Dr. Stefanovic on the Emergence of Umbralisib in MZL and Follicular Lymphoma

Alexandra Stefanovic, MD, associate professor of medicine, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, hematologic oncologist, hematologist (malignant), Duke Cancer Center, Duke Health, discusses the emergence of umbralisib (Ukoniq) in marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) and follicular lymphoma.

On February 5, 2021, the FDA granted an accelerated approval to umbralisib for the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory MZL who have previously received at least 1 anti-CD20–based regimen, as well as patients with relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma who have received at least 3 prior lines of systemic treatment.

The regulatory decision expanded the armamentarium for the treatment of patients with MZL and follicular lymphoma, which are types of indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma in need of novel therapies with different mechanisms of action, Stefanovic explains.

Moreover, the agent is well tolerated among patients and is more specific compared with other PI3K inhibitors that are approved for use in these patient populations. Therefore, it is likely that umbralisib will become the preferred PI3K inhibitor in the space, Stefanovic concludes.