Diffuse Large B-Cell LymphomaPhase 2NCT04978584
Rituximab, Lenalidomide, Acalabrutinib, Tafasitamab Alone and With Combination Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Non-germinal Center Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, Smart Stop Study
A Phase 2 study testing Acalabrutinib, Cyclophosphamide and Doxorubicin Hydrochloride in people with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, run by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This phase II trial studies the effect of rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab alone and in combination with chemotherapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed non-germinal center diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
- What is being tested?
- Acalabrutinib, Cyclophosphamide and Doxorubicin Hydrochloride
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 62 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 3 Mar 2022to 16 Jan 2027
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Histopathologically confirmed diagnosis of DLBCL.
- No prior treatment except a prior limited-field radiotherapy, a short course of glucocorticoids ≤50mg daily of prednisone equivalent which must be no more than 4 days in duration and cease prior to day 1 of cycle 1, and/or 1 dose of cyclophosphamide 750mg/m2 for an urgent lymphoma related problem at diagnosis (e.g. epidural cord compression, superior vena cava syndrome).
- Age ≥ 18 years and able to provide informed consent.
- Participants must have bi-dimensional measurable disease, as defined as radiographically apparent disease with the longest dimension of ≥1.5cm.
- Participants with performance status of ≤3 (3 only allowed if decline in status is deemed related to lymphoma and felt potentially reversible by the treating physician).
- Serum bilirubin <1.5x ULN except in participants with Gilbert's syndrome as defined by > 80% unconjugated bilirubin who must have a serum bilirubin of <4x ULN; AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) ≤ 3x ULN or < 5x ULN if hepatic metastases are present; ANC >1000/mm3 and platelets >100,000/mm3 unless deemed related to lymphoma involvement in the bone marrow and felt potentially reversible by the treating physician.
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- Renal function assessed by calculated creatinine clearance:
- Calculated creatinine clearance ≥ 30ml/min by Cockcroft-Gault formula. See section below, "Dosing Regimen", regarding lenalidomide dose adjustment for calculated creatinine clearance ≥ 30ml/min and < 60ml/min.
- Participants must be willing to receive transfusions of blood products.
- All study participants must be registered into the mandatory Revlimid REMS® program, and be willing and able to comply with the requirements of the REMS® program.
- Women of childbearing potential must have a negative serum (beta-human chorionic gonadotropin [beta-hCG]) at screening and must adhere to the scheduled pregnancy testing as required in the Revlimid REMS® program.
- Women of childbearing potential and men who are sexually active with a woman of childbearing potential must be practicing a highly effective method of during and after the study (12 months after study drug for women and 3 months after study drug for men), consistent with local regulations regarding the use of birth control methods for participants participating in this clinical study. Men must agree to not donate sperm during and for up to 3 months after their conclusion of therapy on study.
- Able to take aspirin (81 mg) daily or alternative therapy as prophylactic anticoagulation
Who cannot join
- Any serious medical condition including but not limited to uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled congestive heart failure within past 6 months prior to screening (Class 3 (moderate) or Class 4 (severe) cardiac disease as defined by the New York Heart Association Functional Classification), uncontrolled or symptomatic arrhythmias with corrected QT interval (QTc) > 480 msec at screening, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, active/symptomatic coronary artery disease, COPD, LVEF less than 40%, renal failure, uncontrolled autoimmune hemolytic anemia or idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura active infection, history of invasive fungal infection, moderate to severe hepatic disease (Child Pugh Class B or C), active hemorrhage, laboratory abnormality, or psychiatric illness that, in the investigators opinion places the participant at unacceptable risk and would prevent the subject from signing the informed consent form. Participants with history of cardiac arrhythmias should have cardiac evaluation and clearance.
- Pregnant or lactating females.
- Known hypersensitivity to lenalidomide or thalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab, rituximab, vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, or prednisone.
- Known HIV infection. Hepatitis B or C serologic status: subjects who are hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) positive and who are hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) negative will need to have a negative DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and must be willing to undergo DNA PCR testing during the study to be eligible. Those who are HBsAg positive or hepatitis B DNA PCR positive will be excluded. Participants who are hepatitis C antibody positive will need to have a negative DNA PCR result to be eligible. Those who are hepatitis C DNA PCR positive will be excluded.
- All participants with known central nervous system involvement with lymphoma.
