General information
  • Disease category Leukemia (BASEC)
  • Study Phase Phase 2 (ICTRP)
  • Recruitment status recruitment completed (BASEC/ICTRP)
  • Trial sites
    Aarau, Basel, Bellinzona, Bern, Chur, Luzern, Winterthur, Zurich, Other
    (BASEC)
  • Contact Gisela Müller trials@sakk.ch (BASEC)
  • Data Source(s) BASEC: Import from 26.05.2025 ICTRP: Import from 09.05.2025
  • Last update 26.05.2025 17:01
HumRes43870 | SNCTP000003200 | BASEC2018-02034 | NCT03708003

SAKK 34/17 - Ibrutinib as pre-treatment, followed by Ibrutinib plus Venetoclax as combination therapy for the treatment of patients with an untreated initial disease or with a relapse of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). A multicenter (conducted at multiple treatment centers), open phase II study

  • Disease category Leukemia (BASEC)
  • Study Phase Phase 2 (ICTRP)
  • Recruitment status recruitment completed (BASEC/ICTRP)
  • Trial sites
    Aarau, Basel, Bellinzona, Bern, Chur, Luzern, Winterthur, Zurich, Other
    (BASEC)
  • Contact Gisela Müller trials@sakk.ch (BASEC)
  • Data Source(s) BASEC: Import from 26.05.2025 ICTRP: Import from 09.05.2025
  • Last update 26.05.2025 17:01

Summary description of the study

The study investigates the effect, safety, and tolerability of a combination therapy with the drugs Ibrutinib and Venetoclax after 30 treatment cycles in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Before the combination therapy, patients receive Ibrutinib as monotherapy for 6 months with the aim of reducing the risk of tumor lysis (too rapid decline of the tumor with serious side effects). In patients with a very good response to therapy (MRD negative = no detectable residual disease), the combination is stopped after 31 treatment cycles.

(BASEC)

Intervention under investigation

- Before, during, and after the study, the health status is regularly monitored. At the control visits, blood samples for laboratory tests and possibly further examinations are taken.

 

- Cycles 1-6 (6 times 28 days) 420 mg Ibrutinib daily

 

- Cycle 7: in addition to Ibrutinib, Venetoclax is administered; its dosage is gradually increased over 28 days.

 

- Cycles 8-31: 420 mg Ibrutinib and 400 mg Venetoclax daily

 

- After the 31st cycle, examinations are conducted to assess the stage of CLL. The further course of the study depends on the results of these examinations.

 

- Study participants will be followed up for up to five years after cycle 31.

(BASEC)

Disease under investigation

Untreatable initial disease or relapse of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)

(BASEC)

Criteria for participation in trial
- Individuals over 18 years of age who suffer from CLL and have experienced a relapse (recurrence) after initial treatment or who did not respond to the initial treatment can participate in this study. - Participants must be in good general health, have adequate liver and kidney function, and their blood values (number of platelets as well as red and white blood cells) must not be severely impaired. (BASEC)

Exclusion criteria
- Individuals for whom the treating oncologist/hematologist deems the use of the study drugs in the current disease situation to be inappropriate are excluded from participation. - Also excluded are individuals suffering from other conditions such as severe heart disease or those being treated with corticosteroids, those who must take certain anticoagulants (vitamin K antagonists) or who are allergic to the study drugs. - Women who are pregnant, wish to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding cannot participate in the study. (BASEC)

Trial sites

Aarau, Basel, Bellinzona, Bern, Chur, Luzern, Winterthur, Zurich, Other

(BASEC)

Thun, Frauenfeld, Münsterlingen, Lugano, Locarno, Mendrisio

(BASEC)

Switzerland (ICTRP)

Sponsor

Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK)

(BASEC)

Contact

Contact Person Switzerland

Gisela Müller

+41 31 389 91 91

trials@sakk.ch

Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK)

(BASEC)

General Information

Institute of Southern Switzerland IOSI, Bellinzona

(ICTRP)

Scientific Information

Institute of Southern Switzerland IOSI, Bellinzona

(ICTRP)

Name of the authorising ethics committee (for multicentre studies, only the lead committee)

Ethics Committee Ticino

(BASEC)

Date of authorisation

24.01.2019

(BASEC)


ICTRP Trial ID
NCT03708003 (ICTRP)

Official title (approved by ethics committee)
Ibrutinib lead-in followed by venetoclax plus ibrutinib in patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia. A multicenter, open-label, phase II trial (BASEC)

Academic title
Ibrutinib lead-in Followed by Venetoclax Plus Ibrutinib in Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. A Multicenter, Open-label, Phase II Trial (ICTRP)

Public title
Ibrutinib lead-in Followed by Venetoclax Plus Ibrutinib in Patients With RR CLL (ICTRP)

Disease under investigation
Relapsed/Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic LeukemiaChronic Lymphocytic LeukemiaLeukemia (ICTRP)

Intervention under investigation
Drug: IbrutinibDrug: Venetoclax (ICTRP)

Type of trial
Interventional (ICTRP)

Trial design
Allocation: N/A. Intervention model: Single Group Assignment. Primary purpose: Treatment. Masking: None (Open Label). (ICTRP)

Inclusion/Exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

- Written informed consent according to Swiss law and ICH/GCP regulations before
registration and prior to any trial specific procedures

- Cytologically and immunophenotypically confirmed relapsed/refractory CLL
(irrespective of the 17p deletion and/or TP53 mutation status and the duration of
remission from last prior therapy)

- Patients in need of systemic treatment as defined by international workshop on
chronic lymphocytic leukemia (iwCLL) criteria (at least one of the following
indications must be fulfilled):

- Evidence of progressive marrow failure as manifested by the development of, or
worsening of, anemia and/or thrombocytopenia. Cut-off levels of Hb < 100 g/L or
platelet counts of < 100x109/L

