The KU School of Medicine-Wichita Department of Pediatrics and Wesley Children’s Hospital announce an innovative leukemia treatment new to Wichita, offering new hope to children battling this devastating disease. A recent landmark clinical trial for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which utilizes blinatumomab, a revolutionary immunotherapy, is reshaping pediatric leukemia care worldwide.

Blinatumomab, a bispecific T-cell engager antibody, represents a major advancement in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood cancer. This cutting-edge therapy activates the patient’s immune system by directing T-cells to attack leukemia cells. The clinical trial AALL1731, a National Cancer Institute-funded study, conducted through the Children’s Oncology Group showed that blinatumomab significantly improves remission rates and boosts long-term survival for pediatric patients, becoming the new standard of care for children with ALL. 

• For patients with average risk of relapse, survival rates rose to 97.5% with the new drug regimen vs. 90.2% for those without blinatumomab.
• For high-risk patients, survival rates rose to 94.1% with the new regimen vs. 84.8% without blinatumomab.*

"This treatment is a transformative step forward for children in our community,” said Nathan Hall, D.O., MBA, M.S., associate professor and director of pediatric hematology and oncology at KU Wichita Pediatrics and Wesley Medical Center. “For families facing the challenge of a leukemia diagnosis, this therapy offers new possibilities and a hope for one day curing all pediatric cancer.” 

By partnering with the prestigious Children’s Oncology Group, KU Wichita Pediatrics and Wesley Children’s Hospital have positioned Wichita as a hub for state-of-the-art pediatric oncology care. This collaboration ensures the families of Kansas have access to advanced treatments like blinatumomab without the need to travel to larger centers.

"This partnership aligns with our mission to provide comprehensive, family-centered care while pushing the boundaries of what is possible in pediatric medicine,” said Brian Pate, M.D., chair of the Department of Pediatrics at KU School of Medicine-Wichita. “Families no longer need to seek care outside the state to access treatments. Instead, they can receive world-class care right here in Wichita, and we are also using these opportunities to train future pediatricians in the only pediatric training program in Kansas.” 

The introduction of blinatumomab to Wichita reflects a larger commitment by KU Wichita Pediatrics and Wesley Children’s Hospital to expand access to more comprehensive pediatric medicine. Families in Kansas can now feel confident knowing their children are receiving compassionate, evidence-based medicine with the goal of curing their disease. This new therapy reaffirms KU Wichita Pediatrics’ and Wesley Children’s Hospital’s dedication to transforming lives and keeping the children and families of Kansas close to home. 

*Gupta et al. (Dec. 7, 2024). Blinatumomab in Standard-Risk B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Children. New England Journal of Medicine.