Dr. Hou on the Latest Updates With CAR T-Cell Therapy in DLBCL

Jing-Zhou Hou, MD, PhD, co-chair of the Hematological Malignancies program, and medical oncologist, hematologist, and clinical instructor at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hillman Cancer Center, discusses the latest updates with CAR T-cell therapy in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

At the 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting, updated data from the ZUMA trials with axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel; Yescarta) were presented in the relapsed/refractory setting. At 24 months of follow-up, the complete response (CR) rate is 40% with an objective response rate of over 50%. The overall survival is also improved with this product. Axi-cel was initially approved by the FDA in October 2017 for use in patients with DLBCL. These data support further investigation into additional CAR T-cell products for transplant-ineligible patients, says Hou.

Data from the phase II JULIET trial which evaluated tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah)] were also published. Updated data showed an accordant response rate at 12-months of follow-up; specifically, the CR rate was 40% and the duration of response was relatively durable for those who had a CR.

The third trial, TRANSCEND-NHL-001 trial, is evaluating lisocabtagene maraleucel (JCAR017; liso-cel). The study has just completed accrual for a phase II trial.