BTK inhibitors like ibrutinib have shown impressive efficacy in treating mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in the first relapse setting; however, there is an unmet need for a treatment that is effective in patients who don’t respond to ibrutinib. Here, Toby Eyre, MRCP(UK), FRCPath(UK), MD, of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK, discusses his recent trial exploring the efficacy of venetoclax monotherapy in patients with relapsed/refractory MCL after therapy with BTK inhibitors. This yielded impressive overall and complete response rates with low toxicity, indicating that venetoclax is a viable monotherapy in this setting. Dr Eyre concludes that combination therapies with venetoclax might yield even more positive results.
