Highlights in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia from the 2014 meeting of the American Society of Hematology.

The latest Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology, held in San Francisco, included data on novel-targeted agents active in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). MABTENANCE and PROLONG study suggest that either rituximab or ofatumumab improves progression-free survival in CLL. According to final analysis of CLL-10 trial, rituximab and bendamustine may have a role in the upfront treatment of fit elderly patients. Further insight into the use of ibrutinib, a first-in-class covalent Bruton’s tyrosine kinase-inhibitor that is currently approved for patients with relapsed/refractory CLL and with del(17p), was also presented. Idelalisib, a selective inhibitor of PI3K delta, demonstrated its activity with manageable toxicity in previously untreated patients ≥65 years with CLL or small lymphocytic lymphoma. Finally, a series Phase I/II studies of BCL-2 inhibitor (i.e., venetoclax, GDC-0199) used alone or in combination provide promising results in patients with relapsed/refractory CLL.