European News

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, has presented follow-up results and subanalyses from clinical trials of its approved therapies, as well as data on investigational medicines from its broad blood cancer portfolio, at the European Hematology Association (EHA) 2022 Congress in Vienna.

Data include five-year results from the Phase III CLL14 study of fixed-duration Veclexta (venetoclax), plus Gazyva (obinutuzumab) in previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL).

After a median of 65.4 months following treatment with Venclexta plus Gazyva, results have confirmed the combination continues to be an effective fixed-duration and chemotherapy-free option for patients with previously untreated CLL and coexisting conditions.

The estimated investigator-assessed progressionfree survival (PFS) rate at this follow-up was 62.6% with Venclexta plus Gazyva, and 27% with Gazyva plus chlorambucil. The estimates overall survival (OS) rate was 81.9%, versus 77%. In addition, the analysis found that 72.1% of patients in the VEnclexta plus Gazyva arm did not require another treatment for CLL in the five years following initial treatment.

The CLL14 study is being conducted in cooperation with the German CLL Study Group, headed by Michael Hallek, MD, University of Cologne.

“Blood cancers remain challenging to treat at all stages, but by improving frontline treatment options we aim to increase the likelihood of meaningful clinical outcomes for these patients,” said Levi Garraway, MD, PhD, CMO and head of Global Product Development. “With these new long-term data and other studies of fixed-duration therapies in our portfolio, we are working to lessen the treatment burdens associated with long-term cancer care.”