Dr. Wang Discusses Single-Agent Acalabrutinib in MCL

Michael Wang, MD, professor in the Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the safety and efficacy of single-agent acalabrutinib (Calquence) in the treatment of patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).

In updated data presented at the 2018 ASH Annual Meeting, the BTK inhibitor acalabrutinib demonstrated sustained efficacy, with the complete response (CR) rate improving from 40% to 43% in this patient population. At a median follow-up of 26.3 months, overall response rate remained at 81%, as had been observed in the initial data and was sustained across subgroups, which were defined by tumor bulk. The long-term toxicity data proved more favorable, says Wang, because the incidence of common adverse events such as rash and bleeding were shown to have decreased over time.

Wang and his colleagues also presented new data in an analysis of minimal residual disease (MRD). He reports that by using next generation sequencing in 29 patients, 8 (28%) patients achieved undetectable MRD in at least 1 blood sample tested, and all patients who achieved MRD negativity also achieved a molecular CR.

The initial data, which showed a CR rate of 40% and a partial response rate of 41%, led to the October 2017 FDA approval of acalabrutinib as a treatment for adult patients with MCL following at least 1 prior line of therapy.