- Diagnosis of prior malignancy within the past 2 years with the exception of successfully treated basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, carcinoma "in situ" of the cervix or breast. History of other malignancies are allowed if in remission (including prostate cancer participants in remission from radiation therapy, surgery or brachytherapy), not actively being treated, with a life expectancy > 3 years.
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- Significant neuropathy (Grades 2 or Grade 1 with pain) within 14 days prior to enrollment
- Contraindication to any of the required concomitant drugs or supportive treatments or intolerance to hydration due to preexisting pulmonary or cardiac impairment including pleural effusion requiring thoracentesis or ascites requiring paracentesis not due to lymphoma.
- Participants with active pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis (diagnosed within 30 days of study enrollment).
- Participants with severe bradycardia (heart rate <40 bpm, hypotension, light-headedness, syncope).
- Major surgery within 4 weeks of study entry, or wound that is not healed from prior surgery or trauma.
- History of stroke or intracranial hemorrhage within 6 months prior to study entry.
- Requires anticoagulation with warfarin or equivalent vitamin K antagonists.
- Requires chronic treatment with strong CYP3A inhibitors.
- Vaccinated with live, attenuated vaccines within 4 weeks of study entry.
- Active bleeding or history of bleeding diathesis (eg, hemophilia or von Willebrand disease).
- Uncontrolled AIHA (autoimmune hemolytic anemia) or ITP (idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura).
- Presence of a gastrointestinal ulcer diagnosed by endoscopy within 3 months before screening.
- Prothrombin time (PT)/INR or aPTT (in the absence of lupus anticoagulant) >2x ULN.
- Requires treatment with proton pump inhibitors (eg, omeprazole, esomeprazole, lansoprazole, dexlansoprazole, rabeprazole, or pantoprazole). Note: Subjects receiving proton pump inhibitors who switch to H2-receptor antagonists or antacids are eligible for enrollment to this study.
- Concurrent participation in another therapeutic clinical trial.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Smart Stop: A Phase II Trial of Rituximab, Lenalidomide, Acalabrutinib, Tafasitamab Prior to and With Standard Chemotherapy for Patients With Newly Diagnosed DLBCL
This phase II trial studies the effect of rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab alone and in combination with chemotherapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed non-germinal center diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Rituximab and tafasitamab are monoclonal antibodies that may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Acalabrutinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Chemotherapy drugs, such as lenalidomide, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine, and work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as prednisone lower the body's immune response and are used with other drugs in the treatment of some types of cancer. Giving rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab alone and with combination chemotherapy may help control non-germinal center diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
Read the detailed description
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:
- To determine the overall response rate at the end of 4 cycles of therapy with rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab in patients with high risk newly diagnosed non-germinal center B-cell (GCB) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
II. To determine the complete response rate at the end of 10 cycles of therapy with rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab and chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide-hydroxydaunorubicin-oncovin-prednisone [CHOP]) in patients with high risk newly diagnosed non-GCB DLBCL.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
- To determine the overall response rate, survival outcomes (progression free and overall survival), and safety of rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab and chemotherapy (CHOP) in patients with high risk newly diagnosed non-GCB DLBCL.
II. To evaluate the outcomes of patients who receive 10 cycles of rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab with 6 concurrent cycles of CHOP in contrast to patients who receive a response adapted 2 concurrent cycles of CHOP in cohort 1.
III. To evaluate the outcomes of patients who receive 10 cycles of rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab with 6 concurrent cycles of CHOP in contrast to patients who receive a response adapted 0 concurrent cycles of CHOP in cohort 2.
EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVE:
- To evaluate the baseline and therapy induced changes in the profile of mutations, gene expression, minimal residual disease circulating tumor deoxyribonucleic acid (ctDNA) levels, immune cell subsets, in patients with newly diagnosed non-GCB DLBCL.
