ASH 2021 | The future of valemetostat in PTCL

Valemetostat is an EZH1-2 inhibitor, it’s an oral agent, and we completed an initial study in patients with T-cell lymphoma. It showed really significant activity with about a 50% response rate. The response was slightly higher in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, but we saw very good responses in other subtypes of T-cell lymphoma as well. I’m very excited about this drug, and we’re now moving on to a Phase II registration study.

The drug has been very effective, in particular in relapse and refractory patients, which is where the study was done. In my experience, I’ve had a number of patients who’ve done very well on this drug, have had complete remissions, and have been to stay on the treatment. The interesting thing about the drug, from the patient’s point of view, is it really doesn’t have a significant side effect profile. There are some minor lab abnormalities that occur, but by and large, patients are able to tolerate this drug and continue dosing for many months on the trial. I think that’s exciting because when you think about where is this drug going to be placed in the algorithm of treatment of T-cell lymphoma, certainly we need a drug that has clinical activity to induce remissions, but since many of our patients don’t have transplants or aren’t really cured, we like to continue maintenance therapy. I think this kind of drug, an oral drug with very favorable side effect profile, is a perfect agent to think about long-term in terms of maintaining responses in these very difficult patients.