Improved Antibody-Dependent Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity (ADCC) of Affinity Maturated and Fc-Engineered Antibodies Directed Against the AML Stem Cell Antigen CD96

Regardless of progress in the therapy of AML, there is no long-term cure for about 70% of AML patients. Leukemic stem cells seem to be an important key for the perpetuation of AML.Most currently used chemotherapeutic agents are not able to eliminate AML-LSCs. The combination of conventional therapies with AML-LSCs-directed therapies may eventually lead to a cure for AML patients.Recently expression of CD96 was reported on AML-LSCs, while only very low expression levels were found on normal HSCs.Therefore CD96 may be an excellent target antigen for therapeutic antibodies directed against AML stem cells and blasts.