Dr. Hamlin on Early Study of Ibrutinib/Buparlisib in MCL, FL, and DLBCL

Paul A. Hamlin, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses a phase I dose-escalation study of buparlisib plus ibrutinib (Imbruvica) in patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), follicular lymphoma (FL), and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

Connie Batlevi, MD, reported the findings of this study at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting, Hamlin explains. The novel combination is comprised of buparlisib, which is a pan-PI3K inhibitor and ibrutinib, which is a BTK inhibitor. Much of what is done in oncology involves dual blocking of pathways that promote survival of cancer cells or resistance mechanisms. The study was done to determine whether these 2 agents can be safely combined and elicit activity.

The initial results are promising, Hamlin explains. Clinical activity was validated; however, toxicities were reported and will be a challenge going forward as further studies with this combination are conducted.