title: Denileukin diftitox: a concise clinical review.
abstract: Denileukin diftitox (DAB389IL-2; Ontak) is a novel recombinant fusion protein approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of relapsed or refractory cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. It consists of fragments of diphtheria toxin linked to human interleukin-2 and works by targeting the high-affinity interleukin-2 receptor expressed on malignant cells. This article will review the clinical trials leading to the approval of denileukin diftitox for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, and discuss the potential future role of this novel drug in patients with both malignant and nonmalignant diseases, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, solid tumors, psoriasis and graft-versus-host disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Northwestern University, 676 North St. Clair Street, Suite 850, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. j-eklund@md.northwestern.edu
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Eklund
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Kuzel
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy; D016410:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013534:Survival
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C078456:denileukin diftitox