Dr. Pleyer on Remaining Questions With Ibrutinib Plus Short-Course Fludarabine in CLL

Christopher Pleyer, MD, The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, discusses the safety and effectiveness of ibrutinib (Imbruvica) plus short-course fludarabine in previously untreated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

The combination of ibrutinib and short‐course fludarabine appears to be safe in patients with CLL, according to results from a phase 2 trial. No excess toxicities were observed in this patient population, says Pleyer; prolonged T-cell depletion was not reported. 

The combination appears to be effective, with patients achieving high rates of complete remission (CR). However, longer follow-up is needed to determine whether these high rates of CR translate into long-term clinical outcomes, particularly improved progression-free survival and overall survival, concludes Pleyer.