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Hagop M. Kantarjian

Hagop Kantarjian is one of the most prolific leukaemia investigators alive, and helped bring more than a dozen leukaemia drugs to approval.

Has chaired MD Anderson's leukemia department since 1999 and led pivotal trials in CML (imatinib, dasatinib, ponatinib), ALL (inotuzumab, blinatumomab combinations), and AML. A vocal advocate on cancer drug pricing.

Role
Chair, Department of Leukemia, MD Anderson
Specialisms
LeukaemiaCMLALLDrug development

Papers

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TitleJournalYear
Inotuzumab Ozogamicin versus Standard Therapy for Acute Lymphoblastic LeukemiaNew England Journal of Medicine2016
Blinatumomab versus Chemotherapy for Advanced Acute Lymphoblastic LeukemiaNew England Journal of Medicine2017

Key papers

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rctNew England Journal of Medicine 2016changed practice
INO-VATE: inotuzumab ozogamicin, a CD22 antibody-drug conjugate, versus chemotherapy for relapsed adult B-cell ALL

INO-VATE made inotuzumab a standard salvage therapy for adult ALL and a common route to transplant, and, with the TOWER trial of blinatumomab, moved adult ALL from chemotherapy-only salvage to immunotherapy. Both drugs have since been pulled into front-line regimens. The liver toxicity signal shaped how transplant conditioning is chosen after inotuzumab.

Connected

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cancers

3
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemiaAcute myeloid leukaemiaChronic lymphocytic leukaemia

drugs

2
ApprovedBispecific T-cell engager (CD19×CD3)
Blinatumomab · Blincyto
ApprovedSmall-molecule kinase inhibitor (BCR-ABL, KIT, PDGFRA)
Imatinib · Gleevec

institutions

1
MD Anderson Cancer Center

trials

1
INO-VATE ALL

key papers

1
INO-VATE: inotuzumab ozogamicin, a CD22 antibody-drug conjugate, versus chemotherapy for relapsed adult B-cell ALL