Phase II trials of single-agent anti-VEGF therapy for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Abstract

Between 2005 and 2008, we conducted separate phase II clinical testing of three distinct anti-VEGF therapies for patients with relapsed/refractory CLL. Collectively, 46 patients were accrued to trials of single-agent anti-VEGF antibody (bevacizumab, n = 13) or one of two receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (AZD2171, n = 15; sunitinib malate, n = 18). All patients have completed treatment. Patients received a median of two cycles of bevacizumab, AZD2171, or sunitinib malate. All three trials were closed early due to lack of efficacy. No complete or partial remissions were observed. Individually and collectively, these studies indicate that single-agent anti-VEGF therapy has minimal clinical activity for patients with relapsed/refractory CLL.

Keywords:

• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
• angiogenesis
• vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
• therapy
• bevacizumab
• receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor

Declaration of interest: Support through grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI) CA113408, CA116237, N01-CM62205; CA25224; CA114740, CA15083, N01-CM62207, the Commonwealth Foundation for Cancer Research, and Polyphenon E International are gratefully acknowledged. Study sponsors had no input in the study design, collection/analysis/interpretation of data, writing of the manuscript; or decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.