Phase Ib/2 study of venetoclax with low-dose cytarabine in treatment-naive patients age ≥ 65 with acute myelogenous leukemia.

Abstract

7007Background: Treatment options for older patients (pts) with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) unfit for intensive chemotherapy are limited. Expected complete remission rates for low-dose cytarabine (LDAC) are about 10% in this population. Targeting the pro-survival molecule BCL-2 has demonstrated clinical efficacy as a therapeutic strategy in various hematologic malignancies. Venetoclax (VEN), a selective BCL-2 inhibitor, shows synergy with cytarabine in several AML cell lines and primary samples. Methods: This is a non-randomized, open-label phase 1/2 dose-escalation/expansion study of VEN + LDAC, in treatment-naive AML pts ≥ 65 years not eligible for intensive chemotherapy. Pts receive oral VEN once daily (QD) on days 1‒28 and subcutaneous LDAC 20 mg/m2 QD on days 1‒10 of each 28-day cycle. VEN dose escalation follows a 3 + 3 design; dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs: grade 4 toxicity, platelet count < 25,000/μL, or absolute neutrophil count < 500/μL within 14 days of last VEN dose) areassessed during c...