Ibrutinib plus venetoclax is active in mantle cell lymphoma

The combination had side effects that are “acceptable to both patients and physicians,” investigators wrote. Side effects, usually low grade, included diarrhea in 83% of patients, fatigue in 75%, and nausea or vomiting in 71%. Tumor lysis syndrome was seen in two patients.

Whether ibrutinib plus venetoclax is superior to ibrutinib alone is being formally evaluated in an ongoing phase 3 study.

Janssen and AbbVie partially funded the current phase 2 study. Dr. Tam reported financial ties to Janssen, AbbVie, and Pharmacyclics. Other study authors reported financial ties to various pharmaceutical companies.

SOURCE: Tam C et al. N Engl J Med. 2018;378:1211-23.