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Diseases

Groundbreaking UK Trial Finds Chemotherapy-Free Approach Leads to Better Outcomes for Leukaemia Patients

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers from the University of Leeds conducted a landmark trial, known as the Flair trial, which aimed to assess whether a targeted cancer drug, ibrutinib, used alone or in combination with another drug, venetoclax, could outperform standard chemotherapy in treating chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). The trial, which took place at 96 cancer centres across the UK, involved 786 people with previously untreated CLL, who were randomly assigned to receive either standard chemotherapy, ibrutinib, or the combination of ibrutinib and venetoclax, with treatment guided by personalised blood tests.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Flair trial found that the combination of ibrutinib and venetoclax resulted in 94% of patients being alive with no disease progression after five years, compared to 79% for ibrutinib alone and 58% for standard chemotherapy.
  • 66% of patients on the new combination had no detectable cancer in their bone marrow after two years, compared to none of the people who received ibrutinib alone and 48% on chemotherapy.
  • The new treatment regime was also reported to be tolerated better than traditional treatments.
  • The trial was conducted at 96 cancer centres across the UK and involved 786 people with previously untreated CLL.
  • The Flair trial was funded by Cancer Research UK, AbbVie, and Johnson and Johnson, and was coordinated by the Leeds Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit at the University of Leeds.

Statistics:

  • 786 people with previously untreated CLL were enrolled in the Flair trial.
  • 94% of patients who received the combination of ibrutinib and venetoclax were alive with no disease progression after five years.
  • 79% of patients who received ibrutinib alone were alive with no disease progression after five years.
  • 58% of patients who received standard chemotherapy were alive with no disease progression after five years.
  • 66% of patients on the new combination had no detectable cancer in their bone marrow after two years.

Sources:

  • The New England Journal of Medicine
  • European Haematology Association congress in Milan, Italy
  • Leeds Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit at the University of Leeds
  • AbbVie
  • Johnson and Johnson
  • NHS (National Health Service)
  • "CLL: symptoms" article on the NHS website

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