Dr. Byrd on Ibrutinib's Impact on Treatment Landscape in CLL

John Byrd, MD, director of the Division of Hematology, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, discusses the RESONATE 2 study, which looked at ibrutinib versus chlorambucil in patients with treatment-naïve chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Although the study used the weak control regimen of chlorambucil, the RESONATE study would have been positive for ibrutinib, regardless of which standard CLL treatment was used in comparison, says Byrd. This is because patients who received ibrutinib have done very well, and there have been very few progressions.

The study, which was paradigm-changing and led to the drug's FDA approval, showed some minor adverse events, but all were manageable. In clinical practice, Byrd plans to use ibrutinib extensively, he says.