Dr. Michael Grunwald presents highlights in the latest studies involving several types of leukemia from the ASCO 2021 Virtual Congress.
In a dose-optimization study of ponatinib, patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia were randomized 1:1:1 to receive 45, 30, or 15 mg daily, with dose reductions occurring once patients met the primary endpoint of ≤1% BCR-ABL1. At 12 months, response rate was highest with the 45 mg to 15 mg regimen, and 73.3% of patients in this cohort maintained response.
The phase 1/2 ZUMA-3 study evaluated KTE-X19 in adults with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The drug’s efficacy, speed of manufacture, and ease of safety management were found to be sufficient to provide long-term clinical benefit.
Another study focused on the efficacy and safety of aspacytarabine (BST-236) for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who were unfit for chemotherapy. The rate of complete remission was 39% among the AML population, and 63% of the population in complete remission had minimal residual disease.
Dr. Grunwald closes with a study of ponatinib and blinatumomab in patients with Philadelphia chromosome–positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The combination of both drugs was proven to be a safe and effective chemotherapy-free regimen in both newly diagnosed patients and patients with relapsed/refractory disease.
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Michael R. Grunwald, MD, Chief, Leukemia Division. Department of Hematologic Oncology and Blood Disorders. Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health. Charlotte, North Carolina.
Michael R. Grunwald, MD, has disclosed the following relevant financial relationships:
Serve(d) as a director, officer, partner, employee, advisor, consultant, or trustee for: AbbVie; Agios; Amgen; Astellas Pharma; Blueprint Medicines; Bristol Myers Squibb; Cardinal Health; Daiichi Sankyo; Gilead Sciences; Incyte; Karius; Pfizer; Premier Pharmaceuticals; Sierra Oncology; Stemline Therapeutics.
Received research grant from: Incyte; Janssen.