EAU20 Virtual

Tranexamic acid was associated with a reduction in blood transfusions in patients undergoing major non-cardiac surgery, without increasing the risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Given the high cost of blood products and limited resources, these findings may help improve operational efficiency and reduce healthcare costs.The phase 4 TRACTION trial (NCT04803747) evaluated whether hospital-level implementation of tranexamic acid reduces the need…

Long-term outcomes from the PATHFINDER trial indicate that treatment with avapritinib leads to durable responses in patients with advanced systemic mastocytosis (advSM). The overall survival (OS) data suggest that use of avapritinib as first-line therapy may result in improved outcomes.The phase 2 PATHFINDER study (NCT03580655) evaluated the KIT D816V inhibitor avapritinib in 107 participants with advSM. All participants received avapritinib,…

The combination of mosunetuzumab and zanubrutinib was associated with profound anti-tumour activity in patients with previously untreated, high-burden follicular lymphoma (FL). The treatment regimen was well-tolerated, making it a promising new option for this patient population. Mosunetuzumab is an immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1)-like CD3xCD20 bispecific antibody, and zanubrutinib is a second-generation Bruton’s tyrosine-kinase (BTK) inhibitor. The combination was assessed in a…

LUCAR-G39D, an innovative CAR T-cell construct, was associated with durable responses in patients with heavily pre-treated B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). According to the investigators, the therapy was well-tolerated and manageable, warranting further development of this product.The newly designed allogeneic dual-targeting (CD19/CD20) CAR-γδ T-cell therapy, provisionally named LUCAR-G39D, was assessed in the phase 1 LB2303 study (NCT06395870) in participants with relapsed…

Two established treatment paradigms for patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) went head-to-head in a large, randomised trial. The results provided clear guidance for haematologists on therapy selection for their patients with CLL.“Continuous treatment with a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor or fixed-duration therapy with a B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) inhibitor plus a CD20 monoclonal antibody or a…

Two next-generation CAR T-cell therapies have shown promising activity in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphoma. Early clinical results have supported the initiation of phase 3 trials to further evaluate these rationally engineered therapies in patients with large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL).“KITE-363 and KITE-753 are bicistronic CAR T-cell therapies that synergistically target CD19 and CD20,” explained Prof. Saurabh Dahiya (Stanford…

The primary results from the phase 3 BRUIN CLL-313 study indicate that pirtobrutinib may become a new standard of care for patients with newly diagnosed chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL).The phase 3 BRUIN CLL-313 trial (NCT05023980) compared bendamustine plus rituximab with the non-covalent Bruton’s tyrosine-kinase (BTK) inhibitor pirtobrutinib in previously untreated patients with CLL/SLL. A total…

Pociredir displayed promising efficacy and safety in a phase 1b trial among adult patients with severe sickle cell disease (SCD) who were intolerant or unresponsive to hydroxyurea. The phase 1b PIONEER trial (NCT05169580) included adults with severe SCD who were intolerant or unresponsive to hydroxyurea. Participants were allocated to 1 of 3 dose cohorts of the foetal haemoglobin inducer pociredir…

Clinicians often face the dilemma of whether to administer intravenous (IV) iron to patients with iron deficiency anaemia who are experiencing acute infections. Current guidelines provide limited direction. However, results from a large real-world analysis may help solve this long-standing dilemma.“The belief that ‘iron feeds bacteria’ has long shaped clinical practice concerning iron therapy during acute infections,” said Dr Haris…

Hydroxyurea has long been considered potentially teratogenic, leading to strong caution regarding its use during pregnancy. However, data from the ESCORT-HU cohort (EUPAS10565) suggest that its impact on pregnancy outcomes may be less harmful than previously assumed. “The current recommendations for women with sickle cell disease on hydroxyurea are to use contraception and discontinue the drug 3–6 months before conception,”…