Clinical trial Recruiting at 62 sites Phase 3 Interventional Ages 18 and up

Pirtobrutinib added to R-CHOP for newly diagnosed Richter transformation in Lymphoma

Official title: A Randomized Phase III Study of Pirtobrutinib Plus R-CHOP vs. R-CHOP for Participants With Previously Untreated Richter Transformation (PIRAMID)

Run by SWOG Cancer Research Network · NCT07220187 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This trial tests whether adding pirtobrutinib to the standard R-CHOP treatment helps people with Richter transformation (a CLL/SLL that becomes aggressive LBCL).

More Richter Syndrome trials

Quick facts

PhasePhase 3
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
Enrollment102 (estimated)
SponsorSWOG Cancer Research Network
Research network
Drugs / interventionspirtobrutinib, Chemotherapy, doxorubicin, prednisone, rituximab, cyclophosphamide, CAR-T, chimeric antigen receptor
Locations62 sites (Irvine, California and 61 other locations)
StatusRecruiting
StartedAugust 4, 2026
Main results expectedOctober 1, 2035
Study endsOctober 2036
Registry record updatedOctober 13, 2026
Trial IDNCT07220187 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are adults with newly diagnosed Richter transformation (RT) confirming LBCL from CLL/SLL, measurable disease, and suitable organ function.

Probably not a fit

Patients with no measurable disease, significant comorbidity, or intolerance to study drugs may not benefit.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

In this phase 3 study, adults with untreated Richter transformation are first assessed for safety of adding pirtobrutinib to R-CHOP (or R-mini-CHOP for older patients), before randomizing to either the combination or R-CHOP alone. The trial then compares progression-free survival between the two arms and, if PFS improves, overall survival as a hierarchical second outcome. Translational aims examine whether high-risk baseline mutations influence overall survival within treatment arms. Secondary aims include comparing complete response rates and adverse events between groups.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, adding pirtobrutinib could improve disease control and survival for patients with Richter transformation.

How similar studies have gone: Previous studies in similar BTK-inhibitor combinations have shown promise, but this exact combination in untreated RT is being tested.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Participants must have been diagnosed with Richter Transformation (RT) (CLL/small lymphocytic lymphoma \[SLL\] to LBCL)

  * Participants must have histologically or cytologically confirmed LBCL
* Participants must have measurable disease determined by PET/CT or hematopathology (by morphology or flow cytometry) assessment within 42 days prior to registration
* Participants must have staging PET/CT imaging performed within 42 days prior to registration
* Participants are allowed prior treatments for CLL/SLL or its complications (autoimmune hemolytic anemia \[AIHA\], immune thrombocytopenic purpura \[ITP\]), with the exception of pirtobrutinib
* Participants must not have prior treatment for Richter transformation except for corticosteroids up to equivalent dose of prednisone 700 mg total for less than 7 days for disease control. Treatment for CLL/SLL with CLL/SLL directed drugs (including BTK inhibitors with the exception of pirtobrutinib) after the Richter transformation diagnosis is allowed for the purpose of disease control. CLL targeted therapies must be stopped within 3 days before initiation of therapy on protocol. Chemotherapy or anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy must be stopped within 2 weeks before initiation of therapy on protocol
* Participants must not have contraindication for receiving anthracycline. Participants must not have received more than a cumulative dose of 100mg/m\^2 in those participants who will receive R-CHOP or not more than 250 mg/m\^2 in those participants who will receive R-mini-CHOP of prior doxorubicin (or equivalent dose of another anthracycline, such as epirubicin) therapy (at any time prior to registration)
* Patients requiring strong CYP3A inducers are not eligible and can only be enrolled if