OUTLINE:
COHORT I (SMART STOP): Patients receive rituximab intravenously (IV) over 4-6 hours on day 1, acalabrutinib orally (PO) twice daily (BID) on days 1-21, lenalidomide once daily (QD) on days 1-10, and tafasitamab IV over 2 hours on days 1, 8, and 15. Treatments repeat every 21 days for up to 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
COHORT II (uLTRA-CHOP): Patients who achieve a complete response to the Smart Stop in Cohort I, receive rituximab IV over 4-6 hours on day 1, acalabrutinib PO BID on days 1-21, lenalidomide QD on days 1-10, and tafasitamab IV over 2 hours on days 1, 8, and 15. Treatments repeat every 21 days for up to 2 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also receive cyclophosphamide IV over 1 hour, doxorubicin hydrochloride IV over 15 minutes, vincristine IV over 15 minutes on day 1, and prednisone PO QD on days 1-5. Treatments repeat every 21 days for up to 6 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients who achieve less than a complete response, receive rituximab IV over 4-6 hours on day 1, acalabrutinib PO BID on days 1-21, lenalidomide QD on days 1-10, and tafasitamab IV over 2 hours on days 1, 8, and 15. Patients also receive cyclophosphamide IV over 1 hour, doxorubicin hydrochloride IV over 15 minutes, vincristine IV over 15 minutes on day 1, and prednisone PO QD on days 1-5. Treatments repeat every 21 days for up to 6 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for 1 year, then every 4 months for 1 year.
- Conditions
- Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
- Being tested
- Acalabrutinib, Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin Hydrochloride, Lenalidomide, Prednisone
- Medical subject headings
- Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
AcalabrutinibDrug
Also called ACP-196, Bruton Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor ACP-196, Calquence
Given PO
CyclophosphamideDrug
Also called (-)-Cyclophosphamide, 2H-1,3,2-Oxazaphosphorine, 2-[bis(2-chloroethyl)amino]tetrahydro-, 2-oxide, monohydrate, Carloxan, Ciclofosfamida
Given IV
Also called 5,12-Naphthacenedione, 10-[(3-amino-2,3,6-trideoxy-alpha-L-lyxo-hexopyranosyl)oxy]-7,8, 9,10-tetrahydro-6,8,11-trihydroxy-8-(hydroxyacetyl)-1-methoxy-, hydrochloride, (8S-cis)- (9CI), ADM, Adriacin, Adriamycin
Given IV
LenalidomideDrug
Also called CC-5013, CC5013, CDC 501, Revlimid
Given PO
PrednisoneDrug
Also called .delta.1-Cortisone, 1, 2-Dehydrocortisone, Adasone, Cortancyl
Given PO
RituximabBiological
Also called ABP 798, BI 695500, C2B8 Monoclonal Antibody, Chimeric Anti-CD20 Antibody
Given IV
TafasitamabBiological
Also called Immunoglobulin, Anti-(Human Cd19 Antigen) (Human-mus musculus Monoclonal MOR00208 Heavy Chain), Disulfide with Human-mus musculus Monoclonal MOR00208 .Kappa.-chain, Dimer, Monjuvi, MOR-00208, MOR00208
Given IV
VincristineDrug
Also called Leurocristine, VCR, Vincrystine
Given IV
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment (uLTRA, CHOP) | Experimental | COHORT I (SMART STOP): Patients receive rituximab IV over 4-6 hours on day 1, acalabrutinib PO BID on days 1-21, lenalidomide QD on days 1-10, and tafasitamab IV over 2 hours on days 1, 8, and 15. Treatments repeat every 21 days for up to 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
COHORT II (uLTRA-CHOP): Patients who achieve a complete response to the Smart Stop in Cohort I, receive rituximab IV over 4-6 hours on day 1, acalabrutinib PO BID on days 1-21, lenalidomide QD on days 1-10, and tafasitamab IV over 2 hours on days 1, 8, and 15. Treatments repeat every 21 days for up to 2 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also receive cyclophosphamide IV over 1 hour, doxorubicin hydrochloride IV over 15 minutes, vincristine IV over 15 minutes on day 1, and prednisone PO QD on days 1-5. Treatments repeat every 21 days for up to 6 cycles in the absence of disease progr Receives: Drug: Acalabrutinib; Drug: Cyclophosphamide; Drug: Doxorubicin Hydrochloride; Drug: Lenalidomide; Drug: Prednisone; Biological: Rituximab; Biological: Tafasitamab; Drug: Vincristine |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Overall response rate
The response rate and exact 95% confidence intervals will be calculated.
Measured: At the end of 4 cycles of therapy with rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab (each cycle = 21 days)
Complete response rate
The response rate and exact 95% confidence intervals will be calculated.
