Breakthrough in blood cancer treatment: HKU develops first oral arsenic trioxide

The University of Hong Kong has invented and manufactured the world's first medicinal oral arsenic trioxide to treat patients with rare blood cancers. 

This groundbreaking innovation can effectively treat acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with an impressive 97 percent cure rate and has garnered designations from both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Previously, APL patients relied on intravenous chemotherapy or awaited bone marrow donations for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, which carries a higher relapse rate. 

In contrast, medicinal oral arsenic trioxide (oral-ATO) enables patients to maintain normal lives without the need for frequent hospital visits for chemotherapy.

The HKUMed research team reported that all APL patients in Hong Kong can now be prescribed oral-ATO in public hospitals, benefiting over 430 patients to date, with more than 90 percent successfully achieving remission. 

All diagnosed APL patients can be referred to Queen Mary Hospital for treatment, with medication costs fully covered.

Harinder Gill, clinical associate professor of the Department of Medicine at HKUMed and the study’s lead investigator, said: “The development of oral-ATO is a game-changer for APL patients. It offers a convenient and effective treatment option that can significantly improve their quality of life.”

The team is currently testing a frontline treatment regimen in Hong Kong that combines oral-ATO with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and ascorbic acid (AAA) for APL in a risk-adapted manner.

(Cheng Wong)