Ponatinib Efficacy in Chronic Phase Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Data from Three Centers in the Russian Federation

Olga Vladimirovna Kulemina, E.Yu. Chelysheva, S.V. Voloshin, A.N. Velichko, I.S. Martynkevich, E.V. Efremova, O.A. Shukhov, Yu.D. Matvienko, T.V. Chitanava, N.T. Siordiya, N.S. Lazorko, E.I. Sbityakova, E.N. Tochenaya, Ju.A. Alekseeva, E.S. Mileeva, A.A. Pirkhalo, N.N. Nemstsveridze, N.A. Shnalieva, L.O. Khordzhasov, N.S. Kazanskaia, V.A. Shuvaev, A.G. Turkina, Е.G. Lomaia,

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21320/2500-2139-2026-19-4-419-433

AIM. To assess the efficacy and tolerability of ponatinib in patients with the 1st chronic phase (CP) of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and with either prior tyrosine kinase inhibitor (ITK) resistance or the T315I mutation in the BCR::ABL1 gene.

MATERIALS & METHODS. The study is based on the retrospective analysis of 99 CP CML patients treated with ponatinib in ≥ 2 therapy lines (83.8 % in the third and subsequent lines) as part of the clinical studies OPTIC, OPTIC-2L, and expanded access program in three medical institutions of the Russian Federation. The T315I mutation was identified in 31/96 patients (32.3 %). Most patients (86/99; 58.6 %) did not show complete hematologic response upon the start of ponatinib therapy, and 39/99 patients (39.4 %) did not achieve any cytogenetic response (CyR) on prior ITK therapy lines.

RESULTS. On ponatinib therapy, the percentage of patients with complete CyR and molecular response 2 (CCyR/MR2) as well as major (MMR) and deep molecular response (DMR) was 55.4 %, 43.4 %, and 33.7 %, respectively. The median ponatinib therapy duration was 27.6 months (range 0.5–88.5 months). The probability of achieving CCyR/MR2 within 1 and 2 years of therapy was 45.9 % and 57.0 %, respectively. The median time before achieving CCyR/MR2 was 2.8 months (range 2.7–43.1 months), 38/51 patients (74.5 %) maintained CCyR/MR2 for 24 months. The number of patients with the T315I mutation and CCyR/MR2 was 12/31 (38.7 %), and the median time before achieving MR2 appeared to be comparable with that in the total cohort, i.e., 2.8 months (range 2.7–8.3 months). About half of patients achieved MMR and DMR by the 5th year of ponatinib therapy (57.7 % and 49.4 %, respectively). The median time before achieving MMR and DMR was 9.6 months (range 2.7–70.9 months) and 22.3 months (range 2.7–82.7 months), respectively. The multivariate regression analysis revealed favorable predictors of MR2 and MMR: BCR::ABL1 expression level ≤ 10 %, absence of mutations, and age ≤ 42 years at the start of ponatinib therapy. Rates of the 5-year OS, PFS, and EFS were 85.2 %, 86.6 %, and 34.3 %, respectively.

CONCLUSION. Ponatinib demonstrated high efficacy both in patients with the T315I mutation and in heavily pre-treated patients. This study showed that baseline high level of BCR::ABL1 gene transcript or/and the absence of any CyR dramatically worsen long-term therapy outcomes. Another unfavorable prognostic factor is a failure to achieve CCyR/MR2 within the 1st year of ponatinib therapy, which calls for finding alternative treatment.

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  • Olga Vladimirovna Kulemina,  , VA Almazov National Medical Research Center, 2 Akkuratova ul., Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 197341, e-mail: olkulem@gmail.com

Published

01.10.2026

Issue

MYELOID TUMORS

How to Cite

Kulemina O.V., Chelysheva E.Y., Voloshin S.V., et al. Ponatinib Efficacy in Chronic Phase Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Data from Three Centers in the Russian Federation. Clinical Oncohematology. Basic Research and Clinical Practice. 2026;19(4):419–433. doi:10.21320/2500-2139-2026-19-4-419-433.

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