Multicenter study of first-line blinatumomab for B-ALL in chemotherapy-intolerant or chemotherapy-resistant patients aged 1-24 years

A multicenter study in the United Kingdom tested whether blinatumomab is effective as a toxicity-sparing alternative to first-line intensive chemotherapy in children and yong adult patients (aged 1-24 years) with B-ALL who were chemotherapy-intolerant or chemotherapy-resistant. Minimal residual disease responses were seen in 97% of patients receiving blinatumomab as replacement for parts of first-line chemotherapy. The 2-year event-free survival and overall survival of blinatumomab-treated patients were similar to what was seen in historical controls who were treated with intensive chemotherapy alone.