Evaluating the Therapeutic Potential of Zanubrutinib in the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Mantle Cell Lymphoma: Evidence to Date

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an uncommon B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma characterized by an aggressive clinical course in the majority of patients. Despite recent improvements in outcomes, MCL remains incurable and a major therapeutic challenge. BTK inhibitors are the preferred treatment option for patients with relapsed/refractory MCL, including those unfit for chemotherapy or those with chemoresistant disease. In addition to ibrutinib and acalabrutinib, the FDA recently approved zanubrutinib for the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory MCL based on the results of two Phase 2 clinical trials showing overall response rates of 85–87% with complete responses in 30–77% of patients. Compared with ibrutinib, zanubrutinib is more selective for BTK and has less off-target inhibition, which is thought to limit certain toxicities although direct comparative data are still lacking. This review article summarizes data from clinical trials of currently FDA-approved BTK inhibitors in MCL with a focus on zanubrutinib.