Dr. Gerson on Updates in Relapsed/Refractory MCL

James N. Gerson, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, discusses recent updates in relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).

The majority of advances in MCL in recent years have mostly been made in the relapsed/refractory setting, says Gerson.

In November 2013, ibrutinib (Imbruvica) was approved by the FDA for use in patients with MCL who received at least 1 prior line of therapy. More recently, in October 2017, acalabrutinib (Calquence) received regulatory approval for the same indication, based on findings from the phase II ACE-LY-004 trial.

Currently, venetoclax (Venclexta) is also under investigation in this space, says Gerson, and the hope is that this agent will demonstrate similar efficacy as has been seen in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Going forward, these agents will be examined in novel combinations within the relapsed/refractory space as well as in the up-front setting to improve patient outcomes, concludes Gerson.