Measured: At the end of 10 cycles of therapy with rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab and chemotherapy (each cycle = 21 days)
Secondary outcomes (3)
Incidence of adverse events (AEs)
The unacceptable toxicity rate and exact 95% confidence intervals will be calculated. AE data will be summarized by frequency tables for all patient
Measured: Up to 30 days post-treatment
Progression free survival
Will be estimated using the method of Kaplan and Meier.
Measured: From study entry to objective disease progression or death from any cause, whichever occurs first, assessed up to 2 years post-treatment
Overall survival
Will be estimated using the method of Kaplan and Meier.
Measured: Time between study entry and death from any cause, assessed up to 2 years post-treatment
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted27 Jul 2021
- Study start3 Mar 2022
- Primary completion16 Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion16 Jan 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Diffuse Large B-Cell LymphomaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by M.D. Anderson Cancer CenterThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Sequential
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 62 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Jason Westin, MD, Principal investigator, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04978584
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2021-0046
- Other IDs
- NCI-2021-04298, 2021-0046
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 10 Jun 2021
- Last updated
- 6 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Publications
Duell J, Westin J. The future of immunotherapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Int J Cancer. 2025 Jan 15;156(2):251-261. doi: 10.1002/ijc.35156. Epub 2024 Sep 25.
PubMed 39319495Westin J, Davis RE, Feng L, Hagemeister F, Steiner R, Lee HJ, Fayad L, Nastoupil L, Ahmed S, Rodriguez A, Fanale M, Samaniego F, Iyer SP, Nair R, Oki Y, Fowler N, Wang M, Ma MCJ, Vega F, McDonnell T, Pinnix C, Griffith D, Lu Y, Tewari S, Sun R, Scott DW, Flowers CR, Neelapu S, Green MR. Smart Start: Rituximab, Lenalidomide, and Ibrutinib in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Large B-Cell Lymphoma. J Clin Oncol. 2023 Feb 1;41(4):745-755. doi: 10.1200/JCO.22.00597. Epub 2022 Aug 11.
PubMed 35952327
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Smart Stop: A Phase II Trial of Rituximab, Lenalidomide, Acalabrutinib, Tafasitamab Prior to and With Standard Chemotherapy for Patients With Newly Diagnosed DLBCL
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04978584
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2021-0046
- Conditions
- Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 62 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- M.D. Anderson Cancer CenterUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 3 Mar 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 16 Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 16 Jan 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 27 Jul 2021 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This phase II trial studies the effect of rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab alone and in combination with chemotherapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed non-germinal center diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Rituximab and tafasitamab are monoclonal antibodies that may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Acalabrutinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Chemotherapy drugs, such as lenalidomide, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine, and work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as prednisone lower the body's immune response and are used with other drugs in the treatment of some types of cancer. Giving rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab alone and with combination chemotherapy may help control non-germinal center diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
Detailed description
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:
- To determine the overall response rate at the end of 4 cycles of therapy with rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab in patients with high risk newly diagnosed non-germinal center B-cell (GCB) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
II. To determine the complete response rate at the end of 10 cycles of therapy with rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab and chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide-hydroxydaunorubicin-oncovin-prednisone [CHOP]) in patients with high risk newly diagnosed non-GCB DLBCL.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
- To determine the overall response rate, survival outcomes (progression free and overall survival), and safety of rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab and chemotherapy (CHOP) in patients with high risk newly diagnosed non-GCB DLBCL.
II. To evaluate the outcomes of patients who receive 10 cycles of rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab with 6 concurrent cycles of CHOP in contrast to patients who receive a response adapted 2 concurrent cycles of CHOP in cohort 1.
III. To evaluate the outcomes of patients who receive 10 cycles of rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab with 6 concurrent cycles of CHOP in contrast to patients who receive a response adapted 0 concurrent cycles of CHOP in cohort 2.
EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVE:
- To evaluate the baseline and therapy induced changes in the profile of mutations, gene expression, minimal residual disease circulating tumor deoxyribonucleic acid (ctDNA) levels, immune cell subsets, in patients with newly diagnosed non-GCB DLBCL.
