Dr. Awan on Utilizing Acalabrutinib in CLL

Farrukh Awan, MD, associate professor, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern (UTSW) Medical Center, and member, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center and William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital, discusses the utilization of acalabrutinib (Calquence) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

The phase III ASCEND trial compared acalabrutinib with chemoimmunotherapy in the relapsed/refractory setting and data showed that acalabrutinib was superior, explains Awan. Furthermore, for patients with treatment-naïve CLL, the phase III ELEVATE-TN trial compared acalabrutinib alone versus acalabrutinib plus obinutuzumab (Gazyva), versus obinutuzumab plus chlorambucil. The study showed that acalabrutinib alone or in combination with obinutuzumab has positive efficacy was superior to chlorambucil/obinutuzumab.

Acalabrutinib can be utilized in patients who may not be tolerant of ibrutinib (Imbruvica), according to Awan. Research has shown that patients who stop ibrutinib (Imbruvica) due to adverse events can safely continue on acalabrutinib in most situations, Awan concludes.