Guillermo Garcia-Manero, MD, on MDS: Research Highlights From ASH 2025
ASH 2025
Guillermo Garcia-Manero, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, reviews data from three abstracts in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) presented at this year’s meeting: outcomes from the phase III VERONA trial of venetoclax with azacitidine vs placebo with azacitidine in patients with treatment-naive intermediate- and higher-risk MDS (Abstract 235); safety and efficacy results from a phase Ib trial of a dual IRAK1/4 inhibitor in patients with relapsed/refractory lower-risk MDS (Abstract 489); and results from the phase II ASTX030-01 trial, showing pharmacokinetic, efficacy, and safety data of oral ASTX030 in patients with MDS (Abstract 491).
The ASCO Post Staff
Amer Zeidan, MBBS, of Yale School of Medicine, discusses findings from an analysis of the IMerge trial, which explored the possible association between imetelstat-related cytopenias and hemoglobin increase—a measure linked to red blood cell transfusion independence achievement—in patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) (Abstract 490).
The ASCO Post Staff
Jennifer Woyach, MD, of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses results from the first head-to-head comparison of pirtobrutinib vs ibrutinib in treatment-naive patients and patients with covalent Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor–naive relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) (Abstract 683).
The ASCO Post Staff
Andrew Portuguese, MD, of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, discusses findings from a multicenter analysis from the U.S. Multiple Myeloma Immunotherapy Consortium looking at the real-world safety and efficacy of the BCMA-CD3 bispecific antibody elranatamab (Abstract 136).
The ASCO Post Staff
Mikkael Sekeres, MD, MS, Chief, Division of Hematology and Professor of Medicine at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, presents findings from a new study that connects exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange to earlier and more severe cases of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Researchers concluded that exposure is associated with younger age at MDS diagnosis, ultimate MDS diagnosis, genetic complexity of MDS, increased risk of disease progression, and with Black race (Abstract 5626).
The ASCO Post Staff
Ibrahim Aldoss, MD, of City of Hope, presents findings from a small, single-center study of patients aged 55 years and older with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in first complete remission who were treated with CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy. Researchers found the therapy was safe, resulted in low-grade adverse events, and led to preliminary durable measurable residual disease response (Abstract 443).