OUTLINE:
COHORT I (SMART STOP): Patients receive rituximab intravenously (IV) over 4-6 hours on day 1, acalabrutinib orally (PO) twice daily (BID) on days 1-21, lenalidomide once daily (QD) on days 1-10, and tafasitamab IV over 2 hours on days 1, 8, and 15. Treatments repeat every 21 days for up to 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
COHORT II (uLTRA-CHOP): Patients who achieve a complete response to the Smart Stop in Cohort I, receive rituximab IV over 4-6 hours on day 1, acalabrutinib PO BID on days 1-21, lenalidomide QD on days 1-10, and tafasitamab IV over 2 hours on days 1, 8, and 15. Treatments repeat every 21 days for up to 2 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also receive cyclophosphamide IV over 1 hour, doxorubicin hydrochloride IV over 15 minutes, vincristine IV over 15 minutes on day 1, and prednisone PO QD on days 1-5. Treatments repeat every 21 days for up to 6 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients who achieve less than a complete response, receive rituximab IV over 4-6 hours on day 1, acalabrutinib PO BID on days 1-21, lenalidomide QD on days 1-10, and tafasitamab IV over 2 hours on days 1, 8, and 15. Patients also receive cyclophosphamide IV over 1 hour, doxorubicin hydrochloride IV over 15 minutes, vincristine IV over 15 minutes on day 1, and prednisone PO QD on days 1-5. Treatments repeat every 21 days for up to 6 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for 1 year, then every 4 months for 1 year.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Sequential
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment (uLTRA, CHOP) | Experimental | Drug: Acalabrutinib, Drug: Cyclophosphamide, Drug: Doxorubicin Hydrochloride, Drug: Lenalidomide, Drug: Prednisone, Biological: Rituximab, Biological: Tafasitamab, Drug: VincristineCOHORT I (SMART STOP): Patients receive rituximab IV over 4-6 hours on day 1, acalabrutinib PO BID on days 1-21, lenalidomide QD on days 1-10, and tafasitamab IV over 2 hours on days 1, 8, and 15. Treatments repeat every 21 days for up to 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. COHORT II (uLTRA-CHOP): Patients who achieve a complete response to the Smart Stop in Cohort I, receive rituximab IV over 4-6 hours on day 1, acalabrutinib PO BID on days 1-21, lenalidomide QD on days 1-10, and tafasitamab IV over 2 hours on days 1, 8, and 15. Treatments repeat every 21 days for up to 2 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also receive cyclophosphamide IV over 1 hour, doxorubicin hydrochloride IV over 15 minutes, vincristine IV over 15 minutes on day 1, and prednisone PO QD on days 1-5. Treatments repeat every 21 days for up to 6 cycles in the absence of disease progr |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (13 listed)
- Histopathologically confirmed diagnosis of DLBCL.
- No prior treatment except a prior limited-field radiotherapy, a short course of glucocorticoids ≤50mg daily of prednisone equivalent which must be no more than 4 days in duration and cease prior to day 1 of cycle 1, and/or 1 dose of cyclophosphamide 750mg/m2 for an urgent lymphoma related problem at diagnosis (e.g. epidural cord compression, superior vena cava syndrome).
- Age ≥ 18 years and able to provide informed consent.
- Participants must have bi-dimensional measurable disease, as defined as radiographically apparent disease with the longest dimension of ≥1.5cm.
- Participants with performance status of ≤3 (3 only allowed if decline in status is deemed related to lymphoma and felt potentially reversible by the treating physician).
Key exclusion criteria (21 listed)
- Any serious medical condition including but not limited to uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled congestive heart failure within past 6 months prior to screening (Class 3 (moderate) or Class 4 (severe) cardiac disease as defined by the New York Heart Association Functional Classification), uncontrolled or symptomatic arrhythmias with corrected QT interval (QTc) > 480 msec at screening, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, active/symptomatic coronary artery disease, COPD, LVEF less than 40%, renal failure, uncontrolled autoimmune hemolytic anemia or idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura active infection, history of invasive fungal infection, moderate to severe hepatic disease (Child Pugh Class B or C), active hemorrhage, laboratory abnormality, or psychiatric illness that, in the investigators opinion places the participant at unacceptable risk and would prevent the subject from signing the informed consent form. Participants with history of cardiac arrhythmias should have cardiac evaluation and clearance.
- Pregnant or lactating females.
- Known hypersensitivity to lenalidomide or thalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab, rituximab, vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, or prednisone.
- Known HIV infection. Hepatitis B or C serologic status: subjects who are hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) positive and who are hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) negative will need to have a negative DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and must be willing to undergo DNA PCR testing during the study to be eligible. Those who are HBsAg positive or hepatitis B DNA PCR positive will be excluded. Participants who are hepatitis C antibody positive will need to have a negative DNA PCR result to be eligible. Those who are hepatitis C DNA PCR positive will be excluded.
