Recruiting

Phase 2

Zanubrutinib & Lisocabtagene MaraleucelZanubrutinib and Lisocabtagene Maraleucel for the Treatment of Richter's Syndrome

Sponsor:

Aseel Alsouqi

Code:

NCT05873712

Conditions

Recurrent Transformed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Refractory Transformed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Transformed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia to Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Recurrent Transformed B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Recurrent Transformed Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Biospecimen Collection

Bone Marrow Biopsy

Computed Tomography

Cyclophosphamide

Fludarabine

Study Details

Brief summary:

This phase II trial tests how well zanubrutinib and lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel) work together in treating patients with Richter's syndrome that has come back (recurrent) or does not respond to treatment (refractory). Richter's syndrome occurs when chronic lymphocytic leukemia and/or small lymphocytic leukemia transforms into an aggressive lymphoma, which is a cancer of the lymph nodes. Zanubrutinib is a class of medication called a kinase inhibitor. These drugs work by preventing the action of abnormal proteins that tell cancer cells to multiply, which helps stop the spread of cancer. Liso-cel is a type of treatment known as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy. CAR T-cell therapy is a type of treatment in which a patient's T cells (a type of immune system cell) are changed in the laboratory so they will attack cancer cells. T cells are taken from a patient's blood. Then the gene for a special receptor that binds to a certain protein on the patient's cancer cells is added to the T cells in the laboratory. The special receptor is called a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). Large numbers of the CAR T cells are grown in the laboratory and given to the patient by infusion for treatment of certain cancers. Giving zanubrutinib and liso-cell together may kill more cancer cells in patients with recurrent or refractory Richter's syndrome.

Conditions

Recurrent Transformed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Refractory Transformed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Transformed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia to Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Recurrent Transformed B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Recurrent Transformed Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Study ID

NCT05873712

Start date

Jul 28, 2023

Status verified date

Feb, 2026

Completion date

Dec 31, 2026

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Dec 31, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

Diagnosis of RS - occurrence of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in patients with antecedent or concurrent CLL/SLL (CLL/SLL diagnosis per IWCLL 2018 criteria).
Must have relapsed/refractory disease as defined by one of the following:

Participants must have undergone >= 1 prior systemic therapeutic regimen administered for >= 1 cycle for either CLL or RS, and have had either documented disease progression to the most recent treatment regimen, or refractory disease. OR
Developed RS while receiving treatment for CLL
Age >= 18 years
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status =< 2
Total bilirubin =< 2.0 times the institutional upper limit of normal (unless documented Gilbert's syndrome)
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\]) =< 2.5 x institutional upper limit of normal
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase \[SGPT\]) =< 2.5 x institutional upper limit of normal
Creatinine clearance >= 30 mL/min

Using 24-hour creatinine clearance or standard Cockcroft-Gault equation
Absolute lymphocyte count > 100/uL at screening
Left ventricular ejection fraction >= 40% by multigated acquisition (MUGA) or echocardiogram (ECHO)
Adequate bone marrow independent of growth factor support or infusion support at screening unless evidence shows that the cytopenia(s) is due to marrow involvement by CLL/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). If cytopenias are due to disease in the bone marrow any degree of anemia or thrombocytopenia are allowed, absolute neutrophil count (ANC) must be >= 500
Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >= 1000/mm\^3 (independent of growth factor support or infusion support at screening unless evidence shows that the cytopenia\[s\] is due to marrow involvement by CLL/SLL). If cytopenias are due to disease in the bone marrow any degree of anemia or thrombocytopenia are allowed, ANC must be >= 500
Platelets >= 30,000/mm\^3 (independent of growth factor support or infusion support at screening unless evidence shows that the cytopenia\[s\] is due to marrow involvement by CLL/SLL). If cytopenias are due to disease in the bone marrow any degree of anemia or thrombocytopenia are allowed
Hemoglobin >= 7 g/dL (independent of growth factor support or infusion support at screening unless evidence shows that the cytopenia\[s\] is due to marrow involvement by CLL/SLL). If cytopenias are due to disease in the bone marrow any degree of anemia or thrombocytopenia are allowed
Radiographically measurable lymphadenopathy (or measurable extra-nodal disease) per Lugano criteria
Must meet all institutional standards for receiving CAR T-cell therapy
Subjects (or legal guardians) must have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document
For women of childbearing potential: agreement to remain abstinent (refrain from heterosexual intercourse) or use a contraceptive method with a failure rate of < 1% per year, initiated prior to first dose of study drug, during the treatment period and for at least 1 year after the CAR-T cell infusion or 1 month after last dose of zanubrutinib, whichever is longer.

