Dr. Woyach on the Design of the Ongoing Alliance A041702 Trial in CLL

Jennifer Woyach, MD, associate professor, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center—James, discusses the design of the ongoing phase III Alliance A041702 trial in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

The Alliance A041702 trial was designed to capitalize on the efficacy of BTK inhibition that had been reported in the phase III Alliance A041202 trial, as well as establish a means of time-limited therapy, explains Woyach. In the trial, treatment-naïve patients ≥70 years of age will be randomized 1:1 to receive either the combination of ibrutinib (Imbruvica) and obinutuzumab (Gazyva) versus the combination plus venetoclax (Venclexta).

Patients in the combination arm will receive 6 standard cycles of obinutuzumab followed by continuous ibrutinib. Patients in the triplet arm will receive standard obinutuzumab followed by 14 cycles of venetoclax and ibrutinib, says Woyach. Upon completing therapy, patients will undergo CT scans and a bone marrow biopsies. Patients who have a minimal residual disease—negative complete response will discontinue all treatment, and those who don’t will continue on ibrutinib, concludes Woyach.