Acalabrutinib in treatment-naïve chronic lymphocytic leukemia: Mature results from phase II study demonstrating durable remissions and long-term tolerability

• Published in: Journal of clinical oncology Vol. 38; no. 15_suppl; p. 8024
• Main Authors: Byrd, John C., Woyach, Jennifer Ann, Furman, Richard R., Martin, Peter, O'Brien, Susan Mary, Brown, Jennifer R., Stephens, Deborah Marie, Barrientos, Jacqueline Claudia, Devereux, Stephen, Hillmen, Peter, Pagel, John M., Hamdy, Ahmed M., Izumi, Raquel, Patel, Priti, Wang, Min Hui, Jain, Nitin, Wierda, William G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 20.05.2020
• ISSN: 0732-183X; 1527-7755
• DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2020.38.15_suppl.8024

Abstract only 8024 Background: The next-generation Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor acalabrutinib was approved in patients (pts) with treatment-naïve (TN) and relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) based on two complementary phase 3 studies, ELEVATE-TN and ASCEND. This report of ACE-CL-001 (NCT02029443), the first phase 2 study of acalabrutinib, provides the longest safety and efficacy follow-up to date in symptomatic TN CLL pts. Methods: Adults with TN CLL/SLL were eligible if they met iwCLL 2008 criteria for treatment, were inappropriate for/declined standard chemotherapy and had ECOG performance status 0–2. Pts received acalabrutinib 100 mg BID or 200 mg QD, later switching to 100 mg BID, until progressive disease (PD) or unacceptable toxicity. Primary endpoint was safety. Events of clinical interest (ECI) were based on combined AE terms for infections, bleeding events, hypertension, and second primary malignancies (SPM) excluding non-melanoma skin, and on a single AE term for atrial fibrillation. Additional endpoints included investigator-assessed overall response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR), time to response (TTR), and event-free survival (EFS). Results: Ninety-nine pts (n = 62 100 mg BID; n = 37 200 mg QD), were treated [median age: 64 years, 47% Rai stage 3–4 disease, 10% del(17p), 62% unmutated IGHV]. At median follow-up of 53 months (range, 1–59), 85 (86%) pts remain on treatment; most discontinuations were due to AEs (n = 6) or PD (n = 3 [n = 1 Richter transformation]). Most common AEs (any grade) were diarrhea (52%), headache (45%), upper respiratory tract infection (44%), arthralgia (42%), and contusion (42%). All-grade and grade ≥3 ECIs included infection (84%, 15%), bleeding events (66%, 3%), and hypertension (22%, 11%). Atrial fibrillation (all grades) occurred in 5% of pts (incidence: 1% in years 1, 2, 4; 3% in year 3). SPMs excluding non-melanoma skin (all grades) occurred in 11%. Serious AEs were reported in 38% of pts; those in > 2 pts were pneumonia (n = 4) and sepsis (n = 3). ORR was 97% (7% complete response; 90% partial response). Median TTR was 3.7 months (range, 2–22). Response rates were similar across high-risk groups. Median DOR and median EFS were not reached; 48-month DOR rate was 97% (95% CI, 90%–99%), and 48-month EFS rate was 90% (95% CI, 82%–94%). Conclusions: Long-term data from ACE-CL-001 further support the favorable results with acalabrutinib in phase 3 studies and demonstrate durable responses with no new long-term safety issues. Clinical trial information: NCT02029443 .