Dr. John Byrd on Ibrutinib 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, discuses ibrutinib and the RESONATE trials in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

The RESONATE-1 study was the first study that led to the full approval of ibrutinib in relapsed/refractory CLL. The data was updated this past year, showing that the remissions in the study are continuing to be persistent, said Byrd.

Patients are doing quite well in both the arm that was initially assigned to ibrutinib and the many patients that have crossed over. The value of the study, in addition to showcasing the significant benefit of ibrutinib, is that it also identified relatively uncommon, but present adverse events, said Byrd. These include atrial fibrillation and bleeding.

\Outside of the rare patients who are on blood thinners or have the more favorable IGVH-mutated CLL that could be cured by FCR chemotherapy, there is really not another patient population that should not be considered for ibrutinib as their initial therapy for CLL, said Byrd.