February 25, 2021 - Supplement: Conference Highlights ASH 2020 (View All Issues)
ASH 2020 Meeting Highlights
The world of hematologic malignancies continues to move forward at a robust pace despite the challenges of the COVID era. Although some areas of clinical trials and basic research suffered short-term stoppages or delays due to the pandemic, the studies presented at the 2020 American Society of...
Study Finds Asciminib Safer, More Effective Than Bosutinib in Chronic-Phase CML
Since the introduction of imatinib almost 18 years ago, similar next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been approved for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), including dasatinib, nilotinib, bosutinib, and ponatinib. These drugs attack a similar target, making it more likely that resistance to...
Study Finds Survival Disparities and Mutational Differences for Black Patients Younger Than 60 With AML
It has been well documented that, collectively, Black individuals have the highest death rates and shortest survival of any racial/ethnic group in the United States for most cancers. Black men also have the highest cancer incidence.1 Although the causes of these inequities are complex and include...
Chemotherapy Plus Blinatumomab for Philadelphia Chromosome–Negative B-Cell ALL
Results from a phase II study presented by Nicholas J. Short, MD, and colleagues at the 2020 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition showed that first-line treatment with a regimen of chemotherapy combined with the monoclonal antibody blinatumomab resulted in increased...
ZUMA-5: Axicabtagene Ciloleucel Elicits Response in Indolent Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
In the phase II ZUMA-5 trial, the cellular immunotherapy axicabtagene ciloleucel led to responses in 92% of patients with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), researchers reported at the 2020 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition.1
Axicabtagene ciloleucel has...
Overcoming CD58 Loss May Be Promising Path to Overcoming Resistance to CAR T-Cell Therapies
Engineering chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells to overcome CD58 loss may be a way to boost responses in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who do not respond to treatment with axicabtagene ciloleucel and other CAR T-cell therapies, according to a study presented at the 2020...
Novel Therapies and New Indications for Use in Treatment of Hematologic Malignancies
Selinexor: On December 18, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved selinexor (Xpovio) in combination with bortezomib (Velcade) and dexamethasone for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy.
Venetoclax: On October 16,...
Treatment With LOXO-305 Results in Durable Efficacy in Heavily Pretreated Patients With CLL/SLL
Despite the marked efficacy of ibrutinib, acalabrutinib, and venetoclax in chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), treatment failure can occur through the development of resistance. In addition, patients in whom Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors and BCL2...
Subcutaneous Daratumumab Meets Primary Endpoint in APOLLO Trial in Myeloma
The first phase III study to evaluate the subcutaneous form of daratumumab has met its primary endpoint, investigators of the APOLLO trial reported at the 2020 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition.1
The triplet of daratumumab, pomalidomide, and low-dose...
New Targets Explored for Bispecific T-Cell–Engaging Antibodies in Myeloma
B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is the most frequent target of immunotherapies in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, but bispecific T-cell–engaging antibodies with novel targets are also achieving promising results. Studies presented at the 2020 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual...
Belantamab Mafodotin-blmf Plus Pomalidomide and Dexamethasone Elicits Responses in Myeloma
Belantamab mafodotin-blmf combined with pomalidomide and dexamethasone led to a very good partial response (VGPR) or better in approximately three-quarters of patients with multiple myeloma that was double-class or triple-class refractory, according to Suzanne Trudel, MSc, MD, FRCPC, of Princess...
ASH Recognizes Choosing Wisely Champions
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) recognized three Choosing Wisely® Champions, practitioners working to tackle overuse of hematology tests and treatments, at the 2020 ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition.
Choosing Wisely is a program of the ABIM Foundation and Consumer Reports that aims to...
DREAMM-2 Analysis: Number of Prior Treatments No Hindrance to Efficacy of Belantamab Mafodotin-blmf
A post hoc analysis of the phase II DREAMM-2 trial showed single-agent belantamab mafodotin-blmf to be efficacious and tolerable in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma treated with at least three prior therapies, investigators reported at the 2020 American Society of Hematology...
Transplant May Improve Survival in Older Patients With High-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome
Stem cell transplants are not frequently offered to older patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). According to a study from the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMTCTN 1102), these patients may indeed achieve a survival benefit from stem cell transplant.
As...
Ruxolitinib Improves Outcomes in Steroid-Refractory or Steroid-Dependent Graft-vs-Host Disease
Ruxolitinib was superior to best available therapy in achieving efficacy as determined by best overall response and duration of response, with acceptable safety in adolescents and adults with steroid-dependent or steroid-refractory chronic graft-vs-host disease effects. These findings were shown in ...
