Ibrutinib with Venetoclax in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Phase II Study
Authors:
- Mahesh SwaminathanMSMahesh Swaminathan
- Alessandra FerrajoliAlessandra Ferrajoli
- Philip A. ThompsonPTPhilip A. Thompson
- Jan BurgerJBJan Burger
- Gautam BorthakurGBGautam Borthakur
- Koichi TakahashiKTKoichi Takahashi
- Zeev EstrovZEZeev Estrov
- Vanthana BharathiVBVanthana Bharathi
- Alex BatallerABAlex Bataller
- Tapan M. KadiaTKTapan M. Kadia
- Naveen PemmarajuNPNaveen Pemmaraju
- Naval DaverNaval Daver
- 12 February 2026
- journal article
- Published by American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in Blood Cancer Discovery
- Vol. 7 (3) , 431-440
Abstract
We explored the efficacy of the combination of ibrutinib + venetoclax in patients with relapsed and/or refractory (R/R) chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This phase II study enrolled 80 patients between July 2016 and September 2018. Patients received ibrutinib for the first 3 cycles, followed by ibrutinib + venetoclax for 24 cycles. Of the 79 treated patients, the median age was 61 years (IQR, 56–69); 65 (65/76, 86%) had unmutated IGHV and 29 (37%) had either del(17p) or a TP53 mutation. The median number of prior treatments was 1 (range, 1–3). The primary endpoint, best complete remission (CR) and CR with incomplete count recovery (CRi), was 67%, with a bone marrow undetectable measurable residual disease [10−4 sensitivity (U-MRD4)] rate of 61%. At 95.5 months of median follow-up, the estimated 7-year progression-free survival rate was 63.3%. Grade ≥3 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia occurred in 38% and 13% of patients, respectively. The 24-cycle ibrutinib + venetoclax combination led to high rates of CR/CRi and bone marrow U-MRD4 in patients with R/R CLL. Significance: The 24-cycle ibrutinib + venetoclax combination led to high rates of CR/CRi and bone marrow U-MRD4 in patients with R/R CLL. Responses were durable, including in patients with high-risk genomics.Keywords
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Funding Information
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (CA016672)
- Andrew Sabin Family Foundation
- CLL Global Research Foundation
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