Acalabrutinib-obinutuzumab improves survival vs chemoimmunotherapy in treatment-naive CLL in the 6-year follow-up of ELEVATE-TN

J Jeff P. Sharman (1Willamette Valley Cancer Institute, Sarah Cannon Research, Eugene, OR) M Miklos Egyed (Somogy County Moritz Kaposi General Hospital, Kaposvár, Hungary) W Wojciech Jurczak A Alan Skarbnik (19Novant Health Cancer Institute, Department of Hematology, Charlotte, United States) K Krish Patel (C. U. Shah Medical College, Surendranagar, India) I Ian W. Flinn (6Tennessee Oncology, Nashville, TN) M Manali Kamdar T Talha Munir (12St. James's University Hospital, Department of Haematology, Leeds, United Kingdom) R Renata Walewska (20University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, Bournemouth, United Kingdom) M Marie Hughes (10Tauranga Hospital, Tauranga, New Zealand) L Laura Maria Fogliatto (11Department of Clinical Hematology, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil) Y Yair Herishanu (13Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel) V Versha Banerji (8Paul Albrechtsen Research Institute and Department of Medical Oncology & Hematology, CancerCare Manitoba, and Department of Internal Medicine, Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada) G George Follows (14Department of Haematology, Addenbrooke’s Hospital NHS Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom) P Patricia Walker (9Peninsula Health and Peninsula Private Hospital, Melbourne, Australia) P Paolo Ghia (School of Medicine, Università Vita Salute San Raffaele, Milan) A Ann Janssens (Universitaire Ziekenhuizen Leuven, Leuven, Belgium) J John C. Byrd E Emmanuelle Ferrant (3Department of Hematology, Hôpital Lyon-Sud, Lyon, France) A Alessandra Ferrajoli (1University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Leukemia, Houston, United States) W William G. Wierda (The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States) C Catherine Wangui Wachira (23AstraZeneca, South San Francisco, CA) B Batul T. Suterwala (24AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD) P Paulo Miranda (24AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD) V Veerendra Munugalavadla (14AstraZeneca, South San Francisco, United States) C Chuan-Chuan Wun (24AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD) J Jennifer A. Woyach (5Division of Hematology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH)

Abstract

Abstract Acalabrutinib is a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. We present results from ELEVATE-TN after a median follow-up of 74.5 months. Overall, 535 patients were randomized (acalabrutinib-obinutuzumab, n = 179; acalabrutinib, n = 179; chlorambucil-obinutuzumab, n = 177). Median age was 70 years, 63.0% had unmutated immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region gene (uIGHV), 13.6% had del(17p) and/or mutated TP53, and 17% had complex karyotype (CK; ≥3 chromosomal abnormalities). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was not reached (NR) for acalabrutinib-obinutuzumab and acalabrutinib vs 27.8 months for chlorambucil-obinutuzumab (both P < .0001); estimated 72-month overall PFS rates were 78.0%, 61.5%, and 17.2%, respectively. Acalabrutinib-obinutuzumab resulted in improved PFS vs acalabrutinib monotherapy (hazard ratio [HR], 0.58; P = .0229). Patients with uIGHV, del(17p) and/or mutated TP53, or CK had significantly improved PFS with acalabrutinib ± obinutuzumab vs chlorambucil-obinutuzumab (P < .0001, P ≤ .0009, and P < .0001 for both acalabrutinib-containing arms, respectively). Median overall survival (OS) was NR for all treatments, with significantly longer OS for acalabrutinib-obinutuzumab than chlorambucil-obinutuzumab (HR, 0.62; P = .0349). Estimated 72-month OS rates were 83.9%, 75.5%, and 74.7% for acalabrutinib-obinutuzumab, acalabrutinib, and chlorambucil-obinutuzumab, respectively. Adverse events (AEs) occurring after >4 years were mostly grade 1 to 2. Rates of AEs, serious AEs, and events of clinical interest were similar between acalabrutinib-containing arms and consistent with the known safety profiles of acalabrutinib and obinutuzumab. Efficacy and safety of acalabrutinib-containing arms were maintained, with longer PFS in both acalabrutinib arms than chlorambucil-obinutuzumab including in patients with high-risk features. This trial was registered at www.ClinicalTrials.gov as #NCT02475681.

Article Details

Journal Blood
Volume / Issue Vol. 146, Issue 11
Published September 11, 2025
Pages 1276-1285
ISSN 0006-4971
Publisher Elsevier BV

Journal Info

Blood

Elsevier BV

ISSN: 0006-4971 Health Sciences

Authors (27)

J

Jeff P. Sharman

1Willamette Valley Cancer Institute, Sarah Cannon Research, Eugene, OR

M

Miklos Egyed

Somogy County Moritz Kaposi General Hospital, Kaposvár, Hungary

W

Wojciech Jurczak

A

Alan Skarbnik

19Novant Health Cancer Institute, Department of Hematology, Charlotte, United States

K

Krish Patel

C. U. Shah Medical College, Surendranagar, India

I

Ian W. Flinn

6Tennessee Oncology, Nashville, TN

M

Manali Kamdar

T

Talha Munir

12St. James's University Hospital, Department of Haematology, Leeds, United Kingdom

R

Renata Walewska

20University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, Bournemouth, United Kingdom

M

Marie Hughes

10Tauranga Hospital, Tauranga, New Zealand

L

Laura Maria Fogliatto

11Department of Clinical Hematology, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil

Y

Yair Herishanu

13Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

V

Versha Banerji

8Paul Albrechtsen Research Institute and Department of Medical Oncology & Hematology, CancerCare Manitoba, and Department of Internal Medicine, Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

G

George Follows

14Department of Haematology, Addenbrooke’s Hospital NHS Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom

P

Patricia Walker

9Peninsula Health and Peninsula Private Hospital, Melbourne, Australia

P

Paolo Ghia

School of Medicine, Università Vita Salute San Raffaele, Milan

A

Ann Janssens

Universitaire Ziekenhuizen Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

J

John C. Byrd

E

Emmanuelle Ferrant

3Department of Hematology, Hôpital Lyon-Sud, Lyon, France

A

Alessandra Ferrajoli

1University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Leukemia, Houston, United States

W

William G. Wierda

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States

C

Catherine Wangui Wachira

23AstraZeneca, South San Francisco, CA

B

Batul T. Suterwala

24AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD

P

Paulo Miranda

24AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD

V

Veerendra Munugalavadla

14AstraZeneca, South San Francisco, United States

C

Chuan-Chuan Wun

24AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD

J

Jennifer A. Woyach

5Division of Hematology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH