Today's featured lymphoma treatment in the pipeline is the monoclonal antibody epratuzumab.
Name: Epratuzumab (marketed as LymphoCIDE)
Class: Anti-CD22 humanized monoclonal antibody
Type: Biological therapy
FDA to date: Orphan drug status; fast track designation (for lupus)
Manufacturer: Immunomedics Inc
Indications: Diffuse large b-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, acute lymphblastic leukemia.
A few words: Epratuzumab targets cells expressing CD22 cell-surface receptors and is being investigated as part of combination chemotherapy, namely in an established regimen (ER-CHOP) against DLBCL. It has also been studied—with impressive results—as an agent of radioimmunotherapy (90Y-epratuzumab) in a small trial in patients with relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma and indolent lymphomas. The drug is also being explored as a treatment for autoimmune disorders such as lupus. Phase III trials are underway for all indications.
Click here to see clinical trials involving epratuzumab
Morschhauser F et al. High rates of durable responses with anti-CD22 fractionated radioimmunotherapy: results of a multicenter, phase I/II study in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. J Clin Oncol. 2010 Aug 10;28(23):3709-16. Epub 2010 Jul 12
Micallef IN et al. A pilot study of epratuzumab and rituximab in combination with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone chemotherapy in patients with previously untreated, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Cancer. 2006 Dec 15;107(12):2826-32.