Dr. Sharman on Remaining Challenges With BTK Inhibitors in CLL

Jeff Sharman, MD, director of research at Willamette Valley Cancer Institute and medical director of hematology research for The US Oncology Network, discusses the question of BTK inhibitors in treating patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Data from the phase III ELEVATE-TN trial, along with the data from the phase III ASCEND trial, led to the FDA’s decision to approve the use of acalabrutinib (Calquence) for the treatment of patients with CLL or small lymphocytic lymphoma. Acalabrutinib has also received regulatory approval in Canada and Australia in this space, according to Sharman.

Now, the big challenge faced in the field is determining which BTK inhibitor to prescribe, says Sharman. To this end, an ongoing randomized trial comparing the BTK inhibitors head-to-head and will potentially provide more pivotal information regarding their safety and efficacy.

Until those data read out, becoming familiar with the inhibitors that are available is strongly encouraged, says Sharman, as doing so could help determine how to select the most appropriate treatment for each patient.