Meet the Trialist: Prof. Jeff Sharman on ELEVATE-TN

A 6-year follow-up study of the ELEVATE-TN trial (NCT02475681) presented at the 65^th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, held from 9–12 December 2023, in San Diego, CA, USA, and online, found that acalabrutinib-containing regimens can improve progression-free survival in treatment-naïve patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

The study also found that a complete response to the treatment can further improve the survival rate. Compared with obinutuzumab plus chlorambucil, acalabrutinib-containing regimens were found to be more effective in improving the survival rate.

Medicom Medical Publishers interviewed lead investigator and presenter Prof. Jeff Sharman (Director of Research, Willamette Valley Cancer Institute, Oregon, and Medical Director, Hematology Research, The US Oncology Network, USA).

Can you summarise the key findings of the 6-year follow-up data from the ELEVATE-TN trial?

“The ELEVATE-TN trial has demonstrated that acalabrutinib, either as monotherapy or in combination with obinutuzumab, is a highly effective and well-tolerated treatment option for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), answered Prof. Sharman. “The 6-year follow-up data showed that both acalabrutinib-obinutuzumab and acalabrutinib monotherapy significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared with obinutuzumab and chlorambucil. The addition of obinutuzumab to acalabrutinib further improved PFS and response rates.”

What are the implications of these findings for the treatment of CLL?

“The ELEVATE-TN trial results further solidify the position of acalabrutinib as a leading treatment option for patients with CLL. The study showed that acalabrutinib can provide durable benefits for patients, regardless of their genomic marker status. The long-term safety profile of acalabrutinib is also reassuring.”

What do you think are the most important takeaways for oncologists from this study?

“The ELEVATE-TN trial has provided valuable data that oncologists can use to make informed treatment decisions for patients with CLL. The study results show that acalabrutinib is a highly effective and well-tolerated treatment that can provide long-term benefits for patients. In addition to the key findings mentioned above, the ELEVATE-TN trial also demonstrated that acalabrutinib can provide significant benefits for patients with CLL, regardless of their age or performance status”, Prof. Sharman continued. “However, I would like to note that the trial allowed performance status 0-2, so we cannot necessarily generalise to all performance statuses. The study also showed that acalabrutinib is associated with a low incidence of adverse events, including cardiac-related adverse events.”

Prof. Sharman concluded: “Overall, the ELEVATE-TN trial results provide strong evidence that acalabrutinib is a highly effective and well-tolerated treatment option for patients with CLL. The study results also suggest that acalabrutinib can provide durable benefits for patients, regardless of their genomic marker status or other patient factors.”

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   1. Sharman JP, et al. Blood. 2023; 142(1):636

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Posted on 18 December 202321 March 2024