Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Research Articles

Establishing meaningful change thresholds for European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire CLL‐specific module domain scores: An analysis based on the TRANSCEND CLL 004 study in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma

AbstractIntroductionThe study aimed to establish meaningful thresholds at patient and group levels for the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire CLL‐specific module (EORTC QLQ‐CLL17) domain scores in adults with relapsed or refractory (R/R) chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL).Material and methodsData for the analysis were from the TRANSCEND CLL 004 study (NCT03331198). EORTC QLQ‐CLL17 and selected anchor measures were assessed at baseline and multiple postbaseline visits up to 24 months after treatment initiation. Thresholds for each of the three EORTC QLQ‐CLL17 domains were triangulated based on estimates derived from anchor‐ and distribution‐based analyses, in accordance with published guidance.ResultsThe analysis included 62 patients with 240 observations across visits. Meaningful change thresholds for improvement and deterioration, respectively, at the patient level were determined to be −11/+11 for symptom burden, −16/+16 for physical condition/fatigue and −16/+13 for worries/fears on health and functioning. The meaningful change thresholds for improvement and deterioration at the group level mostly ranged between 0.3 and 0.5 of the standard deviation of baseline domain scores.ConclusionsThese thresholds, based on EORTC QLQ‐CLL17 domain scores, could help identify patients with meaningful changes in HRQOL and interpret treatment effects in future studies of treatments for adults with R/R CLL.

Third-generation anti-CD19 CAR T cells for relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a phase 1/2 study

Third-generation chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CARTs) for relapsed or refractory (r/r) chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) may improve efficacy compared to second-generation CARTs due to their enhanced CAR design. We performed the first phase 1/2 investigator-initiated trial evaluating escalating doses of third-generation CARTs (HD-CAR-1) targeting CD19 in patients with r/r CLL and B-cell lymphoma. CLL eligibility criteria were failure to two therapy lines including at least one pathway inhibitor and/or allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Nine heavily pretreated patients received HD-CAR-1 at dose levels ranging from 1 × 106 to 200 × 106 CART/m2. In-house HD-CAR-1 manufacturing was successful for all patients. While neurotoxicity was absent, one case of grade 3 cytokine release syndrome was observed. By day 90, six patients (67%) attained a CR, five of these (83%) with undetectable MRD. With a median follow-up of 27 months, 2-year PFS and OS were 30% and 69%, respectively. HD-CAR-1 products of responders contained significantly more CD4 + T cells compared to non-responders. In non-responders, a strong enrichment of effector memory-like CD8 + T cells with high expression of CD39 and/or CD197 was observed. HD-CAR-1 demonstrated encouraging efficacy and exceptionally low treatment-specific toxicity, presenting new treatment options for patients with r/r CLL. Trial registration: #NCT03676504.

The Novel Anti-Cancer Agent, SpiD3, Is Cytotoxic in CLL Cells Resistant to Ibrutinib or Venetoclax.

B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling is a central driver in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), along with the activation of pro-survival pathways (e.g., NF-κB) and aberrant anti-apoptotic mechanisms (e.g., BCL2) culminating to CLL cell survival and drug resistance. Front-line targeted therapies such as ibrutinib (BTK inhibitor) and venetoclax (BCL2 inhibitor) have radically improved CLL management. Yet, persisting CLL cells lead to relapse in ~20% of patients, signifying the unmet need of inhibitor-resistant refractory CLL. SpiD3 is a novel spirocyclic dimer of analog 19 that displays NF-κB inhibitory activity and preclinical anti-cancer properties. Recently, we have shown that SpiD3 inhibits CLL cell proliferation and induces cytotoxicity by promoting futile activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in the inhibition of protein synthesis in CLL cells. We performed RNA-sequencing using CLL cells rendered resistant to ibrutinib and venetoclax to explore potential vulnerabilities in inhibitor-resistant and SpiD3-treated CLL cells. The transcriptomic analysis of ibrutinib- or venetoclax-resistant CLL cell lines revealed ferroptosis, UPR signaling, and oxidative stress to be among the top pathways modulated by SpiD3 treatment. By examining SpiD3-induced protein aggregation, ROS production, and ferroptosis in inhibitor-resistant CLL cells, our findings demonstrate cytotoxicity following SpiD3 treatment in cell lines resistant to current front-line CLL therapeutics. Our results substantiate the development of SpiD3 as a novel therapeutic agent for relapsed/refractory CLL disease.

