Dr. Gerson on Venetoclax/Obinutuzumab Combination in CLL

James N. Gerson, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, discusses the phase III CLL14 trial evaluating the combination of venetoclax (Venclexta) and obinutuzumab (Gazyva) versus chlorambucil and obinutuzumab as frontline therapy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Data from the CLL14 trial served as the basis for the FDA approval of venetoclax and obinutuzumab as frontline therapy for patients with CLL. Data demonstrated that 88.2% (95% CI, 83.7-92.6) of patients treated with the venetoclax combination were progression free at 24 months compared with 64.1% (95% CI, 57.4-70.8) of patients treated with the chlorambucil combination.

Notably, ibrutinib (Imbruvica) monotherapy is also available to patients in the frontline setting. However, ibrutinib is given indefinitely, Gerson says. Although the data with ibrutinib are more mature, the combination of venetoclax and obinutuzumab may be more appealing to patients as it is given as a fixed treatment course of 1 year.

Gerson highlights that potential life-long treatment with ibrutinib is not feasible for some patients, so having an alternate option is very exciting.

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