PURPOSE CAPTIVATE ( NCT02910583 ), a randomized phase II study, evaluates minimal residual disease (MRD)-guided treatment discontinuation following completion of first-line ibrutinib plus venetoclax treatment in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). METHODS Previously untreated CLL patients age < 70 years received three cycles of ibrutinib and then 12 cycles of combined ibrutinib plus venetoclax. Patients in the MRD cohort who met the stringent random assignment criteria for confirmed undetectable MRD (Confirmed uMRD) were randomly assigned 1:1 to double-blind placebo or ibrutinib; patients without Confirmed uMRD (uMRD Not Confirmed) were randomly assigned 1:1 to open-label ibrutinib or ibrutinib plus venetoclax. Primary end point was 1-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate with placebo versus ibrutinib in the Confirmed uMRD population. Secondary end points included response rates, uMRD, and safety. RESULTS One hundred sixty-four patients initiated three cycles of ibrutinib lead-in. After 12 cycles of ibrutinib plus venetoclax, best uMRD response rates were 75% (peripheral blood) and 68% (bone marrow). Patients with Confirmed uMRD were randomly assigned to receive placebo (n = 43) or ibrutinib (n = 43); patients with uMRD Not Confirmed were randomly assigned to ibrutinib (n = 31) or ibrutinib plus venetoclax (n = 32). Median follow-up was 31.3 months. One-year DFS rate was not significantly different between placebo (95%) and ibrutinib (100%; arm difference: 4.7% [95% CI, –1.6 to 10.9]; P = .15) in the Confirmed uMRD population. After ibrutinib lead-in tumor debulking, 36 of 40 patients (90%) with high tumor lysis syndrome risk at baseline shifted to medium or low tumor lysis syndrome risk categories. Adverse events were most frequent during the first 6 months of ibrutinib plus venetoclax and generally decreased over time. CONCLUSION The 1-year DFS rate of 95% in placebo-randomly assigned patients with Confirmed uMRD suggests the potential for fixed-duration treatment with this all-oral, once-daily, chemotherapy-free regimen in first-line CLL.

Optimal management of patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is dictated by patient characteristics, prior therapy, and response to prior therapy. We report the final analysis of combined fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab (FCR) for previously treated patients with CLL and identify patients who benefit most from this therapy. We explore efficacy of FCR in patients beyond first relapse, patients with prior exposure to fludarabine and alkylating agent combinations, and patients with prior exposure to rituximab. The FCR regimen was administered to 284 previously treated patients with CLL. Patients were assessed for response and progression by 1996 National Cancer Institute-Working Group (NCI-WG) criteria for CLL and followed for survival. The overall response rate was 74%, with 30% complete remission. The estimated median overall survival was 47 months and median progression-free survival for all patients was 21 months. Subgroup analyses indicated that the following patients were most suitable for FCR treatment: patients with up to 3 prior treatments, fludarabine-sensitive patients irrespective of prior rituximab exposure, and patients without chromosome 17 abnormalities. FCR is an active and well-tolerated therapy for patients with relapsed CLL. The addition of rituximab to FC improved quality and durability of response in this patient population. (Blood. 2011;117(11): 3016-3024)

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Purpose Lenalidomide is an immunomodulatory drug active as salvage therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We combined lenalidomide with rituximab to improve response rates in patients with relapsed or refractory CLL. Patients and Methods Fifty-nine adult patients (age 42 to 82 years) with relapsed or refractory CLL were enrolled onto a phase II study of lenalidomide and rituximab. Patients had received prior fludarabine-based therapy or chemoimmunotherapy. Rituximab (375 mg/m2 intravenously) was administered weekly during cycle one and on day 1 of cycles three to 12. Lenalidomide was started on day 9 of cycle one at 10 mg orally and administered daily continuously. Each cycle was 28 days. Rituximab was administered for 12 cycles; lenalidomide could continue indefinitely if patients benefitted clinically. Results The overall response rate was 66%, including 12% complete responses and 12% nodular partial remissions. Time to treatment failure was 17.4 months. Median overall survival has not been reached; estimated survival at 36 months is 71%. The most common grade 3 or 4 toxicity was neutropenia (73% of patients). Fourteen patients (24%) experienced a grade 3 to 4 infection or febrile episode. There was one episode of grade 3 tumor lysis; one patient experienced renal failure during the first cycle of therapy, and one venous thromboembolic event occurred during the study. Conclusion The combination of lenalidomide and rituximab is active in patients with recurrent CLL and warrants further investigation.