Efficacy and safety of first- versus second-generation Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

We conducted this first systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the competitive advantage of 2nd-generation Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKi) compared to 1st-generation BTKi in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The literature search was conducted from PubMed, Web of Science, Embase databases, and hematology annual conferences. Data of over response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were extracted to a pool meta-analysis of efficacy; adverse events (AEs) were also extracted to a pool meta-analysis of safety. Bias risk assessment and meta-analysis were performed by Review Manager 5.3 and STATA 14 software. A total of 3649 patients from 29 cohorts were included. The results showed that the benefits of ORR and 24-month PFS in 2nd-generation BTKi compared to 1st-generation BTKi were not significant in the whole population but only in the relapsed or refractory (R/R) CLL patient subgroup (ORR: 86.4% vs. 76.2%, p = 0.013; 24-month PFS: 76.9% vs. 67.9%, p = 0.004). Any-grade AEs were comparable between 1st- and 2nd-generation BTKi, but grade 3 or higher AEs were significantly less frequent with 2nd-generation BTKi versus 1st-generation BTKi (grade 3 or higher: 53.1% vs. 72.5%; p = 0.002). Headache was more frequent with 2nd-generation BTKi, while diarrhea and atrial fibrillation were more frequent with 1st-generation BTKi. Only for patients with relapsed or refractory CLL did 2nd-generation BTKi have a competitive advantage, while adverse effects still need to be considered. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO, Identifier 42022342488.

Tp53 Genetic Mutations in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients in Iraq

Abstract BACKGROUND: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a malignant clonal proliferative condition of mature CD5+ B cells, with a 4.2/100,000 annual incidence rate and the median age at diagnosis is 72 years. CLL impacts mainly the elderly in Western nations. About 4%–10% of patients have 17p deleted at diagnosis, which includes tumor-suppressor protein (TP53) gene deletions and/or mutations. However, TP53 can also be acquired during the course of the disease, with a predictable incidence of 42%–45% in refractory CLL. Even when this mutation develops in a small percentage of neoplastic cells, the attending of subclonal TP53 changes has been linked to a bad prognosis. TP53 mutations are correlated with significantly lower lifespan and indicate impaired tolerance to chemoimmunotherapy, making them among the most powerful prognostic markers-guiding treatment decisions in CLL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed at different centers in Iraq, including Euphrates Center for Cancerous Tumors, Najaf, and the Hematology center-medical City, Baghdad, Imam al Hussien Medical City, Karbala, from October 2023 to June 2024, with patients diagnosed by blood film and immunophenotyping CLL, included 63 patients. RESULTS: DNA Sequencing of TP53 genes investigated by Sanger technique to detect TP53 variations. All potential genotype variations of the TP53 gene were detected across several single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). CONCLUSIONS: The vast majority, 93% of our patients, carry variant-type mutations of TP53. The genotype of SNP rs1597359353 was found P < 0.05, which is significant according to the White blood count (WBCs) count, although all patients on treatment or follow-up had TP53 mutations.

Fixed-duration pirtobrutinib plus venetoclax with or without rituximab in relapsed/refractory CLL: the phase 1b BRUIN trial

AbstractPirtobrutinib is a highly selective, noncovalent (reversible) Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi). Patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) were treated with fixed-duration pirtobrutinib plus venetoclax (PV) or pirtobrutinib plus venetoclax and rituximab (PVR) in this phase 1b trial. Prior covalent BTKi therapy was allowed, but not prior treatment with venetoclax. Patients were assigned to receive PV (n = 15) or PVR (n = 10) for 25 cycles. Most patients (68%) had received prior covalent BTKi therapy. At the data cutoff date, the median time on study was 27.0 months for PV and 23.3 months for PVR. Overall response rates were 93.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 68.1-99.8) for PV and 100% (95% CI, 69.2-100.0) for PVR, with 10 complete responses (PV: 7; PVR: 3). After 12 cycles of treatment, 85.7% (95% CI, 57.2-98.2) of PV and 90.0% (95% CI, 55.5-99.7) of PVR patients achieved undetectable minimal residual disease (<10-4) in peripheral blood. Progression-free survival at 18 months was 92.9% (95% CI, 59.1-99.0) for PV patients and 80.0% (95% CI, 40.9-94.6) for PVR patients. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed during the 5-week assessment period. The most common grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs) for all patients included neutropenia (52%) and anemia (16%). AEs led to dose reduction in 3 patients and discontinuation in 2. In conclusion, fixed-duration PV or PVR was well tolerated and had promising efficacy in patients with R/R CLL, including patients previously treated with a covalent BTKi. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT03740529.

