Key clinical point: The combination of tisagenlecleucel and time-limited ibrutinib improved outcomes and could be safely administered to patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (r/r MCL), irrespective of prior covalent Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) exposure.
Major finding: At 4 months post infusion, the overall and complete response rates were 80% each. Patients with and without prior BTKi exposure had complete response rates of 90% and 70%, respectively. Grades 1-2 and grade 3 cytokine release syndrome rates were 55% and 20%, respectively.
Study details: This phase 2 study, TARMAC, included 20 patients having r/r MCL after ≥1 prior lines of therapy with (n = 10) or without (n = 10) a BTKi who were infused with tisagenlecleucel and commenced ibrutinib before leukapheresis and continued it for ≥6 months post infusion.
Disclosures: The study was sponsored by Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Australia. Several authors declared being members of the advisory committee, board of directors, or speakers’ bureau of or receiving honoraria or research funding from various sources.
Source: Minson AG et al. CAR T-cells and time-limited ibrutinib as treatment for relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma: Phase II TARMAC study. Blood. 2023 (Oct 26). doi: 10.1182/blood.2023021306