Deep Molecular Responses in Relapsed or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

The BCL2 inhibitor venetoclax (V) is highly active in patients with relapsed and poor-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), including in those with del(17p).

To compare responses of V plus rituximab (VR) versus a standard immunochemotherapy regimen, bendamustine-R (BR), investigators conducted an industry-sponsored, multinational, prospective, randomized, phase III trial in 389 patients with relapsed or refractory CLL who had received one to three prior lines of therapy, including one chemotherapy regimen. To mitigate tumor lysis syndrome, a known complication of V, a 5-week dose ramp-up to 400 mg daily was used before initiation of 6 monthly doses of R; V was administered for 2 years or until disease progression or treatment intolerance.…