PHILANTHROPY

“It is my pleasure to enclose the annual narrative report detailing research advances at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). I hope you know how much your vision and foresight through the Al and Nancy Malnik Family AML Research Fund continue to have a tremendous impact on moving forward the cutting-edge research needed to achieve the health and wellbeing of patients.

As you will read in the enclosed report, a number of important discoveries over the past year have resulted from clinical and translational research conducted by Stephen Sallan, MD, chief of staff emeritus and Quick Family Senior Investigator in Pediatric Oncology, and his colleagues. For example, investigators at Dana-Farber have found new ways to therapeutically inhibit BRD4—a protein implicated in AML—that was once considered a so-called undruggable target. Shutting down cancer growth pathways in this manner paves the way for the development of new treatments for AML and is the subject of an ongoing clinical trial at Dana-Farber. In parallel, other study teams are examining new approaches to AML treatment with a compound called KPT-330 that has shown efficacy in killing AML cells while leaving healthy cells intact, which is in considerable contrast to standard chemotherapy that cannot discriminate between these cell types. Thank you for your tremendous partnership in accelerating these efforts.

Again, we are deeply grateful for your support of our lifesaving mission to conquer cancer. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance. As always, your steadfast commitment to propelling research forward continues to make a difference in the lives of so many.”

Warm regards,

Karen L. Sveda

Director, Principal and Major Gifts