MRD-driven treatment discontinuation with obinutuzumab, venetoclax and zanubrutinib in frontline CLL
Combining zanubrutinib with obinutuzumab and venetoclax (BOVen) as an initial therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma resulted in high rates of undetectable minimal residual disease (MRD)in both peripheral blood and bone marrow despite a median treatment duration of only 10 months. Interestingly, treatment duration was guided by early MRD response… Read more
Asciminib as a new treatment option in later-line chronic myeloid leukaemia in chronic phase
The ASCEMBL study is an open-label, randomised, phase III trial comparing asciminib with bosutinib in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia in chronic phase previously treated with two or more tyrosine kinase inhibitors. In this trial, asciminib, a first-in-class STAMP inhibitor, demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful superiority in efficacy compared with bosutinib, with deeper molecular response rates and a favourable safety profile… Read more
Acalabrutinib for previously treated CLL: as effective but better tolerated than ibrutinib
The Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor acalabrutinib was designed to exhibit minimal off-target effects, theoretically leading to a better treatment tolerability as compared to ibrutinib. The first results of a randomised head-to-head comparison of acalabrutinib and ibrutinib in previously treated patients with high-risk chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) now confirm the better tolerability of acalabrutinib and demonstrate that it does not come at the cost of a lower treatment efficacy… Read more
First-in-class Factor D inhibitor danicopan successfully controls haemolysis in untreated patients with PNH
Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) is characterised by complement-mediated intravascular haemolysis due to the absence of complement regulators CD55 and CD59 on affected erythrocytes. A novel phase II study is the first to show that an oral proximal, complement alternative factor D inhibitor, danicopan, used as monotherapy, can have a clinical impact on PNH by inhibiting intravascular haemolysis and preventing extravascular haemolysis… Read more
Dose optimisation of ponatinib in patients with resistant chronic-phase CML
Patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukaemia who are resistant to multiple prior tyrosine kinase inhibitors and are treated with ponatinib show deep and durable responses, but arterial occlusive events emerged as notable adverse events. The OPTIC study therefore assessed the benefit/risk ratio across three ponatinib starting doses, developing a novel, response-based, dose-reduction strategy… Read more