Acalabrutinib Plus Bendamustine-Rituximab in Untreated Mantle Cell Lymphoma
The ECHO phase III trial evaluated acalabrutinib + bendamustine-rituximab (BR) vs placebo plus BR in untreated mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) patients ineligible for transplant, showing a significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) (66.4 vs 49.6 months) with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.73. The combination achieved a higher overall response rate (ORR) (91.0% vs 88.0%) and complete response (CR) rate (66.6% vs 53.5%), supporting its efficacy in this older population. Of note, side effects like pneumonia, atrial fibrillation, and infections were more frequent with acalabrutinib, with serious adverse effects in 69% versus 62% for placebo. This triplet regimen could redefine first-line treatment for our MCL patients, but we’ll need to stay vigilant about managing toxicities, especially in older patients.