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VIDEO: Novel agents demonstrate promise as first-line treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia
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NEW YORK — Danielle M. Brander, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Duke University and member of Duke Cancer Institute, spoke at HemOnc Today New York about the evolution of chronic lymphocytic leukemia treatment.
Brander explained how agents such as ibrutinib (Imbruvica; Janssen, Pharmacyclics), venetoclax (Venclexta; AbbVie, Genentech) and others originally approved for treatment of relapsed/refractory disease have shown promise in the frontline setting, signaling a shift away from first-line chemotherapy.
“Despite all of the advances that these novel agents are making — particularly for patients who were historically very difficult to treat with chemotherapy — we still have a long way to go,” Brander told HemOnc Today.
For example, some patients develop resistance to these therapies, and others develop Richter transformation.
“Especially when this happens in the setting of novel agents, these are very difficult situations to be able to treat,” Brander said.
Disclosure: Brander reports consultant/advisory roles with, grants to her institution from or site primary investigator roles with AbbVie, AstraZeneca, BeiGene, DTRM Biopharma, Genentech, MEI Pharma, Novartis, Pharmacyclics, Teva and TGI Therapeutics.