CLL2-BIG: sequential treatment with bendamustine, ibrutinib and obinutuzumab (GA101) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Obinutuzumab (GA101) and ibrutinib show excellent efficacy for treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Preclinical investigations and a complementary safety profile were in support of testing their combined use. The exploratory CLL2-BIG-trial evaluated a sequential combination therapy following a recently proposed strategy. Two courses of bendamustine were used for debulking in patients with a high tumor load, followed by six courses of induction therapy with ibrutinib and GA101, followed by an MRD-triggered maintenance phase. The results of a pre-planned analysis at the end of the induction phase are presented. 61 patients were included, 30 previously untreated and 31 with relapsed/refractory CLL. 44 patients received bendamustine. During induction, neutropenia (14.8%) and thrombocytopenia (13.1%) were the most common CTC grade 3 and 4 events. One fatality (duodenitis) occurred. The overall response rate was 100%. 54.1% of patients achieved a partial remission, 41% a clinical complete remission (cCR) without confirmation by CT scan or bone marrow (BM) biopsy according to protocol and 4.9% a cCR with incomplete recovery of the BM. 29 patients (47.5%) had no detectable (<10-4) minimal residual disease assessed by flow cytometry in peripheral blood. In conclusion, the BIG regimen is a safe and highly effective therapy for CLL.

Frontline therapy of acute promyelocytic leukemia: Randomized comparison of ATRA and intensified chemotherapy versus ATRA and anthracyclines.

OBJECTIVES: Randomized comparison of two treatment strategies in frontline therapy of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL): all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and double induction intensified by high-dose cytosine arabinoside (HD ara-C) (German AMLCG) and therapy with ATRA and anthracyclines (Spanish PETHEMA, LPA99). PATIENTS AND RESULTS: Eighty of 87 adult patients with genetically confirmed APL of all risk groups were eligible. The outcome of both arms was similar: AMLCG vs PETHEMA: hematological complete remission 87% vs 83%, early death 13% vs 17% (P = .76), overall survival, event-free survival, leukemia-free survival, cumulative incidence of relapse at 6 years 75% vs 78% (P = .92); 75% vs 68% (P = .29); 86% vs 81% (P = .28); and 0% vs 12% (P = .04, no relapse vs four relapses), respectively. The median time to achieve molecular remission (RT-PCR negativity of PML-RARA) was 60 days in both arms (P = .12). The AMLCG regimen was associated with a longer duration of neutropenia (P = .02) and a higher rate of WHO grade ≥3 infections. CONCLUSIONS: The small number of patients limits the reliability of conclusions. With these restrictions, the outcomes of both approaches were similar and show the limitations of ATRA and chemotherapy. The HD ara-C-containing regimen was associated with a lower relapse rate in high-risk APL.

Sorafenib in combination with intensive chemotherapy in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia: results from a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

PURPOSE: The prognosis of elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is still dismal even with intensive chemotherapy. In this trial, we compared the antileukemic activity of standard induction and consolidation therapy with or without the addition of the kinase inhibitor sorafenib in elderly patients with AML. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients received standard cytarabine and daunorubicin induction (7+3 regimen) and up to two cycles of intermediate-dose cytarabine consolidation. Two hundred one patients were equally randomly assigned to receive either sorafenib or placebo between the chemotherapy cycles and subsequently for up to 1 year after the beginning of therapy. The primary objective was to test for an improvement in event-free survival (EFS). Overall survival (OS), complete remission (CR) rate, tolerability, and several predefined subgroup analyses were among the secondary objectives. RESULTS: Age, sex, CR and early death (ED) probability, and prognostic factors were balanced between both study arms. Treatment in the sorafenib arm did not result in significant improvement in EFS or OS. This was also true for subgroup analyses, including the subgroup positive for FLT3 internal tandem duplications. Results of induction therapy were worse in the sorafenib arm, with higher treatment-related mortality and lower CR rates. More adverse effects occurred during induction therapy in the sorafenib arm, and patients in this arm received less consolidation chemotherapy as a result of higher induction toxicity. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, combination of standard induction and consolidation therapy with sorafenib in the schedule investigated in our trial is not beneficial for elderly patients with AML.

Outcome of elderly patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia: results of the German Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cooperative Group.

Despite improvement of prognosis, older age remains a negative prognostic factor in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Reports on disease characteristics and outcome of older patients are conflicting. We therefore analyzed 91 newly diagnosed APL patients aged 60 years or older (30 % of 305 adults with APL) registered by the German AML Cooperative Group (AMLCG) since 1994; 68 patients (75 %) were treated in studies, 23 (25 %) were non-eligible, and 31 % had high-risk APL. Fifty-six patients received induction therapy with all-trans retinoic acid and TAD (6-thioguanine, cytarabine, daunorubicin), and consolidation and maintenance therapy. Treatment intensification with a second induction cycle (high dose cytarabine, mitoxantrone; HAM) was optional (n = 14). Twelve patients were randomized to another therapy not considered in this report. The early death rate was 48 % in non-eligible and 19 % in study patients. With the AMLCG regimen, 7-year overall, event-free and relapse-free survival (RFS) and cumulative incidence of relapse were 45 %, 40 %, 48 %, and 24 %, respectively. In patients treated with TAD-HAM induction, 7-year RFS was superior (83 %; p = 0.006) compared to TAD only, and no relapse was observed. In our registered elderly patients, we see a high rate of non-eligibility for treatment in studies and of high-risk APL. In patients who can undergo a curative approach, intensified chemotherapy is highly effective, but is restricted to a selection of patients. Therefore, new less toxic treatment approaches with broader applicability are needed. Elderly patients might be a particular target group for concepts with arsenic trioxide.