APO866 activity in hematologic malignancies: a preclinical in vitro study.

Nampt is a promising target for the treatment of hematological malignancies. Here, we investigated the cytotoxic activity of APO866, a potent, reversible Nampt inhibitor, in primary acute myelogenous leukemia and in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells. 10 nM APO866 exhibited limited killing of primary leukemia cells with specific death rates after four days of incubation that typically ranged between 10% and 50%. We conclude that, although APO866 is a promising agent for treating human leukemias, further studies are warranted to understand its mode of action, as well as its potential in combination treatments.