Zanubrutinib Superior to Ibrutinib for Progression-Free Survival in Relapsed/Refractory CLL, SLL

In patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), progression-free survival was significantly longer with zanubrutinib compared with ibrutinib, according to trial results published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

In already reported interim analyses from the multinational, phase 3, head-to-head trial, zanubrutinib was superior to ibrutinib for the primary end point of overall response. The latest findings focus on progression-free survival, a key secondary end point, in patients with relapsed or refractory CLL or SLL.

Among 652 patients, zanubrutinib was superior to ibrutinib for progression-free survival at a median follow-up of 29.6 months. Researchers reported a 0.65 hazard ratio for disease progression or death in patients treated with zanubrutinib.

Investigator-assessed rates of progression-free survival were 78.4% in the zanubrutinib group and 65.9% in the ibrutinib group at 24 months, according to the study. Patients with a 17p deletion and/or a TP53 mutation had longer progression-free survival with zanubrutinib than ibrutinib (researchers reported a 0.53 hazard ratio for disease progression or death). Across other major subgroups, progression-free survival was consistently better with zanubrutinib.

Additionally, the proportion of patients with an overall response was highest in the zanubrutinib group, the study found. Zanubrutinib also had the better safety profile, with fewer adverse events and cardiac events.

The trial was funded by BeiGene.

Reference:
Brown JR, Eichhorst B, Hillmen P, et al. Zanubrutinib or ibrutinib in relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia. N Engl J Med. Published online December 13, 2022. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2211582