Amir Fathi, MD, on Newly Diagnosed AML: Azacitidine and Venetoclax vs Conventional Induction Chemotherapy
ASH 2025
Amir Fathi, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses data from the phase II PARADIGM trial, which prospectively tested whether azacitidine plus venetoclax was superior to intensive induction chemotherapy in fit patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML)—and could challenge the current treatment standard (Abstract 6).
The ASCO Post Staff
Karthik Ramasamy, MBBS, FRCP, FRCPath, PhD, of the University of Oxford, discusses initial results of the phase II/III UK-based RADAR trial. The study evaluated isatuximab, bortezomib, lenalidomide, dexamethasone, and cyclophosphamide induction, followed by single autologous stem cell transplant, consolidation with isatuximab plus bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone, and isatuximab plus lenalidomide maintenance, in patients with double-hit multiple myeloma (Abstract 98).
The ASCO Post Staff
The telomerase inhibitor imetelstat was approved for the treatment of certain patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) based on the results of the phase III IMerge trial. Valeria Santini, MD, of the University of Florence, provides updates on secondary endpoints, including overall and progression-free survival; progression to acute myeloid leukemia; safety; and long-term outcomes by subgroups of interest in IMerge, as well as ad hoc outcomes, including overall survival by response (Abstract 2074).
The ASCO Post Staff
Jack Khouri, MD, of Cleveland Clinic, describes the findings of a phase II trial which investigated the safety and efficacy of burixafor (GPC-100), a potent and selective small -molecule antagonist of CXCR4, and propranolol with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for the mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) in patients with multiple myeloma. Researchers aimed to boost the bone marrow HPC niche and optimize mobilization in patients with multiple myeloma eligible for autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (Abstract 1050).
The ASCO Post Staff
Nitin Jain, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, reviews findings from a phase II trial of pirtobrutinib, venetoclax, and obinutuzumab for patients with Richter transformation (Abstract 89).
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).