Dr. Modi on the Utility of BTK Inhibitors in CLL

Dipenkumar Modi, MD, medical oncologist, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute of Wayne State University, discusses the utility of BTK inhibitors in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

The therapeutic landscape of CLL has changed significantly in recent years; however, the disease remains an incurable malignancy, Modi says. When used in the in the treatment-naïve or relapsed/refractory settings, BTK inhibitors have yielded superior efficacy compared with chemoimmunotherapy in patients with CLL, Modi explains.

Moreover, 2 BTK inhibitors, acalabrutinib (Calquence) and ibrutinib (Imbruvica), are currently FDA approved for use in patients with CLL. Additionally, venetoclax (Venclexta) in combination with obinutuzumab (Gazyva) is also approved to offer a time-limited strategy to patients, Modi continues. The BTK inhibitors demonstrated encouraging overall response rates and complete remission rates in patients with CLL, Modi concludes.