Lenalidomide produces high response rate in relapsed or refractory MCL patients

Lenalidomide (Revlimid®) is well tolerated and active in relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) patients, according to a study published in the May 1, 2009 issue of the British Journal of Haematology.

Data was generated from a phase II, multi-center study that enrolled 15 patients with MCL who had failed prior therapy. Patients were given oral lenalidomide according to a specified schedule and monitored over time. According to the study, the overall response rate for patients receiving lenalidomide was 53 percent—three patients (20%) had a complete response and 5 (33%) had a partial response. It was also noted that the median duration of response was 13.7 months and the median progression free survival was 5.6 months.

Thomas M. Habermann, MD, (Mayo Clinic) principal investigator of this subgroup analysis and active member of the Lymphoma Research Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board Executive Committee, stated, “The high response rate and long median duration of response were unexpected, very interesting,  and intriguing in this group of relapsed and refractory patients. This is an oral agent with different mechanisms of action than other drugs incorporated into management strategies in mantle cell lymphoma. This new observation offers a different avenue for an approach to mantle cell lymphoma.”

"Based on these positive results, there is an ongoing international study to confirm this observation.  In addition, new studies are being planned incorporating lenalidomide into the management of previously untreated patients with a new diagnosis of mantle cell lymphoma.  Ongoing laboratory studies will further investigate the mechanism of action and targets of this class of drugs in mantle cell lymphoma."