Dr. Tam on Trials Investigating BGB-3111 in CLL and Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia

Constantine Tam, MD, director, CLL and low-grade lymphoma program, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, discusses 2 trials investigating BTK inhibitor BGB-3111 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia.

The 2 abstracts, presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, are updated data from 2 studies presented at last year’s ASH. BGB-3111 is very specific in that it hits many BTK targets with very little effect on other off-target enzymes, which allows physicians to give patients higher doses, Tam says. Thus, the drug levels are 8 to 10 levels higher than BTK inhibitor ibrutinib.

Now, the question is since BTK inhibition has been pushed to such a high level, can responses be improved in patients who receive this drug, relative to other drugs on the market, Tam says.

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