Acalabrutinib, venetoclax, and obinutuzumab in relapsed/refractory CLL: final efficacy and ctDNA analysis of the CLL2-BAAG trial

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Moritz Fürstenau - , Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) (Author)
  • Adam Giza - , Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) (Author)
  • Jonathan Weiss - , Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) (Author)
  • Fanni Kleinert - , Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) (Author)
  • Sandra Robrecht - , Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) (Author)
  • Fabian Franzen - , Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) (Author)
  • Janina Stumpf - , Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) (Author)
  • Petra Langerbeins - , Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) (Author)
  • Othman Al-Sawaf - , Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) (Author)
  • Florian Simon - , Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) (Author)
  • Anna-Maria Fink - , Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) (Author)
  • Christof Schneider - , Ulm University Medical Center (Author)
  • Eugen Tausch - , Ulm University Medical Center (Author)
  • Johannes Schetelig - , Department of Internal Medicine I (Author)
  • Peter Dreger - , University Hospital Heidelberg (Author)
  • Sebastian Böttcher - , Rostock University Medical Centre (Author)
  • Kirsten Fischer - , Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) (Author)
  • Karl-Anton Kreuzer - , Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) (Author)
  • Matthias Ritgen - , University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel (Author)
  • Anke Schilhabel - , University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel (Author)
  • Monika Brüggemann - , University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel (Author)
  • Stephan Stilgenbauer - , Ulm University Medical Center (Author)
  • Barbara Eichhorst - , Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) (Author)
  • Michael Hallek - , Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) (Author)
  • Paula Cramer - , Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD) (Author)

Abstract

The phase 2 CLL2-BAAG trial tested the measurable residual disease (MRD)-guided triple combination of acalabrutinib, venetoclax, and obinutuzumab after optional bendamustine debulking in 45 patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). MRD was measured by flow cytometry (FCM; undetectable MRD <10-4) in peripheral blood (PB) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) using digital droplet polymerase chain reaction of variable-diversity-joining (VDJ) rearrangements and CLL-related mutations in plasma. The median number of previous treatments was 1 (range, 1-4); 18 patients (40%) had received a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) and/or venetoclax before inclusion, 14 of 44 (31.8%) had TP53 aberrations, and 34 (75.6%) had unmutated immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region genes. With a median observation time of 36.3 months and all patients off-treatment for a median of 21.9 months, uMRD <10-4 in PB was achieved in 42 of the 45 patients (93.3%) at any time point, including 17 of 18 (94.4%) previously exposed to venetoclax/BTKi and 13 of 14 (92.9%) with TP53 aberrations. The estimated 3-year progression-free and overall survival rates were 85.0% and 93.8%, respectively. Overall, 585 paired FCM/ctDNA samples were analyzed and 18 MRD recurrences (5 with and 13 without clinical progression) occurred after the end of treatment. Twelve samples were first detected by ctDNA, 3 by FCM, and 3 synchronously. In conclusion, time-limited MRD-guided acalabrutinib, venetoclax, and obinutuzumab achieved deep remissions in almost all patients with relapsed/refractory CLL. The addition of ctDNA-based analyses to FCM MRD assessment seems to improve early detection of relapses. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT03787264.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)272-282
Number of pages11
JournalBlood
Volume144
Issue number3
Publication statusPublished - 18 Jul 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85193014076

Keywords

Keywords

  • Humans, Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/drug therapy, Sulfonamides/administration & dosage, Aged, Middle Aged, Female, Male, Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic/administration & dosage, Circulating Tumor DNA/genetics, Pyrazines/administration & dosage, Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use, Aged, 80 and over, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/administration & dosage, Neoplasm, Residual, Benzamides/administration & dosage, Adult, Recurrence