COVID-19 in 2024: Recommendations and Strategies for Those with CLL and SLL Thursday, May 16, 2024 8:30 AM PT – 10 AM PT / 9:30 AM MT – 11 AM MT / 10:30 AM CT – 12 PM CT / 11:30 AM ET – 1 PM ET(Duration 60 minutes) Register Description Much has changed in the four years since COVID-19 was first identified. This includes the virus itself, the recommendations for preventing infection, treatments, reporting, and disease outcomes. While most people have gone about their daily lives not worrying about repeat COVID-19 infections, those who have compromised immune systems still need to be ca ..read more

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Koffman The Bottom Line: Venetoclax monotherapy is effective for treating relapsed / refractory CLL, including in patients previously treated with BTK or PI3K inhibitors. Who Performed the Research and Where Was it Presented: Dr. Arnon Kater from the University of Amsterdam and colleagues published their findings in Lancet Oncology in March 2024. Background: Targeted therapies have greatly improved the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). Still, with so many new therapies, we don’t yet know what order they should ..read more

CLL Society expects CLL patients will likely benefit from the new Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (MPPP), previously known as the “smoothing program.” This program intends to allow patients to ‘smooth’ their out-of-pocket costs over a plan year rather than be hit with higher initial payments early in the year. We continue to submit feedback to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), advocating for strong patient participation in the new MPPP. Given how beneficial this program will be for CLL patients, our comments to CMS covered a wide range of issues to help improve how the p ..read more

FDA is Redesigning How Drugs Trials are Done The FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) is revising clinical trials to improve safety, and CLL Society’s Dr. Brian Koffman was asked to serve as the patient representative on a joint panel of the AACR (American Association for Cancer Research) and FDA. To help understand the basics about clinical trial phases, CLL Society has written this introduction to trials and the drug approval process. Although, several changes are afoot. Project Optimus is all about dose optimization in phase 1 trials, resulting in more extensive trials and often slower rea ..read more

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Koffman The Bottom Line: Though it is still very early on, BTK degrader BGB-16673 appears tolerable. Clinical trials of BTK degraders may be especially of interest to CLL patients who have developed resistance to BTK inhibitors. Who Performed the Research and Where Was it Presented: Dr. Meghan Thompson from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and colleagues presented the study design at the American Society for Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting 2023. Background: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) cells depend on Bruton tyros ..read more

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Koffman The Bottom Line: A new clinical trial is recruiting patients with relapsed / refractory B-cell cancers to test the safety of a new experimental MALT1 inhibitor. Because MALT1 is downstream from BTK and PLCG2 in the B cell receptor pathway, this MALT1 inhibitor may be useful for patients with BTK resistance mutations or PLCG2 mutations. Who Performed the Research and Where Was it Presented: Dr. Meghan Thompson from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and colleagues presented the study design at the American Society for Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting 2 ..read more

Authored by Dr. Brian Koffman Bottom Line: Acalabrutinib has a low risk of sudden death and ventricular arrhythmias in chronic lymphocytic leukemia / small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL / SLL) patients. Who Performed the Research and Where Was it Presented: Dr. Jeff Sharman was the principal investigator of the abstract: “Analysis of Ventricular Arrhythmias and Sudden Death with Acalabrutinib from 5 Prospective Clinical Trials” that was presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in December 2023 held in San Diego, CA. Background: The introduction of ibrutinib, the first B ..read more

Authored by Dr. Brian Koffman Bottom Line: In real world data, outcomes were equivalent in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients whether they were first treated with venetoclax or a BTK inhibitor. Who Performed the Research and Where Was it Presented: Dr. Nadine Kutsch of Cologne Germany presented the abstract: “Outcomes and Treatment Sequences of Therapies with BCL2- and BTK Inhibitors in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL): An Analysis of Patient Data within the German CLL Study Group (GCLLSG) Registry” at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in December 2023 held in San Di ..read more

Over the course of a year of monthly meetings, The CLL Society Bloodline will teach the BASICS needed to understand CLL.  It will also provide news, help with the acronyms and new vocabulary words, and offer simple fun quizzes. The cycle restarts and it is updated annually. MONTHLY QUIZ: CLL is classified as: A lymphoma, as it arises from lymphocytes. A leukemia, because the cancer cells are found in the blood stream. Neither, as it is a hybrid disease that is classified by itself. Both, as it arises from lymphocytes and is a blood cancer. Answer: The correct answer is D or both. All ca ..read more

Authored by Dr. Brian Koffman On 3/22/2024, the US FDA authorized a new pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent COVID-19 infection in those with CLL and other immune-compromising conditions. The Ongoing Need in the Immunocompromised Community for COVID-19 Protection While outcomes for COVID-19 infection have significantly improved for all, including the immunocompromised, the risks of severe disease, hospitalizations, long-COVID, and even death remain higher for those with chronic lymphocytic leukemia /small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL / SLL), and others with impaired immunity. Emergency Use ..read more