Follicular Lymphoma

One recently approved drug and two experimental treatments offer the promise of a wider range of options for patients with follicular lymphoma, according to Dr. Germame Ajebo.

Bob Meyers and his daughter Leslie Watson have always been close. In fact, they live right down the street from one another in their Georgia neighborhood. So, when Watson received the diagnosis of clear cell carcinoma in the summer of 1996, and then follicular lymphoma later that fall, Meyers was there by her side as her devoted caregiver.

In addition to showing clinically meaningful, durable responses, Tazverik (tazemetostat) was generally well-tolerated in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma, according to the results of an open-label, single-arm, multicenter phase 2 study.

A study evaluating the efficacy of Aliqopa (copanlisib) in combination with Rituxan (rituximab) in patients with indolent non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma who have relapsed after at least one prior line of therapy also involving Rituxan has met its primary endpoint, according to Aliqopa’s manufacturer, Bayer.

Follicular lymphoma treatment options are changing, and according to one expert, immunotherapy could become a major part of therapy sequencing.

Dr. Kami J. Maddocks discusses the importance of effective treatments for patients with aggressive follicular lymphoma and the treatment challenges they face.

“Collectively, our mature data provide the most definitive evidence supporting current guidelines, that HDT/ASCT should not be offered to unselected patient(s) (with follicular lymphoma) in the frontline setting,” the authors wrote.

“These results further support our efforts to reimagine medicine in this incurable malignancy and reach this underserved patient population, who are historically burdened with several years of various treatments,” said Dr. John Tsai.

“Having new options is important, particularly when patients have already been through chemotherapy and some of the other therapies that are available,” said Dr. John P. Leonard.

The Food and Drug Administration approved Tazverik for adults with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma whose tumors are positive for an EZH2 mutation and have received treatment with at least two systemic therapies, as well as patients who have no other treatment options.