A new combination treatment has shown significant improvement in treating chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) in a recent clinical trial.
The AMPLIFY Phase III study found that a fixed duration of AstraZeneca PLC's (LSE:AZN) Calquence (acalabrutinib) combined with venetoclax, with or without obinutuzumab, helped patients live longer without the disease getting worse, compared to the current standard chemotherapy.
Dr Jennifer Brown from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute stated that this treatment offers an effective and well-tolerated option, allowing patients to take breaks from continuous therapy, which can reduce long-term side effects and improve quality of life.
AstraZeneca's Susan Galbraith highlighted that if approved, Calquence would be the only second-generation BTK inhibitor available for both ongoing and fixed-duration treatment, giving more choices to patients and doctors.
The safety of this new treatment was consistent with known profiles, with low rates of heart-related side effects.