- All participants with known central nervous system involvement with lymphoma.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| AcalabrutinibAlso: ACP-196, Bruton Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor ACP-196, CalquenceGiven PO | Drug | Treatment (uLTRA, CHOP) |
| CyclophosphamideAlso: (-)-Cyclophosphamide, 2H-1,3,2-Oxazaphosphorine, 2-[bis(2-chloroethyl)amino]tetrahydro-, 2-oxide, monohydrate, Carloxan, CiclofosfamidaGiven IV | Drug | Treatment (uLTRA, CHOP) |
| Doxorubicin HydrochlorideAlso: 5,12-Naphthacenedione, 10-[(3-amino-2,3,6-trideoxy-alpha-L-lyxo-hexopyranosyl)oxy]-7,8, 9,10-tetrahydro-6,8,11-trihydroxy-8-(hydroxyacetyl)-1-methoxy-, hydrochloride, (8S-cis)- (9CI), ADM, Adriacin, AdriamycinGiven IV | Drug | Treatment (uLTRA, CHOP) |
| LenalidomideAlso: CC-5013, CC5013, CDC 501, RevlimidGiven PO | Drug | Treatment (uLTRA, CHOP) |
| PrednisoneAlso: .delta.1-Cortisone, 1, 2-Dehydrocortisone, Adasone, CortancylGiven PO | Drug | Treatment (uLTRA, CHOP) |
| RituximabAlso: ABP 798, BI 695500, C2B8 Monoclonal Antibody, Chimeric Anti-CD20 AntibodyGiven IV | Biological | Treatment (uLTRA, CHOP) |
| TafasitamabAlso: Immunoglobulin, Anti-(Human Cd19 Antigen) (Human-mus musculus Monoclonal MOR00208 Heavy Chain), Disulfide with Human-mus musculus Monoclonal MOR00208 .Kappa.-chain, Dimer, Monjuvi, MOR-00208, MOR00208Given IV | Biological | Treatment (uLTRA, CHOP) |
| VincristineAlso: Leurocristine, VCR, VincrystineGiven IV | Drug | Treatment (uLTRA, CHOP) |
Primary outcome
Overall response rate
Time frame: At the end of 4 cycles of therapy with rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab (each cycle = 21 days)
The response rate and exact 95% confidence intervals will be calculated.
Complete response rate
Time frame: At the end of 10 cycles of therapy with rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab and chemotherapy (each cycle = 21 days)
The response rate and exact 95% confidence intervals will be calculated.
3 secondary outcomes
Incidence of adverse events (AEs)
Time frame: Up to 30 days post-treatment
Progression free survival
Time frame: From study entry to objective disease progression or death from any cause, whichever occurs first, assessed up to 2 years post-treatment
Overall survival
Time frame: Time between study entry and death from any cause, assessed up to 2 years post-treatment
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 6 Oct 2026.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 39319495Duell J, Westin J. The future of immunotherapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Int J Cancer. 2025 Jan 15;156(2):251-261. doi: 10.1002/ijc.35156. Epub 2024 Sep 25.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 35952327Westin J, Davis RE, Feng L, Hagemeister F, Steiner R, Lee HJ, Fayad L, Nastoupil L, Ahmed S, Rodriguez A, Fanale M, Samaniego F, Iyer SP, Nair R, Oki Y, Fowler N, Wang M, Ma MCJ, Vega F, McDonnell T, Pinnix C, Griffith D, Lu Y, Tewari S, Sun R, Scott DW, Flowers CR, Neelapu S, Green MR. Smart Start: Rituximab, Lenalidomide, and Ibrutinib in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Large B-Cell Lymphoma. J Clin Oncol. 2023 Feb 1;41(4):745-755. doi: 10.1200/JCO.22.00597. Epub 2022 Aug 11.
- MD Anderson Cancer CenterLink provided by the sponsor.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Jason Westin, MD principal investigator
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 2 study testing Acalabrutinib, Cyclophosphamide and Doxorubicin Hydrochloride in people with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, run by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 13 inclusion and 21 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Overall response rate (time frame: At the end of 4 cycles of therapy with rituximab, lenalidomide, acalabrutinib, tafasitamab (each cycle = 21 days)). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04978584, which also lists 2 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Oct 2026.