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Blood Cancer United Buys Remaining Luvelta Supplies After Sutro Discontinued Development
The nonprofit will acquire the drug's investigational designation and run a no-cost compassionate-use program for children with a rare blood cancer after Sutro Biopharma ended development.
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Blood Cancer United announced on June 11, 2026, that it is purchasing the remaining supplies of Luvelta and will acquire the investigational new drug designation for the compound. The organization will also manage the compassionate-use program for children with a rare form of blood cancer and distribute Luvelta to patients at no cost while supplies last.
Luvelta is an antibody-drug conjugate targeting a folate receptor (FOLR1) that was originally developed to treat lung and ovarian tumors in adults.
San Francisco-based Sutro Biopharma discontinued development of Luvelta in March 2025 and eliminated the compassionate-use program at that time. Blood Cancer United, previously known as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, is making the purchase through its Dare to Dream Project.
Anders Kolb, president and chief executive officer of Blood Cancer United, said the group acquired the remaining supply of Luveltamab Tazevibulin to keep treatment available now. Kolb added that the organization will push for clearer regulatory paths, shared trial infrastructure, and incentives so these therapies can be studied and sustained for the children who need them.
Approximately 20 new patients may use Luvelta annually.
Blood Cancer United anticipates having enough supplies for a few years, and the current supply has an expiry date of 2028. Kolb said the organization is planning to pursue stability testing for potential shelf-life extension. Luvelta can serve as a bridge to stem cell transplantation in a small subset of patients with acute myeloid leukemia.
Kolb said there are children alive today because of this drug and that getting the medication to everybody who needs it could mean a thousand birthdays that may not have happened otherwise. Nancy Goodman, patient advocate and founder of Kids v Cancer, said the arrangement is a terrific model for pediatric cancer drug development because the drug has been de-risked and so much has been invested in research and development.
