Single-agent Ibrutinib Therapy Provides Durable Response in CLL/SLL

Treatment with single-agent ibrutinib was well-tolerated and provided durable responses among patients with treatment-naive or relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), according to a study published in Clinical Cancer Research.¹

Researchers evaluated data from 94 patients with CLL/SLL, 27 of which were treatment-naive and 67 of which were relapsed/refractory. These patients were treated with ibrutinib at a dosage of 420 mg per day with 44 months of follow-up to determine the single-agent efficacy and tolerability of the drug.

The study found that treatment response was “rapid and durable” among these patients, with the best overall response being 91% among treatment-naive patients and 94% among relapsed/refractory patients. The progression-free survival rate at 30 months was 96% for treatment-naive patients and 76% for relapsed/refractory patients.

Treatment with ibrutinib was well-tolerated upon extended follow-up, with rates of discontinuations due to toxicities such as grade 3 or more cytopenias and fatigue decreasing over time.

Median duration of response and median progression-free survival were not reached.

The authors noted that 66% of patients enrolled in the study were continuing on ibrutinib therapy.

Reference

1. Coutré SE, Furman RR, Flinn IW, et al. Extended treatment with single-agent ibrutinib at the 420 mg dose leads to durable responses in chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma. Clin Can Research. 2017 Jan 10. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-16-1431 [Epub ahead of print]