South San Francisco - Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY), today announced updated data from two pivotal Phase III Venclexta (venetoclax) studies (MURANO and CLL14) that highlight Venclexta combination treatments as chemotherapy-free, fixed-duration options that achieve minimal residual disease (MRD)-negativity, in people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

These data and others from the Venclexta clinical development program will be featured in more than 50 abstracts at the 61st American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting.

'Venclexta plus anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody-based regimens continue to demonstrate improved long-term outcomes for people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia,' said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. 'These results reinforce the sustained clinical benefits observed in patients with this common type of blood cancer, after completing this fixed-duration, chemotherapy-free treatment.'

The pivotal Phase III CLL14 study evaluated the combination of Venclexta plus Gazyva (obinutuzumab) in people with previously untreated CLL, who had co-existing medical conditions. At a median follow-up of more than three years (39.6 months), when all patients had been off therapy for a minimum of two years, Venclexta plus Gazyva showed high response rates, including MRD-negativity.

Specifically: Higher rates of MRD-negativity in peripheral blood (76 percent vs. 35 percent; p

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