EHA 2021 | Ponatinib plus venetoclax for R/R Ph+ ALL

Nicholas Short, MD, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses the potential role of venetoclax plus ponatinib as a treatment regimen for patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). There is a high rate of relapse among Ph+ ALL patients who undergo either allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) or receive combined regimens of chemotherapy and BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Venetoclax has previously been shown to be effective at treating chronic lymphoblastic Leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia when combined with a range of TKIs. Dr Short gives an update on the results of the Phase I clinical trial (NCT03576547) investigating a chemotherapy-free combination of ponatinib, venetoclax, and dexamethasone. Two dose levels of venetoclax were studied; 400mg and 800mg. Dr Short gives an overview of the findings of the study which concluded that 800mg should be the Phase II dose. No dose-limiting toxicities were found. This interview took place at the virtual European Hematology Association (EHA) Congress 2021.