Aiming for OS Improvement in AML With Venetoclax Plus FLAG-IDA Induction/Consolidation

Curtis Lachowiez, MD, hematology/oncology fellow at the University of Texas MD Anderson discusses the interim analysis of the phase 1b/2 study of venetoclax in combination with standard intensive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) induction plus consolidation therapy with the FLAG-IDA regimen (fludarabine, cytarabine, idarubicin, and G-CSF) as treatment of patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory AML.

The stage for utilizing the BCLA-2 inhibitor, venetoclax in combination with FLAG-IDA was set with other studies that combined venetoclax with low-intensity therapies like azacitidine and decitabine in an elderly or unfit patient population, says Lachowiez. In multiple studies, the addition of venetoclax led to an improvement in overall survival (OS). Lachowiez explains that these positive findings led to a research question of whether the strategy could be explored in the consolidation and induction arenas.

Data from the CAVEAT study (ACTRN12616000445471) were the early results of implementing the experimental treatment strategy in the elderly and unfit population, Lachowiez says. The study did show improvement in OS and laid the groundwork for further research.