Dr. Max Topp on the TOWER study and Blinatumomab in ALL

Max S. Topp, MD, professor and head of Haematology, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Germany, discusses the phase III TOWER study, which looked at blinatumomab (Blincyto) versus standard chemotherapy in patients with Philadelphia chromosome—negative relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), In the study, median overall survival (OS) with blinatumomab was 7.7 months versus 4 months with standard chemotherapy.

Treatment with blinatumomab reduced the risk of death by 29% versus standard chemotherapy (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.55-0.93; P = .012) and the CR rate with blinatumomab was 39% versus 19% with standard chemotherapy (P <.001).

This trial has established blinatumomab as the therapy of choice for relapsed or refractory ALL, said Topp.