Jaimal Kothari: The first ever study looking at checkpoint inhibition in WM
Recently, an article by Jaimal Kothari et al. titled “PembroWM: A phase II trial to investigate the safety and efficacy of rituximab and pembrolizumab in relapsed/refractory Waldenström’s Macroglobulinaemia” was published in British Journal of Haematology.
Authors: Jaimal Kothari, Toby Eyre, Ali Rismani, Roger Owen, Shirley D’Sa et al.
Jaimal Kothari, Consultant Haematologist at Oxford University Hospitals, shared a post on X about the article, commenting:
“British Journal of Haematology, Wiley Online Library.
I’m delighted to present and share the first ever study looking at checkpoint inhibition in WM. Thanks to all our collaborators especially Toby Eyre, Shirley D’Sa and all the trial patients.
In a highly refractory R/R WM population, most refractory to cBTKi, we saw some disease control and minimal immune related PD1 tox when pembrolizumab was combined with ritiximab.
Modulating the PD1 axis is going to remain important in the cellular therapy era , hopefully this study will help future trial designs. Optimal therapy for R/R WM post cBTKi remains an open question.”
Ajay Major, Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, shared this article on X, adding:
“Ritux + pembro R/R Waldenstrom’s:
- 17 pts, 3 LOT, most cBTKi refractory
- ORR 50%, mPFS 13.6 mos
- 29% Gr3 infx, no sig irAEs
- PROs (!!!): better global/emotional/cognitive QoL
Query how much activity from ritux (ritux refractory not allowed).”
Sources: Jaimal Kothari/X and Ajay Major/X