Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) today announced updated data from two pivotal phase III Venclexta/Venclyxto studies (MURANO and CLL14) that highlight Venclexta/Venclyxto combination treatments as chemotherapy-free, fixed-duration options that achieve minimal residual disease (MRD)-negativity, in people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL).

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

'Venclexta/Venclyxto plus anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody-based regimens continue to demonstrate improved long-term outcomes for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia,' said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., Roche's 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/Venclyxto plus Gazyva/Gazyvaro (obinutuzumab) in people with previously untreated CLL, who had co-existing medical conditions. At a median follow-up of more than three years (39.57 months), when all patients had been off therapy for a minimum of two years, Venclexta/Venclyxto plus Gazyva/Gazyvaro showed high response rates, including MRD-negativity.

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

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