A woman is considered to be of childbearing potential if she is postmenarcheal, has not reached a postmenopausal state (< 12 continuous months of amenorrhea with no identified cause other than menopause), and has not undergone surgical sterilization (removal of ovaries and/or uterus). Examples of contraceptive methods with a failure rate of < 1% per year include bilateral tubal ligation, male sterilization, hormonal contraceptives that inhibit ovulation, hormone-releasing intrauterine devices, and copper intrauterine devices
For men: agreement to remain abstinent (refrain from heterosexual intercourse) or use contraceptive measures, and agreement to refrain from donating sperm, as defined below:

With female partners of childbearing potential, men must remain abstinent or use a condom plus an additional contraceptive method that together result in a failure rate of < 1% per year during the treatment period and for at least 1 year after the anti-CD19 CAR-T cell infusion or 1 month after last dose of zanubrutinib, whichever is longer. Men should avoid fathering a child and refrain from donating sperm during this same period.
With pregnant female partners, men must remain abstinent or use a condom during the treatment period and for at least 1 year after the human anti- CD19 CAR-T cell infusion or 1 month post last dose of zanubrutinib, whichever is longer, to avoid potential embryonal or fetal exposure. The reliability of sexual abstinence should be evaluated in relation to the duration of the clinical trial and the preferred and usual lifestyle of the patient. Periodic abstinence (e.g., calendar, ovulation, symptothermal, or postovulation methods) and withdrawal are not acceptable methods of contraception

Exclusion Criteria:

A history of treatment including any of the following: prior CD19 directed therapy, treatment with alemtuzumab within 6 months before enrollment, prior allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (SCT) or donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) within 2 months prior to enrollment
Prior allogeneic stem cell transplant with active graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), or requiring immunosuppressive drugs for treatment of GVHD, or have taken calcineurin inhibitors within 4 weeks prior to consent
Inadequate recovery from adverse events related to prior therapy to grade =< 1 (excluding grade 2 alopecia, neuropathy, and hypertension)
Is unable to swallow oral medication, or has significant gastrointestinal disease that would limit absorption of oral medication
Active bleeding or history of bleeding diathesis (e.g., hemophilia or von Willebrand disease)
Uncontrolled autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) or idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
Presence of a gastrointestinal ulcer diagnosed by endoscopy within 3 months before screening
Clinically significant cardiovascular disease such as symptomatic arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, or myocardial infarction within 6 months of screening, or any class 3 or 4 cardiac disease as defined by the New York Heart Association Functional Classification. Note: Subjects with controlled atrial fibrillation/flutter can enroll on study
Requires or receiving anticoagulation with warfarin or equivalent vitamin K antagonists
Prothrombin time (PT)/international normalized ratio (INR) or activated partial thromboplastin time (PTT) (in the absence of lupus anticoagulant) > 2 x upper limit normal (ULN)
Treatment with a moderate or strong CYP3A inhibitor or inducer within 7 days prior to first dose of zanubrutinib
Patients may not have an active intercurrent disease or concurrent malignancy that is expected to limit survival to < 5 years
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositivity at screening
Subjects with uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to ongoing or active infection, unstable angina pectoris, pulmonary abnormalities or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
Pregnant or breastfeeding women are excluded from this study because CAR-T cell therapy may be associated with the potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test. Because there is an unknown, but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with CAR-T cells, breastfeeding should be discontinued. These potential risks may also apply to other agents used in this study
Evidence of myelodysplasia or cytogenetic abnormality indicative of myelodysplasia on any bone marrow biopsy prior to initiation of therapy
Serologic status reflecting active hepatitis B or C infection at screening. Patients that are positive for hepatitis B core antibody, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), or hepatitis C antibody must have a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at screening. PCR positive patients will be excluded
History of autoimmune disease (i.e. rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus) with requirement of immunosuppressive medication within 6 months
Chronic use of corticosteroids >= 20mg prednisone equivalent PO daily
Live vaccines given in 28 days prior to lymphodepleting chemotherapy

Study Design

Enrollment

24 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Single group

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Treatment (zanubrutinib, liso-cel)

Patients receive zanubrutinib PO BID for up to day 90 and undergo leukaphereis at least 14 days after starting zanubrutinib. Patients receive fludarabine IV and cyclophosphamide IV on days -5 to -3 and liso-cel IV over 5-30 minutes on day 0. Patients also undergo BM biopsy and lymph node biopsy at screening and follow up, and undergo collection of blood samples and CT, PET/CT, and/or MRI throughout the trial.

Interventions

Biospecimen Collection

Undergo collection of blood samples

Bone Marrow Biopsy

Undergo BM biopsy

Computed Tomography

Undergo CT and/or PET/CT

Cyclophosphamide

Given IV

Fludarabine

Given IV

Leukapheresis

Given IV

Lisocabtagene Maraleucel

Given IV

Lymph Node Biopsy

Undergo lymph node biopsy

Positron Emission Tomography

Undergo PET/CT

Zanubrutinib

Given PO

Primary outcome measure

Overall response rate [ Time Frame: At 90 days after lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel) infusion ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

800-293-5066 OSUCCCClinicaltrials@osumc.edu

Locations

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Recruiting

New York, New York, United States, 10029

Contacts

Patricia Worker

(212) 824-7337 patricia.worker@mssm.edu

Principal Investigator:

Adam Kittai, MD

Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Recruiting

Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43210

Contacts

Jennifer A Woyach, MD

614-293-8165 Jennifer.Woyach@osumc.edu

Principal Investigator:

Jennifer A Woyach, MD

Huntsman Cancer Institute

Recruiting

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, 84112

Contacts

Lindsey Gilstrap

801-213-5652 lindsey.gilstrap@hci.utah.edu

Rachel Kingsford

801-585-0115 rachel.kingsford@hci.utah.edu

Principal Investigator:

Harsh Shah, MD

More Information

Sponsor

Aseel Alsouqi

Last update posted

Mar 3, 2026

Last verified

Feb, 2026

Keywords

Richter's Transformation
Richter's Syndrome

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-08. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Aseel Alsouqi on 2026-03-03.