A phase I, first-in-human study of ONO-7018 in patients with relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma or chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

TPS7083 Background: Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma translocation protein 1 (MALT1) is a key component of the caspase recruitment domain-containing protein 11 (CARD 11)-B-cell lymphoma/leukemia 10 (BCL 10)-MALT1 signalosome complex, which activates nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) signaling in response to B-cell–receptor or T-cell–receptor stimulation. Activation of NF-κB signaling promotes survival and proliferation of B-cell lymphoma and T-cell lymphoma. ONO-7018 is an oral, potent, and selective MALT1 inhibitor that has demonstrated preclinical efficacy in several lymphoma models (Morishita D, et al. Blood. 2020). Therefore, ONO-7018 has therapeutic potential for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This study aims to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and efficacy of ONO-7018 as monotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory NHL or CLL. Methods: This Phase I, first-in-human, open-label, multicenter study will be done in two parts, a dose-escalation phase (part 1) and a dose-expansion phase (part 2). An estimated 54 eligible patients will be enrolled. Patients must be adults with relapsed/refractory NHL or CLL with measurable disease; all acute toxic effects of prior antitumor therapy should be grade ≤1; have Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 to 2; and have adequate bone marrow, renal, and hepatic function. Exclusion criteria include history of other lymphoid malignancy, central nervous system involvement, active autoimmune disease, systemic and active infection, serious or uncontrolled medical disorder, and patient inability to swallow tablets. ONO-7018 will be administered orally. In part 1, patients will be assigned to a dose level cohort (≤4 dose levels: DL1-DL4) using a 3+3 dose-escalation design. In part 2, patients will be given the recommended dose level from part 1, following safety review. The primary endpoints include dose-limiting toxicity, MTD, and treatment-emergent adverse events. Secondary endpoints include pharmacokinetics, objective response rate, duration of response, progression-free survival, and overall survival. The study began February 13, 2023, and is currently recruiting; part 1 is ongoing. Clinical trial information: NCT05515406 .

Unveiling the dynamics and molecular landscape of a rare chronic lymphocytic leukemia subpopulation driving refractoriness: insights from single-cell RNA sequencing.

Early identification of resistant cancer cells is currently a major challenge, as their expansion leads to refractoriness. To capture the dynamics of these cells, we made a comprehensive analysis of disease progression and treatment response in a chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patient using a combination of single-cell and bulk genomic methods. At diagnosis, the patient presented with unfavorable genetic markers, including notch receptor 1 (NOTCH1) mutation and loss(11q). The initial and subsequent treatment lines did not lead to a durable response and the patient developed refractory disease. Refractory CLL cells featured substantial dysregulation in B-cell phenotypic markers such as human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes, immunoglobulin (IG) genes, CD19 molecule (CD19), membrane spanning 4-domains A1 (MS4A1; previously known as CD20), CD79a molecule (CD79A) and paired box 5 (PAX5), indicating B-cell de-differentiation and disease transformation. We described the clonal evolution and characterized in detail two cell populations that emerged during the refractory disease phase, differing in the presence of high genomic complexity. In addition, we successfully tracked the cells with high genomic complexity back to the time before treatment, where they formed a rare subpopulation. We have confirmed that single-cell RNA sequencing enables the characterization of refractory cells and the monitoring of their development over time.

