Studies demonstrate BEXXAR's efficacy against indolent lymphomas

The results of a pair of long-term survival studies indicate the therapeutic value of BEXXAR (tositumomab and iodine I-131 tositumomab) therapy regimen for patients with rituximab-refractory indolent lymphomas.

The first Phase II study looked at 76 patients with previously untreated stage III or stage IV follicular lymphoma and, following a single course of treatment with Bexxar, demonstrated a 10-year overall survival rate of 83% and a 10-year progression-free survival rate of 38%.

• "We are seeing a consistent result and effect on survival by treating patients with BEXXAR first," said lead investigator Mark Kaminski, MD, Professor of Internal Medicine and Director, the University of Michigan Leukemia/Lymphoma Program. "Rarely are there data to show a treatment can produce a durable response over a decade, and what's most exciting is that these results were achieved after a single treatment."

Another Phase II study looked at 40 patients with either follicular lymphoma or transformed B-cell lymphoma whose disease was proving to be rituximab-refractory after at least one course of rituximab treatment. All patients received a therapeutic dose of BEXXAR.

• "Of the patients who had a response to treatment, 39% were in continued response at five years, including five of the nine complete responders," said Sandra Horning, MD, of the Eastern Cooperative Cancer Group and Stanford University. "These data demonstrate durable response rates of tositumomab and Iodine-131 tositumomab in an indolent lymphoma population with disease progression after rituximab."

Sources:
- Kaminski M, et al. "Tositumomab and Iodine I-131 Tositumomab for Previously Untreated, Advanced-Stage, Follicular Lymphoma: Median 10 Year Follow-up Results" ASH 2009
- Horning S, et al. "Tositumomab and iodine I-131 tositumomab (Bexxar therapeutic regimen) for Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients who progressed after treatment with rituximab: Long term follow-up of a multi-center Phase II study" ASH 2009

Dive Deeper

• Bexxar
• Radioimmunotherapy
• Zevalin