Marion Subklewe and Veit Bücklein lead ERASE-AML

The Bavarian Center for Cancer Research (BZKF) is funding two of its own clinical trials for the first time, with a total of €5.2 million. The studies will investigate new approaches to the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (ERASE-AML) and to more precise prostate cancer diagnosis (PRIME). All six Bavarian university hospitals are participating in both trials.

The ERASE-AML study targets patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive form of blood cancer. Despite modern treatments, prognosis remains poor: only about 30% of patients survive five years after diagnosis, and relapse is common—especially when minimal residual disease or resistant genetic mutations persist. For many, allogeneic stem cell transplantation is the only curative option, yet relapses frequently occur and treatment options are then limited.

ERASE-AML is testing a novel personalized cell-based immunotherapy. Donor-derived T cells are stimulated in the laboratory with multiple leukemia-specific peptides to generate a broad anti-leukemia immune response. The cells are further enhanced with a chimeric co-stimulatory antigen receptor (CAR) to boost their activity in the body. These engineered T cells are administered to patients at high risk of relapse or with early relapse after stem cell transplantation, with the goal of eliminating residual leukemia cells and preventing disease recurrence.

The Bavarian State Minister for Science, Markus Blume, symbolically 
presents Prof. Marion Subklewe with a check for €3 million.

The study is led by Dr. Veit Bücklein and Prof. Dr. Marion Subklewe at LMU Klinikum München and is funded with approximately €3 million.

Press release BZKF