Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Phase 2 Interventional Ages 18 and up

Venetoclax plus Zanubrutinib for CLL/SLL in frontline or previously treated patients

Official title: A Phase Two Study of Venetoclax Plus Zanubrutinib in Newly Diagnosed CLL and After Front-Line Time-Limited Venetoclax-Based Therapy

Run by Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center · NCT07734038 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This phase II trial tests if venetoclax plus zanubrutinib can safely and effectively treat adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma, including those who are newly diagnosed and those who have had prior therapy.

More Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia trials

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
Enrollment155 (estimated)
SponsorOhio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Academic / other
Drugs / interventionsobinutuzumab, rituximab, ibrutinib, zanubrutinib
Locations1 site (Columbus, Ohio)
StatusRecruiting
StartedSeptember 16, 2026
Main results expectedDecember 31, 2027
Study endsDecember 31, 2027
Registry record updatedNovember 9, 2026
Trial IDNCT07734038 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Adults (≥18 years) with CLL or SLL who are either treatment-naïve (frontline cohort) or have had prior fixed-duration venetoclax-based therapy (second-line cohort).

Probably not a fit

Patients with contraindications to either drug or those unlikely to tolerate the combination 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

This is a multicohort phase II interventional study evaluating a fixed-duration combination of venetoclax and zanubrutinib in adults with CLL or SLL. The study looks at undetectable MRD as a primary endpoint and also tracks response rate, duration of response, and time to next treatment, among other outcomes. Participants may undergo standard clinical assessments, imaging, bone marrow studies, and safety monitoring. Exploratory objectives include longer-term survival, resistance mutations, and immune function changes. The trial is sponsored by Kerry Rogers with AbbVie collaboration and locations at Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, patients may achieve deeper and longer-lasting remissions with a fixed-duration treatment.

How similar studies have gone: Prior studies of venetoclax and BTK inhibitors have shown activity in CLL/SLL, supporting exploration of this fixed-duration combination.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosis of CLL/SLL meeting criteria established in International Workshop on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (iwCLL) 2018 criteria
* Age ≥ 18 years
* Indications for treatment as defined by the iwCLL 2018 Guidelines
* Received prior treatment or not depending on cohort

  * Frontline cohort:

    * CLL/SLL who are treatment-naïve and have met criteria 1 through 3 above
  * Second line cohort:

    * Must have received time-limited venetoclax based therapy in the front line. This is defined as treatment with venetoclax and an-anti-CD20 antibody, venetoclax and a BTKi, or treatment with venetoclax and a BTKi, and an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody that was given for a fixed-duration. Patients who discontinue ibrutinib, due to intolerance, in a BTKi and venetoclax +/- obinutuzumab combination are eligible provided they completed other drugs in the regimen and in the opinion of the treating investigator the intolerance will not limit treatment with zanubrutinib and venetoclax. Patients who discontinued BTKi other than ibrutinib or who discontinued venetoclax due to intolerance will be excluded
    * At least 2 years since completion of initial CLL treatment
    * Only 1 prior line of therapy. Treatment with rituximab or other anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) or autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is not considered a prior line of CLL/SLL therapy
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance 0-2
* Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \> 1000/mm\^3 (independent of growth factor support at screening, unless cytopenias are due to marrow involvement by CLL/SLL)
* Platelets \> 30,000/mm\^3 at screening (independent of growth factor support at screening, unless cytopenias are due to marrow involvement by CLL/SLL)
* Hemoglobin \> 7 g/dL (independent of growth factor support at screening, unless cytopenias are due to marrow involvement by CLL/SLL)
* Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 3 x the upper limit of normal (ULN) or ≤ 5 x ULN with documented liver involvement
* Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x ULN or ≤ 3 x ULN with documented liver involvement and/or Gilbert's disease
* Creatinine clearance (CrCl) ≥ 50 according to modified Cockcroft-Gault equation
* Willing and able to complete study activities and treatment
* Willing and capable of giving signed informed consent which includes compliance with the requirements and restrictions listed in the informed consent form (ICF) and in the protocol
* Willingness of men and women of reproductive potential and their partners to observe conventional and highly effective or acceptable birth control methods for the duration of treatment and for 1 week following the last dose of zanubrutinib or 30 days following the last dose of venetoclax, whichever is longer

Exclusion Criteria:

* Second line arm only: Patients who progressed per iwCLL 2018 criteria on therapy or within two years of completing time-limited, venetoclax based treatment
* Frontline arm only: Patients with deletion 17p and/or TP53 mutation
* Active Richter's transformation
* Prior zanubrutinib exposure
* Known hypersensitivity to any of the excipients of zanubrutinib or venetoclax
* Need for treatment with warfarin or other vitamin K antagonist during study treatment
* History of stroke or intracranial hemorrhage within 6 months
* Known bleeding diathesis
* Inability to take pills or oral medications
* Clinically significant active malabsorption syndrome or other condition likely to affect gastrointestinal (GI) absorption of either zanubrutinib or venetoclax
* Active second malignancy unless in remission and with life expectancy \> 2 years. Adjuvant endocrine therapy for breast or prostate cancer that is expected to be cured is allowed. Non-melanoma skin cancers are permitted if adequately treated
* Psychiatric illness, or social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
* Active uncontrolled auto-immune cytopenia (e.g., autoimmune hemolytic anemia \[AIHA\], idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura \[ITP\]) for which new therapy was introduced or existing therapy was escalated within the 4 weeks prior to study enrollment to maintain adequate blood counts
* Evidence of other clinically significant uncontrolled condition(s) including but not limited to, uncontrolled systemic bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic infection (except for fungal nail infection), or other clinically significant active disease process which in the opinion of the investigator may pose a risk for patient participation. Screening for chronic conditions is not required
* Significant cardiovascular disease defined as:

