A Mechanism-Driven Treatment for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia?

[Cllcanada]

Editorial

nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NE...

Also published data on early ibrutinib trial...

'The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) has published data online about the investigational oral Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib as a monotherapy in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Results from a Phase 1b/2 study show that ibrutinib is well tolerated and produced durable responses at both dose levels studied in patients with relapsed/refractory CLL or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). Promising results were seen in patients with advanced disease and in patients with high risk disease as defined by clinical or genetic features, such as deletion of part of chromosome 17 (del17p).'

nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NE...

[AussieNeil Administrator]

And here is Dr Sharman's blog on the paper and editorial, plus a brief mention of his experiences with early patients on the trial:

cll-nhl.com/2013/06/ibrutin...

Drs Sharman, Byrd and O'Brien, who will be familiar to this community, were among the paper's authors.

It is worth reading the Editorial paragraph starting at the end of the first page commencing:

"This study triggers a number of considerations. The complete remission rate with ibrutinib appears to be low. The activity of this agent will need to be assessed in patients who have received less previous treatment...."

As Dr Sharman says in his final paragraph:

"There is never a good time to get CLL, but if you had to pick one, now would be the time to get it! Lots of cool change coming. "

Neil