH2 can be used to identify the patients who stand to benefit the most from DCPS-targeted treatment,” said Martin Andersson, Chief Scientific Officer at Sprint Bioscience.

The article is a collaboration between Sprint Bioscience AB (publ), NeoTargets AB, and research groups led by Dr. Julian Walfridsson and Magnus Tobiasson at Karolinska Institutet. It has been partially funded by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research through an industrial PhD fellowship.

The study is published in the scientific journal Discover Oncology.