New cocktail of cancer drugs shows promise for tough leukemia cases

NCT ID NCT04169737

First seen Nov 01, 2025 · Last updated Jun 22, 2026 · Updated 32 times

Summary

This phase 2 trial is testing whether a combination of three drugs—acalabrutinib, venetoclax, and obinutuzumab—can better control chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) that has come back or is resistant to treatment. About 168 adults with high-risk or relapsed disease will receive either two or three drugs. The main goal is to see if the treatment can clear cancer cells from the bone marrow.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for REFRACTORY CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Contacts and locations

Study contacts

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • M D Anderson Cancer Center

    RECRUITING

    Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

acalabrutinib, venetoclax, and obinutuzumab

What this could lead to

If successful, this combination could offer a more effective treatment option for people with hard-to-treat CLL or SLL, potentially leading to longer remission without the need for continuous therapy.

What could go wrong

This is a phase 2 trial, so it is still early. The drugs may cause serious side effects like infections or bleeding, and the combination might not work better than existing treatments.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.