The combination of milatuzumab, a humanized anti‐CD74 antibody, and veltuzumab, a humanized anti‐CD20 antibody, demonstrates activity in patients with relapsed and refractory B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma. (7th April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Christian, Beth A.; Poi, Ming; Jones, Jeffrey A.; Porcu, Pierluigi; Maddocks, Kami; Flynn, Joseph M.; Benson, Don M.; Phelps, Mitch A.; Wei, Lai; Byrd, John C.; Wegener, William A.; Goldenberg, David M.; Baiocchi, Robert A.; Blum, Kristie A.
• Is Part Of: British journal of haematology. Volume 169:Number 5(2015:Jun.)
• Page Start: 701
• Page End: 710
• Publication Date: 2015-04-07
• Subjects: Hematology -- Periodicals; Blood -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 616.15
• DOI: 10.1111/bjh.13354
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0007-1048

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="bjh13354-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <p>As a result of the anti‐tumour activity observed <italic>in vitro</italic> and <italic>in vivo</italic> with combined anti‐CD20 and anti‐CD74 antibodies, we initiated a phase I/II trial of veltuzumab and milatuzumab in patients with relapsed or refractory B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Patients received an induction of veltuzumab 200 mg/m² weekly combined with escalating doses of milatuzumab at 8, 16 and 20 mg/kg weekly for 4 weeks. Patients without disease progression could receive an extended induction with treatment on weeks 12, 20, 28 and 36. A total of 35 patients enrolled on the study. Median age was 63 years, median number of prior therapies was 3, and 63% of patients were rituximab refractory. No dose‐limiting toxicities were observed in the phase I study. Related grade 3–4 toxicities included lymphopenia, leucopenia, neutropenia, anaemia, infusion reactions, hyperglycaemia, fatigue and atrial tachycardia. Median weeks of therapy was 12 and 29% of patients completed all 36 weeks of therapy. The overall response rate was 24%, median duration of response was 12 months, and responses were observed at all dose levels and in 50% of patients refractory to rituximab. Combination therapy with veltuzumab and milatuzumab demonstrated activity in a population of heavily pre‐treated patients with relapsed or refractory indolent NHL.</p> </abstract>