Dr. Jabbour on the Evaluation of Olverembatinib in Ponatinib-Resistant CML and Ph+ ALL

Elias Jabbour, MD, a professor in the Department of Leukemia, the Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the evaluation of olverembatinib (HQP1351) in patients with ponatinib (Iclusig)-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)–positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

In a phase 1 trial (NCT04260022), investigators examined the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of 3 different doses of olverembatinib in patients outside of China with CML and Ph-positive ALL whose disease failed ponatinib treatment and at least 2 prior TKI treatments.

Investigators randomly assigned patients 3:3:2 to 30 mg of olverembatinib once daily (n = 21), 40 mg of olverembatinib once daily (n = 18), and 50 mg of olverembatinib once daily (n = 10). Investigators saw deep molecular responses in patients who had failed previous ponatinib therapy, Jabbour says. Data presented at the 2022 ASH Annual Meeting showed that among evaluable patients with chronic-phase CML who were treated across the 3 dose levels on the trial, olverembatinib elicited a complete cytogenetic response rate of 77.8% (n = 14 of 18) and a major molecular response rate of 43.5% (n = 10 of 23).

Moreover, investigators did not observe any major toxicities, Jabbour continues. Data from this study showed the efficacy and safety of olverembatinib while highlighting its potential to address an unmet need in patients with CML, Jabbour concludes.