Ian W. Flinn, MD, PhD

Ian W. Flinn, MD, PhD, director of lymphoma research and a principal investigator at Sarah Cannon Research Institute, and director of the Sarah Cannon Center for Blood Cancer at Tennessee Oncology and TriStar Centennial Medical Center, discusses the Bruton’s kinase (BTK) inhibitors available for patients with B-cell malignancies and how they compare.

There are many ongoing trials with zanubrutinib (Brukinsa) and other BTK inhibitors in the B-cell lymphoma landscape. Flinn says the biggest issue in these disease settings currently is deciding which BTK inhibitor is better to use for these patients. Head-to-head trials are looking at zanubrutinib with ibrutinib (Imbruvica) versus acalabrutinib (Calquence) with ibrutinib to get a better understanding of how the efficacy and adverse event profiles compare.

Many people think that these drugs are fairly similar in their efficacy, but because some patients have to come off treatment—most prominently with ibrutinib—that cuts into the efficacy because patients are no longer on therapy, according to Flinn. He thinks that may be where the differences are most evident for patients and will help physicians decide which BTK inhibitor is best to use depending on the patient.

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Videos

Ian W. Flinn, MD, PhD, discusses the Bruton’s kinase inhibitors available for patients with B-cell malignancies and how they compare.

Comparing BTK Inhibitors in Patients With B-Cell Malignancies

Articles

Ian W. Flinn, MD, PhD, director, Blood Cancer Research Program, principal investigator, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, discusses a phase I story which examined cerdulatinib in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell malignancies.

Cerdulatinib in Relapsed/Refractory B-Cell Malignancies

Ian W. Flinn, MD, PhD, director, Hematologic Malignancies Research Program, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, discusses the mechanism of action and toxicity profile of duvelisib (IPI-145). Duvelisib is being studied for the treatment of hematologic malignancies.

Duvelisib inhibits both delta and gamma isoform.

The hope is that the molecule targets both the tumor cell as well as the microenvironment.

The toxicity profile of duvelisib is still being studied.

To date, the molecule appears to have a similar toxicity profile of other PI3K inhibitors.

Ian W. Flinn, MD, PhD, discusses the mechanism of action and toxicity profile of duvelisib (IPI-145). Duvelisib is being studied for the treatment of hematologic malignancies.

The Mechanism of Action and Toxicity Profile of Duvelisib (IPI-145)

Ian W. Flinn, MD, PhD, director, Hematologic Malignancies Research Program, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, gives an overview of two ongoing clinical trials looking at IPI-145 for the treatment of hematologic malignancies.

- DUO is a randomized, phase III trial comparing IPI-145 to ofatumumab for patients with relapsed or refractory CLL or SLL.

- Ofatumumab is a CD20-directed cytolytic monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of CLL.

- Patients in this trial are randomized 1:1 and are able to cross over.

- DYNAMO is a single-arm, phase II trial of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma that are no longer responding to rituximab or chemotherapy.

- There is currently no established therapy for this group of patients.

View more from the 2014 ASCO Annual Meeting

Ian W. Flinn, MD, PhD | Authors

Articles

Comparing BTK Inhibitors in Patients With B-Cell Malignancies

Cerdulatinib in Relapsed/Refractory B-Cell Malignancies

The Mechanism of Action and Toxicity Profile of Duvelisib (IPI-145)

Two Ongoing Clinical Trials of IPI-145 for Hematologic Malignancies