Dr. Shaughnessy on the Potential of the FELIX Trial to Address Unmet Needs in B-ALL

Paul J. Shaughnessy, MD, hematologist, oncologist, medical director, the Adult Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, the Methodist Hospital, discusses the potential of the phase 1/2 FELIX trial (NCT04404660) to address unmet needs in relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL).

The study is evaluating the safety and efficacy of the CAR T-cell therapy obecabtagene autoleucel (obe-cel) in adult patients with relapsed/refractory B-ALL. Data from the trial showed that at a median follow-up of 6.4 months, obe-cel elicited an overall response rate of 70% in this population. Moreover, obe-cel may offer an improved safety profile compared with other available therapies, according to Shaughnessy, who adds that acceptable rates of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity were reported.

Although CAR T-cell therapies are available for patients with relapsed/refractory B-ALL, delivering this option to all patients remains a challenge, Shaughnessy says. Due to the need to travel long distances to treatment centers, obtain a caregiver, and spend time in the hospital, this modality remains inaccessible for a portion of the population. Developing CAR T-cell therapies with lower rates of CRS and other adverse effects could make the modality more accessible to patients and help address that unmet need, Shaughnessy concludes.