ASH Highlights

Response to treatment with a regimen of daratumumab (Darzalex) plus lenalidomide (Revlimid; DR) was greater and minimal residual disease (MRD) was achieved more frequently compared with a regimen of lenalidomide plus dexamethasone (Rd) in the first randomized phase 3 clinical trial dedicated to frail, transplant-ineligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Patients undergoing hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) do not derive any benefit from the restrictive diet frequently prescribed to prevent infections, according to the results of a clinical trial presented during the 64th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition.

A head-to-head phase 3 clinical trial in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) has found that zanubrutinib (Brukinsa), a next-generation Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, is more effective at preventing disease progression and better tolerated than ibrutinib (Imbruvica), a first-generation BTK inhibitor that has been the current standard of care for this population of patients.

Treatment with time-limited venetoclax (Venclexta)-based combination regimens resulted in superior rates of undetectable minimal residual disease (uMRD) in the peripheral blood at 15 months compared with chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) in fit patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), according to findings from the GAIA (CLL13) clinical trial.

The addition of isatuximab (Sarclisa) to the triplet of lenalidomide (Revlimid), bortezomib (Velcade), and dexamethasone (RVd) achieved superior minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity rates versus standard therapy with RVd alone as induction treatment in transplant-eligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, according to results of the phase 3 GMMG-HD7 clinical trial presented at the 2021 ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition.

The antibody–drug conjugate pol­atuzumab vedotin-piiq (Polivy) added to R-CHP (rituximab [Rituxan], cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone) achieved a 27% reduction in the risk for progression or death compared with the standard regimen of R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) as first-line therapy for patients with intermediate- and high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

The results from 2 phase 3 clinical trials highlighted the superiority of CAR T-cell therapies over current standard of care (SOC) when used earlier in the course of treatment for patients with large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL).

Results from 2 single-center studies presented at the ASH 2021 Annual Meeting and Exposition showed that nearly 1 in 6 patients with hematologic diseases had no or low antibody response after a second COVID-19 vaccination, but that the mRNA 1273 COVID-19 vaccine induced a strong antibody response in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

Treatment with the investigational agent mosunetuzumab (RG7828) as monotherapy induced deep remissions in patients with relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma, according to results of a recent trial presented at the ASH 2021 Annual Meeting and Exposition.

Orlando, FL—The emergence of cellular immunotherapy for a broad array of hematologic malignancies was featured prominently at ASH 2019. The development of adoptive therapy with T-cells that target oncologic malignancies was the subject of the E. Donnall Thomas Lecture “The Long Road to Develop Adoptive Therapy with T Cells That Can Effectively Target Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Other Malignancies,” delivered by Philip Greenberg, MD, Head, Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA.