AML cells have been found to be dependent on Mcl-1 for both disease development and persistence, and Mcl-1 is highly expressed in patients with untreated AML.91,92 Mcl-1 expression has also been related to cancer cell resistance to therapy and worse prognosis in other hematologic malignancies.93–95 These studies have demonstrated that Mcl-1 is a promising therapeutic target in AML and has supported the development of Mcl-1 selective BH3 mimetics and indirect modulators (Fig. 2b, c). Here, MCL1 is linked to acute myeloid leukemia.