  * an alternative treatment to the strong CYP3A inducer is available for them and
  * the last dose of the strong CYP3A inducer is administered at least 7 days before initiation of pirtobrutinib for patients in safety run-in and arm 1
* Participant must be ≥ 18 years old at the time of registration
* Participant must have Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG)/Zubrod Performance Status of 0-2
* Participant must have a complete medical history and physical exam within 28 days prior to registration
* Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 0.75 x 10\^3/µL or ≥ 0.50 x 10\^3/µL in participants with suspected marrow involvement considered to impair hematopoiesis (within 28 days prior to registration)
* Platelets ≥ 50 x 10\^3/µL or ≥ 30 x 10\^3/µL in participants with suspected marrow involvement considered to impair hematopoiesis (within 28 days prior to registration)
* Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL (≥ 80 g/L) or ≥ 6 g/dL in participants with suspected bone marrow involvement considered to impair hematopoiesis (within 28 days prior to registration)
* Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) or ≤ 3 x ULN with documented liver involvement and/or Gilbert's disease (within 28 days prior to registration)
* Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) / alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 3 × institutional ULN or ≤ 5 ULN with documented liver involvement (within 28 days prior to registration)
* Participants must have a calculated creatinine clearance ≥ 30 mL/min using the Cockcroft-Gault Formula. This specimen must have been drawn and processed within 28 days prior to registration. For the Cockcroft-Gault formula for calculated creatinine clearance, see the tools on the CRA Workbench https://txwb.crab.org/TXWB/Tools.aspx
* Participants must have a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 45% as measured by echocardiogram or radionuclide (MUGA) ventriculography within 56 days prior to registration
* Participants with known history or current symptoms of cardiac disease, or history of treatment with cardiotoxic agents, must have a clinical risk assessment of cardiac function using the New York Heart Association Functional Classification. To be eligible for this trial, participants must be class 2B or better
* HIV-infected patients on effective anti-retroviral therapy with undetectable viral load within 6 months are eligible for this trial. Participants' HIV-directed therapy cannot have known interactions with pirtobrutinib
* Participants with a known history of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection must have undetectable HBV viral load while on suppressive therapy on the most recent test results obtained within 6 months prior to registration
* Participants with a known history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection must have been treated and cured. Participants currently being treated for HCV infection must have undetectable HCV viral load test on the most recent test results obtained within 6 months prior to registration
* Participants must be able to swallow and retain oral medications and have no known gastrointestinal disorders likely to interfere with absorption of oral medications
* Participants must not have a prior or concurrent malignancy in addition to CLL/SLL and Richter transformation whose natural history or treatment (in the opinion of the treating physician) has the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational regimen
* Participants must not have had major surgery within 28 days prior to registration
* Participants must not have experienced a major bleeding event or grade ≥ 3 arrhythmia on prior treatment with a BTK inhibitor.

  * NOTE: Major bleeding is defined as bleeding having one or more of the following features: potentially life-threatening bleeding with signs or symptoms of hemodynamic compromise; bleeding associated with a decrease in the hemoglobin level of at least 2g per deciliter; or bleeding in a critical area or organ (e.g., retroperitoneal, intraarticular, pericardial, epidural, or intracranial bleeding or intramuscular bleeding with compartment syndrome
* Participants must not be pregnant or nursing (nursing includes breast milk fed to an infant by any means, including from the breast, milk expressed by hand, or pumped). Individuals who are of reproductive potential must have agreed to use an effective contraceptive method with details provided as a part of the consent process. A person who has had menses at any time in the preceding 12 consecutive months or who has semen likely to contain sperm is considered to be of "reproductive potential." In addition to routine contraceptive methods, "effective contraception" also includes refraining from sexual activity that might result in pregnancy and surgery intended to prevent pregnancy (or with a side-effect of pregnancy prevention) including hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, bilateral tubal ligation/occlusion, and vasectomy with testing showing no sperm in the semen
* Participants must be offered the opportunity to participate in specimen banking
* Participants must agree to have blood and lymphatic tissue specimens submitted for the integrated translational medicine study
* For randomized participants only: Participants who can complete PRO-CTCAE and FACIT GP5 questionnaires forms in English or Spanish must be offered the opportunity to participate in the patient-reported outcome

