ASH: R-Squared

More exciting news from ASH. The focus in in R-Squared, Rituxan + Revlimid (also known as Lenalidomide).

Researchers from Switzerland and the Nordic Lymphoma Group have been looking for a while at R-squared as a first treatment for Follicular Lymphoma. They reported positive results of a trial that looked at R-Squared's effect on Response, and found that it had a higher Complete Response rate than Rituxan alone, with manageable toxicity (basically, the side effects were outweighed by the results). They reported those results in articles in Blood and Hematological Oncology (sorry -- can't get a link working for that one).

The ASH presentation is a follow-up on those early results, and is called "Rituximab Plus Lenalidomide Versus Rituximab Monotherapy in Untreated Follicular Lymphoma Patients in Need of Therapy. First Analysis of Survival Endpoints of the Randomized Phase-2 Trial SAKK 35/10."

Basically, they knew that R-Squared worked really well after 23 weeks (measuring for the percentage of patients who achieved a Complete Response). Now they want to know, is it effective beyond that point? Do those responses hold over time?

The answer is, Yes.

They used several different measures to figure this out. Half of the patients were given Rituxan alone, and half were give R-Squared.

The R-Squared patients had a better Complete Response duration; after 3 years, the median hadn't been reached, while it had been after 2.3 years for the Rituxan group.

The R-Squared patients had a better Progression Free Survival (the time it took for the lymphoma to get worse); after 3 years, the median hadn't been reached, while it had been after 2.3 years for the Rituxan group.

The R-Squared patients had a better Time To Next Treatment; after 3 years, the median hadn't been reached, while it had been after 2.1 years for the Rituxan group.

Overall Survival was great for both groups (93% for R-Squared and 92% for Rituxan only).

Lots of specialists are excited about R-Squared, and this study seems to give them more to be excited about. Interestingly, these results come from a phase 2 study. A phase 3 will involve a larger group of patients, and results will likely lead to the combination being approved as a first treatment for FL patients. That's always good news.