Dr. Holstein on Recent Data With Venetoclax in Myeloma

Sarah Holstein, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, discusses recent data with venetoclax (Venclexta) in the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory myeloma.

The interest with using the BCL2 inhibitor in this patient population is inspired by recent data suggesting that it has a signal in patients with t(11;14) disease. There were also encouraging data seen with venetoclax in combination with bortezomib (Velcade) and it appears that patients do not need to have t(11;14) disease in order to respond to that regimen, Holstein says.

Most recently, there were early data presented at the 2018 ASH Annual Meeting of venetoclax in combination with the proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib (Kyprolis). Although this was a relatively small study, there were interesting response rates observed, Holstein adds. Notably, it appeared that patients were responding to this combination at the same level—irrespective of having high- or standard-risk cytogenetics. There was a small number of patients who had t(11;14) and all of them responded, so clearly there is a signal there, she concludes.