Dr. Leis on Promising Combo Regimens Being Explored in CLL

Jose Leis, MD, associate professor of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, discusses combination regimens that seem promising and are under investigation in the treatment landscape of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Targeting different pathways simultaneously will definitely increase the potential for responses, explains Leis. However, researchers should be cautious and continue to do clinical trials, as researchers are not always able to accurately predict the results, he says. However, targeting BCL-2—which is overexpressed in almost all patients with CLL—while targeting other pathways will likely lead to very intriguing results. Such a combination being explored is venetoclax (Venclexta) plus ibrutinib (Imbruvica).

These data are not yet mature, but Leis says that early findings are showing encouraging response rates. In the trial of venetoclax plus ibrutinib, Leis admits he would have predicted a higher response rate of the 2 drugs. Though there is great promise, he adds that venetoclax is an exciting therapy that, in combination, will improve over time.