LEUKEMIAS

The combination of prexigebersen, a Liposomal Grb2 Antisense oligodeoxynucleotide, and low-dose cytarabine was associated with an overall response rate of 47% in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia, according to findings from an ongoing phase II trial.

Neil E. Kay, MD, professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, addresses the “Big 4” in salvage therapies for patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia, including a newer therapy coming down the pipeline now.

According to findings from the phase III QuANTUM-R study, overall survival was improved with quizartinib compared with chemotherapy in patients with&nbsp;<em>FLT3</em>-ITD&ndash;positive relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia after first-line treatment with or without hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.<br /> &nbsp;

According to results from the MABLE trial, the combination of rituximab plus bendamustine demonstrated significant value as a frontline treatment option for fludarabine-ineligible patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Results of an interim analysis from a small phase I trial presented at the 2018 American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Conference showed that CAR T-cell therapy can&nbsp;induce next generation sequencing negativity in patients with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia, suggesting a &ldquo;synergistic&rdquo; relationship with hematopoietic cell transplant that could enhance patient outcomes.

Results from a recent study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania may demonstrate why some patients with chronic&nbsp;lymphocytic leukemia are resistant to tisagenlecleucel, while potentially providing a pathway to enhance patient response.

The combination of bendamustine and rituximab induced a 12-month progression-free survival of 78.6% for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, suggesting that the combination is an effective first salvage regimen.

The FDA approved several indications throughout the month of April 2018.&nbsp;A number of drugs were granted priority review and Fast Track designation. The FDA also halted all clinical trials using&nbsp;tazemetostat as treatment, and new initiatives were introduced&nbsp;to help ease the development of genetic and genomic-based tests.&nbsp;Check out our list of all FDA happenings from April 2018.

Based on data from the ongoing phase III ADMIRAL study, Astellas Pharma, the manufacturer of&nbsp;gilteritinib, has announced the submission of a new drug application to the FDA seeking approval for the FLT3 inhibitor as a treatment for adult patients with <em>FLT3</em> mutation&ndash;positive relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia.

Voxtalisib (XL765) monotherapy induced objective responses in 41.3% of patients with follicular lymphoma, but displayed minimal efficacy in patients with other lymphomas, according to results from a phase II trial of patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma or chronic lymphocytic leukemia that were recently published in the Lancet Haematology.