Dr. El Chaer on the Potential for Combination Strategies With Ruxolitinib in MPNs

Firas El Chaer, MD, an assistant professor of medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine at Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center, UVA Health, discusses the potential utility of combination strategies with ruxolitinib (Jakafi) in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs).

Currently, single-agent ruxolitinib has been approved by the FDA for use in select patients with polycythemia vera and myelofibrosis, El Chaer explains. However, early data suggest that combining ruxolitinib with hypomethylating agents, such as decitabine, can improve responses for patients with accelerated- or blast-phase disease.

Additionally, combining ruxolitinib with other agents, including BCL-2 inhibitors such as venetoclax (Venclexta) or navitoclax, may have potential in this patient population, concludes El Chaer.