A Review of Resistance Mechanisms to Bruton's Kinase Inhibitors in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) inhibitors have become one of the most vital drugs in the therapy of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Inactivation of BTK disrupts the B-cell antigen receptor (BCR) signaling pathway, which leads to the inhibition of the proliferation and survival of CLL cells. BTK inhibitors (BTKi) are established as leading drugs in the treatment of both treatment-naïve (TN) and relapsed or refractory (R/R) CLL. Furthermore, BTKi demonstrate outstanding efficacy in high-risk CLL, including patients with chromosome 17p deletion, TP53 mutations, and unmutated status of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region (IGHV) gene. Ibrutinib is the first-in-class BTKi which has changed the treatment landscape of CLL. Over the last few years, novel, covalent (acalabrutinib, zanubrutinib), and non-covalent (pirtobrutinib) BTKi have been approved for the treatment of CLL. Unfortunately, continuous therapy with BTKi contributes to the acquisition of secondary resistance leading to clinical relapse. In recent years, it has been demonstrated that the predominant mechanisms of resistance to BTKi are mutations in BTK or phospholipase Cγ2 (PLCG2). Some differences in the mechanisms of resistance to covalent BTKi have been identified despite their similar mechanism of action. Moreover, novel mutations resulting in resistance to non-covalent BTKi have been recently suggested. This article summarizes the clinical efficacy and the latest data regarding resistance to all of the registered BTKi.

Venetoclax in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Venetoclax in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Activity of venetoclax in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: analysis of the VENICE-1 multicentre, open-label, single-arm, phase 3b trial

Most patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia progress after treatment or retreatment with targeted therapy or chemoimmunotherapy and have limited subsequent treatment options. Response levels to the single-agent venetoclax in the relapsed setting is unknown. We aimed to assess venetoclax activity in patients with or without previous B-cell receptor-associated kinase inhibitor (BCRi) treatment. This multicentre, open-label, single-arm, phase 3b trial (VENICE-1) assessed activity and safety of venetoclax monotherapy in adults with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, stratified by previous exposure to a BCRi. Eligible participants were aged 18 years or older with previously treated relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Presence of del(17p) or TP53 aberrations and previous BCRi treatment were permitted. Patients received 5-week ramp-up to 400 mg of oral venetoclax once daily and were treated for up to 108 weeks, with 2 years follow-up after discontinuation, or optional extended access. The primary activity endpoint was complete remission rate (complete remission or complete remission with incomplete marrow recovery) in BCRi-naive patients. Analyses used the intent-to-treat (ie, all enrolled patients, which coincided with those who received at least one dose of venetoclax). This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02756611, and is complete. Between June 22, 2016, and March 11, 2022, we enrolled 258 patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (180 [70%] were male; 252 [98%] were White; 191 were BCRi-naive and 67 were BCRi-pretreated). Median follow-up in the overall cohort was 49·5 months (IQR 47·2-54·1), 49·2 months (47·2-53·2) in the BCRi-naive group, and 49·7 months (47·4-54·3) in the BCRi-pretreated group. Of 191 BCRi-naive patients, 66 (35%; 95% CI 27·8-41·8) had complete remission or complete remission with incomplete marrow recovery. 18 (27%; 95% CI 16·8-39·1) of 67 patients in the BCRi-pretreated group had complete remission or complete remission with incomplete marrow recovery. Grade 3 or worse treatment-emergent adverse events were reported in 203 (79%) and serious adverse events were reported in 136 (53%) of 258 patients in the overall cohort. The most common treatment-emergent adverse event was neutropenia (96 [37%]) and the most common and serious adverse event was pneumonia (21 [8%]). There were 13 (5%) deaths reported due to adverse events; one of these deaths (autoimmune haemolytic anaemia) was possibly related to venetoclax. No new safety signals were identified. These data demonstrate deep and durable responses with venetoclax monotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, including BCRi-pretreated patients, suggesting that venetoclax monotherapy is an effective strategy for treating BCRi-naive and BCRi-pretreated patients. AbbVie.

Final results on effectiveness and safety of Ibrutinib in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia from the non-interventional FIRE study.

