Venetoclax Plus Ibrutinib Combo Shows Potential in Relapsed/Refractory MCL

Andre Goy, MD, chief in the Division of Lymphoma, chairman and director at John Theurer (JT) Cancer Center, discusses the results from a small clinical trial, which was presented at the 2019 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting that he found particularly significant for the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).

Although it was a small study, Goy says the results from the combination of venetoclax (Venclexta) plus ibrutinib (Imbruvica), a biological combination, demonstrated an impressive complete response rate, as well as impressive minimal residual disease-negativity, in patients with relapsed/refractory MCL. However, what was most impressive with this combination was that some patients had to stop treatment for different reasons, but that a number of these patients remained in remission 18 months after treatment discontinuation.

It is unheard of that patients could continue to receive benefit from a biological combination after discontinuing treatment, Goy says. This demonstrates the potential to stop therapy in patients with relapsed/refractory MCL. Goy concludes that these findings may be critical in the treatment landscape of MCL.

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