William G. Wierda, MD, PhD

William G. Wierda, MD, PhD, D. B. Lane Cancer Research Distinguished Professor; section chief of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia; center medical director, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine; and executive medical director, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, shares a message with community oncologists about the evolving treatment landscape for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

With so many new datasets available and a number of clinical trials and phase III data emerging in the field, it is difficult to keep up with the latest treatment advancements for patients with CLL, Wierda says. Currently, the treatment landscape is moving away from chemoimmunotherapy in favor of small molecule inhibition therapy, such as BTK or PI3K inhibition.

Investigators are also working toward combination therapy to achieve deep remissions in patients with CLL, Wierda adds. Minimal residual disease is considered an important endpoint in these clinical trials, but more information is still to come.

Videos

William G. Wierda, MD, PhD, shares a message with community oncologists about the evolving treatment landscape for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Emerging Combinations Shift Treatment Paradigm for Patients With CLL

William G. Wierda, MD, PhD, professor in the department of leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the take home message from the phase III MURANO trial that identified venetoclax (Venclexta) plus rituximab (Rituxan) as a new treatment option for patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

There are patients with CLL that achieve a deep remission by the end of 2-year treatment. Wierda says this remission and progression-free survival can be maintained after patients come off treatment.

William G. Wierda, MD, PhD, discusses the take home message from the phase III MURANO trial that identified venetoclax plus rituximab as a new treatment option for patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Reviewing Key Points from the Phase III MURANO Trial in CLL

William G. Wierda, MD, PhD, professor in the department of leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses data surrounding the use of ibrutinib (Imbruvica) in combination with venetoclax (Venclexta) as a treatment option for patients with newly diagnosed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) as well as relapsed CLL.

At the 2018 ASH Annual Meeting, several trials reported results from this combination in CLL. MD Anderson has a clinical trial including 2 cohorts of patients: a relapsed cohort and a frontline cohort. Wierda also says the CLARITY trial, reported by the UK Group, is looking at this combination in relapsed patients, while the Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center has a trial investigating this combination plus an anti-CD20 antibody.

William G. Wierda, MD, PhD, discusses data surrounding the use of ibrutinib in combination with venetoclax as a treatment option for patients with newly diagnosed CLL as well as relapsed CLL.

Examining Ibrutinib Plus Venetoclax as a Treatment Option for CLL

William G. Wierda, MD, PhD, medical director of the Leukemia Center at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses sequencing agents in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

William G. Wierda, MD, PhD | Authors

Articles

Emerging Combinations Shift Treatment Paradigm for Patients With CLL

Reviewing Key Points from the Phase III MURANO Trial in CLL

Examining Ibrutinib Plus Venetoclax as a Treatment Option for CLL

Sequencing Agents in CLL