We conducted an observational study (FIRE) to understand the effectiveness and safety outcomes of ibrutinib in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in France, after a maximum follow-up of five years. Patients were included according to the French marketing authorization in 2016 (i.e. patients with relapsed or refractory CLL or to previously untreated CLL patients with deletion 17p and/or tumor protein p53 mutations unsuitable for chemoimmunotherapy) and could have initiated ibrutinib more than 30days prior their enrolment in the study (i.e. retrospective patients) or between 30days before and 14days after their enrolment (i.e. prospective patients). The results showed that in the effectiveness population (N = 388), the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 53.1 (95% CI: 44.5-60.5) months for retrospective patients and 52.9 (95% CI: 40.3-60.6) months for prospective patients and no difference was shown between the PFS of patients who had at least one dose reduction versus the PFS of patients without dose reduction (p = 0.7971 for retrospective and p = 0.3163 for prospective patients). For both retrospective and prospective patients, the median overall survival was not reached. The most frequent treatment-emergent adverse event of interest was infections (57.6% retrospective; 71.4% prospective). A total of 14.6% of the retrospective patients and 22.4% of the prospective patients had an adverse event leading to death. Our findings on effectiveness were consistent with other studies and the fact that patients with dose reductions had similar PFS than patients without dose reduction is reassuring. No additional safety concerns than those already mentioned in previous studies could be noticed.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03425591. Registered 1 February 2018 - Retrospectively registered.

Mechanisms of resistance to venetoclax in hematologic malignancies.

Venetoclax, a BH3 mimetic, is a novel targeted anti-cancer drug with a unique mechanism of action leading to the execution of apoptosis through inhibition of the Bcl-2 protein. The development of venetoclax has revolutionized the treatment paradigm of several hematologic malignancies, including treatment-naïve and relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) as well as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in unfit patients. However, despite the high effectiveness of venetoclax in these diseases, some patients, as in the case with other targeted therapies, develop primary or secondary resistance to the drug. Various mechanisms contributing to the resistance to venetoclax have been elucidated, including selection of mutations in the BCL-2 binding groove which decrease affinity to venetoclax, or compensatory overexpression of anti-apoptotic proteins such as MCL-1. Moreover, alterations in cell metabolism and signaling pathways like MAPK or ERK activation have also been reported, suggesting the resistance to venetoclax is highly complex and involves multiple pathways. This review aimed to describe the mechanisms of resistance to venetoclax in AML, CLL, multiple myeloma, and other hematologic malignancies, as well as to propose a perspective to circumvent it.

How receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 meets its partners in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia in western societies, recognized by clinical and molecular heterogeneity. Despite the success of targeted therapies, acquired resistance remains a challenge for relapsed and refractory CLL, as a consequence of mutations in the target or the upregulation of other survival pathways leading to the progression of the disease. Research on proteins that can trigger such pathways may define novel therapies for a successful outcome in CLL such as the receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1). ROR1 is a signaling receptor for Wnt5a, with an important role during embryogenesis. The aberrant expression on CLL cells and several types of tumors, is involved in cell proliferation, survival, migration as well as drug resistance. Antibody-based immunotherapies and small-molecule compounds emerged to target ROR1 in preclinical and clinical studies. Efforts have been made to identify new prognostic markers having predictive value to refine and increase the detection and management of CLL. ROR1 can be considered as an attractive target for CLL diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. It can be clinically effective alone and/or in combination with current approved agents. In this review, we summarize the scientific achievements in targeting ROR1 for CLL diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.

Management and use of healthcare resources in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia initiating venetoclax in routine clinical practice

Venetoclax is a first-in-class B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) inhibitor approved as continuous monotherapy and in combination with rituximab as fixed-treatment duration for relapsed and refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (R/R CLL). DEVOTE was a 24-week, multicenter observational study (NCT03310190) evaluating the safety, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients initiating venetoclax for R/R CLL in Canada. Overall, 89 patients received 1 dose of venetoclax; 80% had prior exposure (42% resistant) to ibrutinib. Biochemical tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) occurred in five patients. We observed differences in hospitalization across Canadian provinces including in patients at low risk for TLS with no clear impact on TLS incidence. Additionally, a rapid and sustained improvement in several domains of HRQoL was observed during venetoclax initiation. Early adoption of venetoclax was mainly for R/R CLL patients with few treatment options; nonetheless, acceptable toxicity and a positive impact on HRQoL were observed.

