3rd APLC Summit Meeting
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7-9 Nov 2025 Penang, Malaysia
The 3rd APLC Summit opened with remarks by Prof. Goh Yeow Tee, Prof. Wang Jianxiang, and Prof. Ng Soo Chin, who welcomed delegates from across Asia-Pacific and reaffirmed the consortium’s mission: to bridge global scientific advancements with regionally grounded, practical solutions for leukemia care. The 2025 Summit brought together international leaders including Prof. Robin Foà, Dr. Othman Al-Sawaf, Prof. Mark Levis, and Prof. Jane Apperley, whose contributions set the stage for discussions centered on precision medicine, diagnostic equity, and the evolving therapeutic landscape.
Event Highlights
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Event Videos
Session 1 — Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
Plenary Lecture: Novel Agents and the Changing Landscape in Frontline Treatment for ALL
Speaker: Prof. Robin Foà
In his plenary, Prof. Robin Foà outlined the transformative shift in ALL therapy— particularly in Ph+ disease —where ponatinib-based TKI regimens paired with blinatumomab now outperform traditional chemotherapy-based approaches. Achieving deep MRD negativity, rather than administering maximal cytotoxic therapy, has become the central determinant of long-term outcomes. Discussions among clinicians from across AsiaPacific highlighted the region’s diverse diagnostic and access landscapes, underscoring the importance of scalable and adaptable implementation strategies. While advanced MRD platforms and nextgeneration TKIs are readily integrated in some centres, others are actively building capacity through regional collaboration, referral pathways, and shared expertise. These discussions reinforced the value of APLC as a platform to align molecular diagnostics, optimize treatment sequencing, and support equitable adoption of MRD-guided, chemo-minimal approaches across varied healthcare settings.
Session 2: Industry Engagement
Plenary Lecture: Evolving Concepts in CLL 2025
Speaker: Dr. Othman Al-Sawaf
In his lecture, Dr. Othman Al-Sawaf emphasized that BTK inhibitors and venetoclax have replaced chemoimmunotherapy as the backbone of CLL management. IGHV mutation status and TP53 abnormalities now determine optimal frontline therapy, segregating patients into fixed-duration regimens versus continuous BTK inhibition. Across Asia-Pacific, genomics-driven CLL care reflects a diverse and evolving practice landscape. Integration of IGHV and TP53 testing, access to newer - generation BTK inhibitors, and availability of resistance mutation profiling vary across healthcare systems, influencing real-world treatment strategies. As fixed duration and targeted approaches become more widely adopted, continued expansion of molecular testing and equitable access will further support optimized risk stratification, retreatment decisions, and management of immune-mediated complications across the region.
Session 3: Industry Engagement
Industry partners—including AbbVie, Amgen, Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, Astellas, AstraZeneca, BeiGene, and Servier—highlighted the dynamic and rapidly evolving healthcare landscape across Asia-Pacific. Discussions emphasized how regulatory diversity and varied reimbursement models, while complex, also create opportunities for early dialogue, regionally relevant clinical trials, and collaborative access strategies. Collectively, these approaches were recognized as essential to translating innovation into meaningful patient benefit across diverse healthcare systems.
Session 4 — Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Plenary Lecture
Plenary Lecture: Integrating Novel Agents in the Frontline Management of AML 2025.
Speaker: Prof. Mark Levis
Integrating Novel Agents in the Frontline Management of AML 2025 Prof. Mark Levis described AML’s evolution toward highly personalized therapy using FLT3, IDH1/2, and emerging menin inhibitors alongside HMA-venetoclax combinations. DNA-based MRD testing is becoming the gold standard for defining remission depth and long-term relapse risk. Clinicians shared insights into how molecular diagnostics and venetoclax-based strategies are being integrated across AsiaPacific.
Session 5: Updates from APLC Working Groups
The Working Groups presented clear progress toward strengthening diagnostic standards, aligning treatment approaches, and improving data infrastructure across the AsiaPacific region. The AML Working Group reported active development of regional consensus guidelines covering diagnosis, molecular testing, and MRD monitoring, with the aim of harmonizing practice despite wide variation in resources. These guidelines will support more consistent adoption of venetoclax-based and targeted therapy strategies across APAC.
The ALL Working Group announced the completion of an MRD consensus statement and shared findings from a regional survey on blinatumomab access, which highlighted significant disparities in availability and reimbursement. These insights will inform practical recommendations to help centres integrate contemporary chemominimal regimens. The CLL/LPD Working Group confirmed that updated CLL management guidelines are ready for publication. The group has also broadened its remit to include mature B-cell lymphomas and is collecting regional data on secondary malignancies and autoimmune complications to guide future recommendations. The Registry Working Group reiterated the importance of building a robust regional real-world data foundation. Recognizing ongoing challenges such as privacy constraints and technical variability, the group recommended starting with country-level registries as a pragmatic step toward a unified APAC data network. Together, these updates reflect APLC’s continued transition from discussion to coordinated action— advancing diagnostic equity, guideline harmonization, and datadriven improvement in leukemia care across the region.
Session 6 — Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)
Plenary Lecture：Evolving Strategies in CML Care — Redefining Goals with the 2025 ELN Recommendations
Speaker: Prof. Jane Apperley
In her plenary, Prof. Jane Apperley outlined the ELN 2025 recommendations, emphasizing early molecular response, individualized TKI selection based on comorbidities, and the long-term goal of treatment-free remission. While second-generation TKIs (dasatinib, nilotinib, bosutinib) and the allosteric inhibitor asciminib can deliver faster and deeper responses, overall survival remains comparable to imatinib, which continues to be a safe and cost-effective first-line option for older or comorbid patients. Panel discussions reflected the variability of molecular monitoring infrastructure across the region, reinforcing the need for contextsensitive application of ELN recommendations. Participants emphasized that thoughtful TKI selection, dose optimization, and patient engagement remain highly effective strategies, even as efforts continue to expand access to standardized PCR monitoring and next generation agents.
Future Directions The APLC leadership outlined the consortium’s continued evolution into a coordinated regional platform driving improvements in leukemia care across Asia-Pacific. Now in its third year and steadily expanding in membership and influence, APLC remains committed to purposeful, invitation-based growth to ensure scientific rigor and focused collaboration.
Partnerships with industry continue to play a meaningful role, particularly in expanding diagnostic infrastructure, supporting real-world data initiatives, and enabling broader access to emerging therapies and technologies. These collaborations are positioned not as transactional, but as longterm enablers of systemic improvement across diverse healthcare settings.
Session 7 - Future Directions
The APLC leadership outlined the consortium’s continued evolution into a coordinated regional platform driving improvements in leukemia care across Asia-Pacific. Now in its third year and steadily expanding in membership and influence, APLC remains committed to purposeful, invitation-based growth to ensure scientific rigor and focused collaboration.
Partnerships with industry continue to play a meaningful role, particularly in expanding diagnostic infrastructure, supporting real-world data initiatives, and enabling broader access to emerging therapies and technologies. These collaborations are positioned not as transactional, but as long-term enablers of systemic improvement across diverse healthcare settings.
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