title: Combination antibody therapy with epratuzumab and rituximab in relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the safety and therapeutic activity of combination anti-B-cell monoclonal antibody therapy in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three patients with recurrent B-cell lymphoma received anti-CD22 epratuzumab 360 mg/m(2) and anti-CD20 rituximab 375 mg/m(2) monoclonal antibodies weekly for four doses each. Sixteen patients had indolent histologies (15 with follicular lymphoma) and seven had aggressive NHL (all diffuse large B-cell lymphoma [DLBCL]). Indolent patients had received a median of one (range, one to six) prior treatment, with 31% refractory to their last therapy and 81% with high-risk Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index scores. Patients with DLBCL had a median of three (range, one to eight) prior regimens (14% resistant to last treatment) and 71% had high intermediate-risk or high-risk International Prognostic Index scores. All patients were rituximab naïve.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment was well tolerated, with toxicities principally infusion-related and predominantly grade 1 or 2. Ten (67%) patients with follicular NHL achieved an objective response (OR), including nine of 15 (60%) with complete responses (CRs and unconfirmed CRs). Four of six assessable patients (67%) with DLBCL achieved an OR, including three (50%) CRs. Median time to progression for all indolent NHL patients was 17.8 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The full-dose combination of epratuzumab with rituximab was well tolerated and had significant clinical activity in NHL, suggesting that this combination should be tested in comparison with single-agent treatment.
authors.affiliation: Center for Lymphoma and Myeloma, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY 10021, USA. jpleonar@med.cornell.edu
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.forename: Morton
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ketas
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ashe
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.forename: Richard R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Furman
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Niesvizky
authors.forename: Tsiporah
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shore
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chadburn
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Horne
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kovacs
authors.forename: Cliff L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Wegener
authors.forename: Ivan D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Horak
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Goldenberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D000069283:Rituximab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C448700:epratuzumab; D000069283:Rituximab