BRIEF — NEJM publishes pivotal Venclexta/Rituxan data

The data that could make a new chemotherapy-free combination the next treatment for relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

Results from the pivotal Phase III MURANO study were presented American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting in December, showing that Venclexta/Venclyxto (venetoclax) plus Rituxan/MabThera (rituximab) significantly reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 83% compared with bendamustine plus Rituxan, a current standard of care.

While Rituxan is an older Roche (ROG: SIX) asset, Venclexta is a promising drug being developed by its Genentech unit alongside the US drugmaker AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV).

The companies are already working closely with regulators to bring the combination to market.

Venclexta has already  been approved for CLL patients who have a chromosomal abnormality called 17p deletion and who have been treated with at least one prior therapy.