Chemotherapy-Free Treatment of Classical Hairy Cell Leukemia

In a phase 2 study, 90% of patients achieved complete remission with frontline obinutuzumab plus the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib.

Classical hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is characterized in virtually all cases by the BRAF V600E mutation and has been shown to be highly responsive to the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib in the relapsed setting (NEJM JW Oncol Hematol 2021 Jun 4 and N Engl J Med 2021 May 13; 384:1810).

Investigators have now conducted an industry- and grant-funded, multicenter, phase 2 trial of vemurafenib for previously untreated classical HCL patients with cytopenias. Patients received vemurafenib (960 mg orally twice daily for four 28-day cycles) plus obinutuzumab (1000 mg intravenously on days 1, 8, and 15 of cycle 2 and on day 1 of cycles 3 and 4). Restaging abdominal CT scans and bone marrow biopsies were performed following cycle 4. Residual marrow involvemen…

Reviewing Author

Michael E. Williams, MD, ScM

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAbbVie; AstraZeneca; Beigene; Janssen; Pharmacyclics

Grant/Research SupportJanssen

Editorial BoardsAmerican Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Hematology Longitudinal Knowledge Approval Committee

Michael E. Williams, MD, ScM

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAbbVie; AstraZeneca; Beigene; Janssen; Pharmacyclics

Grant/Research SupportJanssen

Editorial BoardsAmerican Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Hematology Longitudinal Knowledge Approval Committee

Chemotherapy-Free Treatment of Classical Hairy Cell Leukemia

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Reviewing Author