Tag: cancer treatment

By Richard Furman, MD

Idelalisib is a first in class, selective, oral inhibitor of PI3Kδ approved by the FDA for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in combination with rituximab and as a monotherapy for patients with follicular lymphoma, who have received at least two prior systemic therapies. A recent study sought to analyze the safety profile of idelalisib in 760 subjects with heavily pre-treated and relapsed CLL, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and other B-cell malignancies, who received idelalisib alone or as part of a combination therapy. Side effects leading to changes in dosing included transaminase elevations (13%), diarrhea/colitis (11%), and rash. Side effects leading to discontinuation of treatment were rare. Patient’s whose dose was interrupted due to adverse events were frequently able to tolerate dosing upon re-challenge. These data demonstrate that idelalisib was well tolerated in patients as a monotherapy or in combination.