Julio Chavez, MD

Julio Chavez, MD, a hematologist at Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, commented on the updated results from the MAGNOLIA trial.

“MAGNOLIA was a phase II trial that included patients with marginal zone lymphoma after one or more prior lines of therapy. At the ASH meeting, we heard updated results with 28 months of follow-up, and zanubrutinib demonstrated high efficacy and response rates, which are unusual in this disease. The safety of zanubrutinib is encouraging, with fewer rates of adverse events compared with other BTK [Bruton’s tyrosine kinase] inhibitors, specifically ibrutinib,” Dr. Chavez explained.

“You can be reassured that when you treat patients with zanubrutinib, you will have prolonged responses and safety. These data are encouraging,” he noted. “Zanubrutinib and ibrutinib are both approved for the treatment of marginal zone lymphoma, but zanubrutinib seems to be safer and better tolerated.” 

DISCLOSURE: Dr. Chavez has served as a consultant to AbbVie, MorphoSys, Kite/Gilead, Novartis, Karyopharm, ADC Therapeutics, TeneBio, and Janssen; and has served on the speakers bureau for AstraZeneca, Epizyme, Genentech, MorphoSys, BeiGene, and BMS.