The approval of blinatumomab based on achievement of undetectable minimal residual disease (MRD) in patients with B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in complete remission is the first of its kind and raises important considerations. This drug might improve outcomes in this setting, although considerable evidence is needed to validate the performance of MRD as a surrogate end point and confirm the hypothesis.
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Acknowledgements
V.P.’s work is in part funded by the non-profit Laura and John Arnold Foundation.
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T.H. declares no competing interests. V.P. receives royalties from his book Ending Medical Reversal, has received honoraria for Grand Rounds or lectures from several universities, medical centres, and professional societies, and is a writer for Medscape.
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Hilal, T., Prasad, V. Eliminating MRD — FDA approval of blinatumomab for B-ALL in complete remission. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 15, 727–728 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41571-018-0087-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41571-018-0087-y
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