Article in NEJM on Venetoclax & Obinutuzumab

[jdolinger]

Here is an article that was just received from the New England Journal of Medicine that some may find of interest. Jack O.

nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/N...

[Newdawn Administrator]

Very positive conclusions from this limited remit study;

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with untreated CLL and coexisting conditions, venetoclax–obinutuzumab was associated with longer progression-free survival than chlorambucil–obinutuzumab.

Newdawn

[cajunjeff]

I am not sure why they do so many studies with foregone conclusions. In so many of the studies they use chlorambucil as the comparator drug, a drug few doctors use front line anymore.

In this study they combine obinutuzumab with chlorambucil and compare it to venetoclax plus obinutuzumab. It is no shocker to anyone venetoclax won easily.

They need to make it a fair fight. Compare venetoclax with FCR or ibrutinib, not chlorambucil.

Chlorambucil is the Jerry Quarry of Cll drugs. LOL, Cll is an illness for older folks so at least a few will get the Quarry reference.

[Newdawn Administrator in reply to cajunjeff]

True Jeff which explains my ‘limited remit’ reference.

Still a positive outcome that will hopefully shape more outdated clinical recommendations.

Newdawn

[jdolinger in reply to cajunjeff]

Unfortunately many of these "studies" are funded by the government (which allows the research people to gain added income) and thus become repetitive and often questionable in their comparative "study". The conclusion, as Newdawn points out, however is good for us CLL patients to know when consulting with our physicians.

[johnl in reply to jdolinger]

Actually, if you look at who funded this study it's AbbVie the seller of Venetoclax and they want to set the comparetive bar as low as possible to make their drug look good, but all the drug companies looking for FDA approval do it. The FDA should make them compare their drugs to something that's used today. I believe this the study that got V/O approved for frontline use by the FDA.

john

[DaleFL in reply to cajunjeff]

When does a medication that is more effective than chlorambucil become the “the standard” under which future drugs are compared against? From my perspective, we need real competition between new treatments and the standard as Jeff mentioned shove. Is there not enough data and studies to establish that ibrutinib (or FCR for those who still benefit from it) is the new standard of care for purposes of future studies examining whether a particular medication or combination thereof is effective for CLL?