I get the Dana Farber Newsletter regularly, and felt that a report on latest research in the medications we all use was worthy of reading. My Oncologist and one of her assistant doctors is the originator of the study.
Dana-Farber Researchers Share Latest Blood Cancer and Blood Disorder Research
Published: December 16, 2024
Written by: Beth Dougherty
Dana-Farber physician-scientists presented results of more than 100 research studies at the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting. Scientists shared findings across a range of hematologic disorders, underscoring the Institute’s dedication to innovation in hematologic oncology research, advances in early disease detection and intervention, and improving patient outcomes.
ASH is the world’s most comprehensive hematology event, attracting more than 20,000 specialists. This year’s meeting was held Dec. 7-10 in San Diego, Calif.
Two studies presented exciting advancements in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL):
Jennifer Brown, MD, PhD, presented findings that a novel, fixed-duration drug combination — consisting of a second-generation BTK inhibitor, called acalabrutinib, plus a BCL-2 inhibitor (venetoclax), with or without a third blood cancer drug — shows deep and durable responses in patients with CLL. The findings stem from a planned interim analysis of a phase 3 international registration trial known as AMPLIFY, which included patients from 27 countries across North America, South America, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.
Matthew Davids, MD, MMSC, presented findings that a time-limited regimen of acalabrutinib, venetoclax, and obinutuzumab (AVO), guided by measurable residual disease (MRD), showed positive results. The AVO triplet achieved high rates of durable response across a broad population of patients with CLL, and also demonstrated favorable outcomes for high-risk patients with TP53 aberrations. This is one of the first studies demonstrating the efficacy of time-limited triplet therapy in high-risk CLL.