  * Unstable angina or acute coronary syndrome within the past 2 months
  * History of myocardial infarction within 3 months
  * Documented left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by any method of ≤ 40% within 12 months
  * ≥ grade 3 New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification system of heart failure
  * Uncontrolled or symptomatic arrhythmias

    * Note: Patients with pacemakers are eligible if they have no history of fainting or clinically relevant arrhythmias while using the pacemaker
* Prolongation of the QT interval corrected for heart rate (QTcF) \> 470 msec. QTcF is calculated using Fridericia's Formula (QTcF)

  * Correction of suspected drug induced QTcF prolongation can be attempted at the investigator's discretion and only if clinically safe to do so with either discontinuation of the offending drug or switch to another drug not known to be associated with QTcF prolongation
  * Correction for underlying bundle branch block (BBB) allowed
* Known active hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection based on criteria below:

  * Hepatitis B virus (HBV): Patients with positive hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) are not excluded. Patients with positive hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) and negative HBsAg require hepatitis B polymerase chain reaction (PCR) evaluation before inclusion. Patients who are hepatitis B PCR positive at time of screening will be excluded. Those who have hepatitis B core antibody positive and a negative PCR will be included if they are agreeable to receive antiviral prophylaxis
  * Hepatitis C virus (HCV): If hepatitis C antibody is positive, patients will need to have a negative result for hepatitis C ribonucleic acid (RNA) before inclusion. Patients who are hepatitis C RNA positive at time of screening will be excluded. Patients previously treated for hepatitis C \> 6 months previously with a negative RNA test are eligible
  * Patients who are receiving intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) who test positive for any hepatitis B or C serologies and have a negative PCR and who are deemed likely to have received antibodies passively through IVIG and not from prior infection will be included without viral prophylaxis
* Treatment with a strong cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A inhibitor or inducer and/or strong P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitors within 3 days of starting and during study treatment
* Patients may not plan to consume grapefruit or grapefruit products, Seville oranges or products from Seville oranges, or star fruit
* Pregnancy, lactation, or plan to breastfeed during treatment with or within 2 weeks of the last dose of zanubrutinib or 1 month of the last dose of venetoclax
* Major surgery within 4 weeks prior to screening
* Vaccination with live vaccine within 28 days of screening
* Currently incarcerated
* Current central nervous system involvement by CLL/SLL

Where it's running

  • Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Columbus, Ohio, United States
    Recruiting

Study contacts

  • Principal investigator: Kerry A Rogers, MD — Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • Study coordinator: The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • Email: OSUCCCClinicaltrials@osumc.edu
  • Phone: 800-293-5066

Similar studies

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

  • Combination treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and lymphoma

    This study is testing a new combination treatment with sonrotoclax and either zanubrutinib or rituximab to see if it can help patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, small lymphocytic lymphoma, and mantle cell lymphoma.

    Recruiting Phase 2 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center · Seattle, Washington · NCT06839053

  • Combining zanubrutinib and obinutuzumab for untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma

    This study is testing if combining two medications, zanubrutinib and obinutuzumab, can help people with untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma achieve better treatment results.

    Recruiting at 19 sites Phase 2 PETHEMA Foundation · Alicante and 18 other locations · NCT06544785

  • Tafasitamab plus Acalabrutinib and Venetoclax for newly treated CLL/SLL

    This phase II study tests a combination of tafasitamab, acalabrutinib, and venetoclax in adults who are newly diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma to see if it is safe and effective.

    Recruiting at 2 sites Phase 2 City of Hope Medical Center · Duarte, California and 1 other locations · NCT07582159

  • Nemtabrutinib and venetoclax in untreated CLL/SLL

    This phase 2 study tests whether combining nemtabrutinib with venetoclax can help people with untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma.

    Recruiting Phase 2 Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center · Columbus, Ohio · NCT07557056

  • NX-5948 plus other medicines for B-cell cancers

    This trial tests NX-5948 in combination with venetoclax, with or without anti-CD20 antibodies, for adults with CLL/SLL or B-cell lymphoma that has returned or worsened or is newly diagnosed but needing treatment.

    Recruiting at 5 sites Phase 1/2 Nurix Therapeutics, Inc. · Aurora, Colorado and 8 other locations · NCT07520006

  • NX-5948 vs Pirtobrutinib in R/R CLL/SLL

    This study tests NX-5948 against pirtobrutinib in people with relapsed or refractory CLL/SLL who have previously tried a covalent BTK inhibitor.

    Recruiting at 6 sites Phase 3 Nurix Therapeutics, Inc. · Macon, Georgia and 5 other locations · NCT07516093

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.