Dr. Wierda on the Fixed-Duration Cohort Results of CAPTIVATE Trial in CLL

William G. Wierda, MD, PhD, professor, D.B. Lane Cancer Research Distinguished Professor, section chief of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, center medical director, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, and executive medical director, Inpatient Medical Services, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the fixed-duration cohort results of the phase 2 CAPTIVATE trial (NCT02910583) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

The results of the primary analysis of the fixed-duration cohort, which were reported at the 2021 International Workshop on CLL, demonstrated a 55% complete response (CR)/CR with incomplete bone marrow recovery (CRi) rate with the fixed-duration combination of ibrutinib (Imbruvica) plus venetoclax (Venclexta) in all treated patients with CLL or small lymphocytic lymphoma. The CR/CRi rate was 56% among patients without 17p deletions. Additionally, a significant proportion of patients treated achieved undetectable minimal residual disease with the combination, Wierda says.

Patients who received 3 cycles of single-agent ibrutinib prior to the addition of venetoclax had a reduced risk for tumor lysis syndrome and less need for hospitalization compared with patients who didn’t receive 3 cycles of single-agent ibrutinib, Wierda explains. Moreover, the fixed-duration regimen was well tolerated among patients and did not elicit increased toxicity compared with what would be expected with single-agent ibrutinib or venetoclax. Ultimately, the fixed-duration approach was found to elicit deep remissions with most patients experiencing long remissions, Wierda concludes.