Dr. Zelenetz on Zanubrutinib Research in MCL

Andrew D. Zelenetz, MD, PhD, medical director of Quality Informatics at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses research with zanubrutinib (BGB-3111) in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).

In August 2019, the FDA granted a priority review designation to a new drug application for zanubrutinib for the treatment of patients with MCL who received at least 1 prior therapy.

Zanubrutinib has a more restricted kinome compared with ibrutinib (Imbruvica), and in that way is similar to acalabrutinib (Calquence), explains Zelenetz. It is a highly selective BTK inhibitor that has antitumor activity in MCL as well as chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Results from a phase I/II study (NCT02343120) demonstrated encouraging activity with zanubrutinib in patients with relapsed/refractory MCL. Accordingly, a phase II study (NCT03206970) was launched in China, which showed a high overall response rate and complete response rate. These results were higher than expected for a single-agent BTK inhibitor, says Zelenetz. However, an independent response committee confirmed these responses, Zelenetz concludes.