Cost Effectiveness of Zanubrutinib Versus Ibrutinib in Relapsed or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

While the efficacy and safety of zanubrutinib have been established in relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the evidence on cost effectiveness is still lacking. We aimed to evaluate the cost effectiveness of zanubrutinib versus ibrutinib in relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia from the commercial payer perspective in the USA. A partitioned survival model was developed based on survival curves from the phase III ALPINE trial. We reconstructed patient-level data for each curve and conducted a parametric estimation to incorporate long-term clinical outcomes and treatment costs into the model. Medical costs and utilities were obtained from public data and previous cost-effectiveness studies. A discount rate of 3.0% per annum was applied and costs were adjusted to 2023 US dollars. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated by dividing the incremental costs of zanubrutinib over ibrutinib by the incremental life-years or quality-adjusted life-years. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the robustness of the results. Over a 10-year analysis period, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of zanubrutinib versus ibrutinib was $91,260perlife-year gainedand $120,634perquality-adjusted life-yeargained, making it cost effective within a threshold of $150,000perquality-adjusted life-yeargained. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was most sensitive to drug acquisition costs and progression-free survival distributions, and the probability of zanubrutinib being cost effective was approximately 52.8%, with a 30.0% likelihood of dominance. Zanubrutinib is likely to be cost effective versus ibrutinib in relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the USA, but the high threshold should be noted. Our findings may provide a basis for pricing strategy and reimbursement decisions for zanubrutinib.

Plain language summary of zanubrutinib or ibrutinib in chronic lymphocytic leukemia that is resistant to treatment or has come back after treatment.

What is this summary about? This is a plain language summary of a research study called ALPINE. The study involved people who had been diagnosed with, and previously treated at least once for, relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). Lymphocytes help to find and fight off viruses and infections in the body, but when someone has CLL or SLL, the body creates abnormal lymphocytes, leaving the patient with a weakened immune system and susceptible to illness. In CLL, these lymphocytes are in the bone marrow and bloodstream, whereas for SLL, they are mostly found in the lymph nodes, such as those in the neck. How was the research done? The ALPINE study was designed to directly compare the cancer-fighting effects and side effects of zanubrutinib and ibrutinib as treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory CLL/SLL. What were the results? After 30 months, zanubrutinib was more effective than ibrutinib at reducing and keeping the cancer from coming back. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT03734016 ( ClinicalTrials.gov )

Cost-effectiveness of BTK inhibitors vs bendamustine and rituximab in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients.

Background: We aimed to compare the cost-effectiveness of bruton tyrosine kinase inhibors (BTKis) versus bendamustine-rituximab (R-bendamustine) as a first-line treatment for Chinese patients with relapsed or refractorychronic lymphocytic leukemia. Methods: A partitioned survival model was constructed using TreeAge Pro 2022 software and transition probabilities were estimated from the reported survival probabilities using parametric survival modeling. One-way analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to explore the uncertainty of the modeling results. In addition, several scenario analyses were evaluated. Results: In comparison to R-bendamustine, zanubrutinib had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER;life years) and ICER (quality-adjusted life years) of US$12,173.38 and $17,983.40, respectively. While ibrutinib had a higher ICER relative to R-bendamustine. Conclusion: Zanubrutinib was cost-effective for patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia in China.

Research Progress in Treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia --Review

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a low-grade lymphoproliferative tumor that occurs frequently in middle-aged and elderly people. Early and precise intervention can effectively improve the clinical prognosis of CLL patients. In the past, chemotherapy was the main treatment plan. With the development of molecular biology and the continuous advent of immune targeting drugs, targeted drugs targeting B cell receptor signaling pathway have shown high clinical application value in the diagnosis and treatment path of CLL. Cellular immunotherapies such as CAR-T also offer hope for patients with relapsed and refractory CLL. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and multi-drug combination have also shown remarkable results in clinical practice. The purpose of this article is to review the latest research progress in the treatment of CLL.

SA39 Targeted Treatments for Patients with Relapsed and/or Refractory (R/R) Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL): A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of Randomized Clinical Trials (RCTs)

SA39 Targeted Treatments for Patients with Relapsed and/or Refractory (R/R) Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL): A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of Randomized Clinical Trials (RCTs)