Dr. Shah on Excitement With Venetoclax in Patients With MCL

Bijal D. Shah, MD, medical oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, discusses the potential with venetoclax (Venclexta) in patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).

Venetoclax is definitely a novel therapy on the horizon in MCL, Shah explains, especially given that data from a phase I study have shown a 75% overall response rate. These are the types of response rates on ibrutinib that got researchers excited about ibrutinib, he adds. It should be stated that none of the patients were ibrutinib-resistant on that trial. However, there is clearly activity.

Additionally, ibrutinib plus venetoclax in MCL is a combination that the community should pay attention to. While there will be more myeloid toxicity with that regimen, it is likely to significantly prolong event-free survival.