Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Ibrutinib (Imbruvica) and idelalisib (Zydelig) have become standard of care treatments for patients with relapsed or high-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia, with ongoing studies in progress to move ibrutinib into the frontline setting.

The CD19-targeting CAR T-cell therapy CTL019 induced responses in 53% of patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia, including complete remissions in 35% of patients.

The treatment landscape for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia continues to evolve, as long-term data become available from pivotal studies that led to the FDA approvals for the BTK inhibitor ibrutinib (Imbruvica) and the PI3K inhibitor idelalisib (Zydelig).

John Byrd, MD, director of the Division of Hematology, Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses the mechanism of acalabrutinib, a next-generation BTK inhibitor as a potential treatment for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Francesco Forconi, MD, associate professor of Hematology, University of Southampton, United Kingdom, discusses the role of the B-cell receptor (BCR) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Francesco Forconi, MD, discusses his research into the B-cell receptor structure and its function in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

The EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) issued a negative opinion to ofatumumab regarding its potential use in the maintenance setting for patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Ibrutinib continued to demonstrate impressive antitumor activity in a pooled analysis of 243 patients with deletion 17p chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Jennifer Brown, MD, discusses the findings and impact of the RESONATE and RESONATE-2 trials, as well as the role of ibrutinib in older and younger patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in both the frontline and relapsed settings.

Susan M. O'Brien, MD, discusses upcoming novel treatments in relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia, such as the next generation of inhibition with BTK, SYK, and PI3K, as well as the outcomes of the recent RESONATE-2 trial.

The European Commission has approved ibrutinib (Imbruvica) as a first-line treatment for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

William G. Wierda, MD, PhD, professor, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses immunotherapy agents being explored in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

The FDA has expanded the label of ibrutinib (Imbruvica) to include overall survival results in treatment-naive patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, as well as outcomes with the BTK inhibitor when combined with bendamustine and rituximab in relapsed/refractory patients with CLL.

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has recommended the frontline approval for ibrutinib (Imbruvica) as a single-agent for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia face a difficult treatment journey, but a phase III safety and efficacy trial involving the second-generation Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor acalabrutinib (ACP-196) will help inform oncologists about whether the emerging agent can offer a greater benefit to patients with high-risk disease over ibrutinib (Imbruvica).