- Massive (i.e., = 6 cm below the left costal margin) or progressive or
symptomatic splenomegaly

- Massive nodes (i.e., = 10 cm in longest diameter) or progressive or symptomatic
lymphadenopathy

- Progressive lymphocytosis with an increase of = 50% over a 2-month period, or
lymphocyte doubling time of less than 6 months

- Disease-related symptoms as defined by any of the following: (a) Unintentional
weight loss = 10% within the previous 6 months. (b) Significant fatigue (i.e.,
ECOG PS 2 or worse cannot work or unable to perform usual activities). (c)
Fevers =38.0 C for 2 or more weeks without evidence of infection. (d) Night
sweats for = 1 month without evidence of infection

- Age at least 18 years

- WHO performance status 0-2

- Hematological function:

- Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) = 1 x 109/L or ANC < 1 x 109/L, if attributable
to the underlying CLL (growth factor support may be administered after
screening)

- Platelet count = 30 x 109/L

- Hepatic function:

- Bilirubin = 1.5 x ULN (except for patients with Gilbert's disease = 3.0 x ULN)

- ALT and AST = 3.0 x ULN

- Renal function: Creatinine clearance > 30 mL/min (calculated according to
institutional standards or using Cockcroft-Gault formula

- Adequate coagulation parameters per local laboratory reference range as follows:
activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and international normalized ratio
(INR) = 1.5 ULN

- Women with child-bearing potential are using effective contraception, are not
pregnant or lactating and agree not to become pregnant during trial treatment and
during the 30 days thereafter. A negative pregnancy test before inclusion into the
trial is required for all women with child-bearing potential

- Men agree not to father a child during trial treatment and during 3 months
thereafter

- Patient is able and willing to swallow trial drugs as whole tablet/capsule

- Patient is willing to participate in translational research

Exclusion Criteria:

Any potential patient who meets any of the following criteria has to be excluded from
entering the trial.

- Transformation of CLL (i.e. Richter's transformation, prolymphocyctic leukemia)

- Patients with a prior malignancy and treated with curative intention are eligible if
all treatment of that malignancy was completed at least 2 years before registration
and the patient has no evidence of disease at registration. Less than 2 years is
acceptable for malignancies with low-risk of recurrence and/or no late recurrence

- Prior treatment with venetoclax and/or ibrutinib

- Major surgery and any systemic anti-cancer treatment within 3 weeks prior to
registration

- Steroid therapy for anti-neoplastic intent strong and moderate CYP3A inhibitors
strong and moderate CYP3A inducers must be stopped at least 7 days prior to the
first dose of trial drug (see http://medicine.iupui.edu/ and useful tools for
examples)

- Severe or uncontrolled cardiovascular disease (congestive heart failure NYHA III or
IV), unstable angina pectoris, history of myocardial infarction within the last six
months, serious arrhythmias requiring medication (with exception of atrial
fibrillation or paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia on direct oral
anticoagulants (DOAC), Aspirin or low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) but not on
Vitamin K antagonist), significant QT-prolongation, uncontrolled hypertension

- History of cerebrovascular accident or intracranial hemorrhage within 6 months prior
to registration and known bleeding disorders (e.g., von Willebrand's disease or
hemophilia)

- Patients with a history of confirmed progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
(PML)

- Concomitant diseases that require anticoagulant therapy with warfarin or
phenoprocoumon or other vitamin K antagonists. Patients being treated with factor Xa
inhibitors (e.g. rivaroxaban, apixaban, edoxaban), direct thrombin inhibitors (e.g.
dabigatran) LMWH, or anti-platelets agents (e.g. aspirin, clopidogrel) can be
included, but must be properly informed about the potential risk of bleeding under
treatment with ibrutinib

- Malabsorption syndrome or other condition that precludes enteral route of
administration

- Any uncontrolled active systemic infection requiring intravenous antimicrobial
treatment

- Known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Active hepatitis B
infection (defined as the presence of detectable HBV DNA, HBe antigen or HBs
antigen). Patients with serologic evidence of prior vaccination (HBsAg negative,
anti-HBs antibody positive, anti-HBc antibody negative) are eligible. Patients who
are HBsAg negative/HBsAb positive but HBcAb positive are eligible, provided HBV DNA
is negative. Active hepatitis C, defined by the detectable hepatitis C ribonucleic
acid (RNA) in plasma by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

- Active, uncontrolled autoimmune phenomenon (autoimmune hemolytic anemia or immune
thrombocytopenia) requiring steroid therapy with > 20mg daily of prednisone dose or
equivalent

- Known hypersensitivity to trial drugs or to any component of the trial drugs

- Known allergy to both xanthine oxidase inhibitors and rasburicase

- Other severe acute or chronic medical or psychiatric condition or laboratory
abnormality that in the opinion of the investigator may increase the risk associated
with trial participation or investigational product administration or may interfere
with the interpretation of trial results and/or would make the patient inappropriate
for enrollment into this trial (ICTRP)

not available

Primary and secondary end points
MRD-neg CR/CRi at end of cycle 30 (ICTRP)

ORR at end of cycle 30;CR/CRi rate at end of cycle 30;CR/CRi rate based on best response;MRD-neg rate;Progression-free survival (PFS) (ICTRP)

Registration date
12.10.2018 (ICTRP)

Incorporation of the first participant
not available

Secondary sponsors
not available

Additional contacts
Davide Rossi, MD, Institute of Southern Switzerland IOSI, Bellinzona (ICTRP)

Secondary trial IDs
SAKK 34/17 (ICTRP)

Results-Individual Participant Data (IPD)
not available

Further information on the trial
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03708003 (ICTRP)

Results of the trial

Results summary

not available

Link to the results in the primary register

not available