Where it's running

  • UCI Health - Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Ambulatory Care
    Irvine, California, United States
    Recruiting
  • UCI Health Laguna Hills
    Laguna Hills, California, United States
    Recruiting
  • UC Irvine Health/Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Orange, California, United States
    Recruiting
  • Illinois CancerCare-Bloomington
    Bloomington, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Illinois CancerCare-Canton
    Canton, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Illinois CancerCare-Carthage
    Carthage, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
Show 44 more locations
  • Carle at The Riverfront
    Danville, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Cancer Care Specialists of Illinois - Decatur
    Decatur, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Decatur Memorial Hospital
    Decatur, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Carle Physician Group-Effingham
    Effingham, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Illinois CancerCare-Eureka
    Eureka, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Illinois CancerCare-Galesburg
    Galesburg, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Illinois CancerCare-Kewanee Clinic
    Kewanee, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Illinois CancerCare-Macomb
    Macomb, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Carle Physician Group-Mattoon/Charleston
    Mattoon, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Carle BroMenn Medical Center
    Normal, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Carle Cancer Institute Normal
    Normal, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Cancer Care Center of O'Fallon
    O'Fallon, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • HSHS Saint Elizabeth's Hospital
    O'Fallon, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Illinois CancerCare-Ottawa Clinic
    Ottawa, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Illinois CancerCare-Pekin
    Pekin, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Illinois CancerCare-Peoria
    Peoria, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Illinois CancerCare-Peru
    Peru, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Illinois CancerCare-Princeton
    Princeton, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Memorial Hospital East
    Shiloh, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
    Springfield, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Springfield Clinic
    Springfield, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Springfield Memorial Hospital
    Springfield, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Carle Cancer Center
    Urbana, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Illinois CancerCare - Washington
    Washington, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group
    Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States
    Recruiting
  • Trinity Health IHA Medical Group Hematology Oncology - Brighton
    Brighton, Michigan, United States
    Recruiting
  • Trinity Health IHA Medical Group Hematology Oncology - Canton
    Canton, Michigan, United States
    Recruiting
  • Trinity Health IHA Medical Group Hematology Oncology - Chelsea Hospital
    Chelsea, Michigan, United States
    Recruiting
  • Trinity Health Saint Mary Mercy Livonia Hospital
    Livonia, Michigan, United States
    Recruiting
  • Trinity Health Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital
    Pontiac, Michigan, United States
    Recruiting
  • Trinity Health IHA Medical Group Hematology Oncology Ann Arbor Campus
    Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States
    Recruiting
  • Siteman Cancer Center at Saint Peters Hospital
    City of Saint Peters, Missouri, United States
    Recruiting
  • Siteman Cancer Center at West County Hospital
    Creve Coeur, Missouri, United States
    Recruiting
  • Washington University School of Medicine
    St Louis, Missouri, United States
    Recruiting
  • Siteman Cancer Center-South County
    St Louis, Missouri, United States
    Recruiting
  • Siteman Cancer Center at Christian Hospital
    St Louis, Missouri, United States
    Recruiting
  • UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
    Recruiting
  • Duke University Medical Center
    Durham, North Carolina, United States
    Recruiting
  • Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
    Recruiting
  • Huntsman Cancer Institute/University of Utah
    Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
    Recruiting
  • VCU Massey Cancer Center at Stony Point
    Richmond, Virginia, United States
    Recruiting
  • VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Richmond, Virginia, United States
    Recruiting
  • FHCC Overlake
    Bellevue, Washington, United States
    Recruiting
  • FHCC at EvergreenHealth
    Kirkland, Washington, United States
    Recruiting

+12 more sites. See ClinicalTrials.gov for the full list.

Study contacts

  • Principal investigator: Mazyar Shadman — SWOG Cancer Research Network

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.