American Cancer Society and St. Baldrick’s Foundation Pilot Accelerator Grants Drive Childhood Cancer Research

The American Cancer Society (ACS) and St. Baldrick’s Foundation have recently awarded Pilot Accelerator grants aimed at bridging the funding gap in clinical trials dedicated to childhood cancer patients. These grants mandate researchers to leverage biospecimens and clinical trial data to expedite the development of new treatment options. Projects within this third cohort of grantees are focused on several objectives, including evaluating the potential of incorporating the novel drug venetoclax into the treatment protocol for infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) alongside chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Additionally, efforts are directed towards enhancing treatment outcomes and sustaining remission in pediatric high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Moreover, there is a focus on developing innovative therapies tailored to address mixed lineage leukemia (MLL)-rearranged leukemia.