Targeted Therapies
Most new “small molecules” can be taken by mouth. Many work by blocking pathways that the cancer cells have pirated and become addicted to such as signaling pathways. Examples include ibrutinib, acalabrutinib, duvelisib and others. Others, such as venetoclax, remove blockades that the cancer has created which prevent natural cell death. These therapies target the cancer and spare most healthy cells.
ARTICLES ON TARGETED THERAPIES
Resistance mutations in BTK and PLCG2 are common in patients with CLL who progress on acalabrutinib, a BTK inhibitor treatment that is taken continuously.
An interim analysis of the AMPLIFY trial comparing acalabrutinib and venetoclax with or without obinutuzumab for CLL shows improvements in patient survival.
While a higher efficacy for the treatment is preferable, given equal efficacy, patients with CLL prefer fixed-duration over treat-to-progression therapies.
Venetoclax-based combination therapies lead to durable remissions in patients with high-risk relapsed / refractory CLL.
Long-term follow-up shows that pirtobrutinib is effective in patients with CLL who have received multiple prior lines of therapy.
Long-term ibrutinib treatment increases T cell numbers and improves T cell function in CLL patients but does not fully restore T cell function.
RECENT NEWS
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