Matthew Davids, MD, MMSc, associate director, Center for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses duvelisib plus fludarabine-cyclophosphamide-rituximab (FCR) as a frontline therapy for the treatment of younger patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

This combination was evaluated in a phase Ib/II study, findings of which were presented at the 2018 European Hematology Association Congress. The PI3K inhibitor duvelisib was added to FCR, which is a common frontline therapy for this patient population. The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety of the combination, as well as assess the rate of complete response (CR) with bone marrow minimal residual disease (MRD) after treatment.

Of 32 patients enrolled, 29 were evaluable. The overall response rate was 97%, with 28% achieving CR or CR with incomplete blood count recovery. Additionally, 69% of the evaluable patients achieved a partial response. This regimen proved to be an effective therapy for younger patients with CLL. There was also a high rate of MRD negativity in the bone marrow (81%).

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Matthew Davids, MD, MMSc, associate director, Center for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses duvelisib plus fludarabine-cyclophosphamide-rituximab (FCR) as a frontline therapy for the treatment of younger patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
 

Dr. Davids Discusses Duvelisib Plus FCR in Young Patients With CLL

Matthew Davids, MD, physician, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, instructor in medicine, talks about advances inchronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) treatment.

Several novel therapies have been approved recently for CLL, including obinutuzumab, ibrutinib, ofatumumab, and idelalisib. Since many of these novel therapies only elicit a partial response, combining them may be a better plan for developing a deeper, more full response, says Davids. Another benefit of combining these agents is that many of them have non-overlapping toxicities and complementary efficacy.

Davids says in practice, these newly approved agents will be used more in older patients in an attempt to move away from chemotherapy, while a combination of chemo-immunotherapy may be more ideal for younger patients.

Matthew Davids, MD, physician, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, instructor in medicine, talks about advances in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) treatment.

Dr. Matthew Davids On Advances in CLL

Matthew Davids, MD, physician, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, instructor in medicine, Harvard Medical School, discusses ipilimumab and its potential to treat patients with relapsed hematologic malignancies after donor stem cell transplantation.

Although ipilimumab, was studied several years ago in this space and produced some activity, the study only used a low, single dose treatment plan, Davids says.

In a phase I trial presented at the 2014 ASH Annual Meeting, patients received four doses of ipilimumab, three weeks apart. Patients who responded or had stable disease will then be enrolled on the phase Ib expanded cohort for up to one year of therapy with dosing every three months, Davids says.

Matthew Davids, MD

Articles

Dr. Davids Discusses Duvelisib Plus FCR in Young Patients With CLL

Dr. Matthew Davids On Advances in CLL

Dr. Davids On Ipilimumab for Hematologic Malignancy Treatment