Dr. Goy on the Utility of Novel Agents in MCL

Andre H. Goy, MD, MS, chief, Division of Lymphoma, chairman and director, John Theurer Cancer Center, discusses the utility of novel agents in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).

At the 2019 ASH Annual Meeting, a European group presented data regarding the combination of venetoclax (Venclexta), ibrutinib (Imbruvica), and obinutuzumab (Gazyva) in patients with newly diagnosed MCL. The regimen showed promising signals of efficacy and tolerability, even among patients with high-risk features. Further follow-up may demonstrate the utility of novel agents in patients with high-risk disease, says Goy.

In terms of established frontline regimens, the combination of rituximab (Rituxan) and ibrutinib has shown widespread utility in MCL. Now, investigators are evaluating the combination paired with agents such as venetoclax and lenalidomide (Revlimid); this may become a key part of future management strategies, says Goy. Most notably, CAR T-cell therapy has shown encouraging efficacy in the relapsed/refractory setting, concludes Goy.