Pixantrone for the treatment of aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
BACKGROUND
At present there is no standard treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who progress following second-line therapy. Anthracyclines are highly active drugs, but their use in this setting is limited by cumulative cardiac toxicity. Pixantrone is a new aza-anthracenedione structurally similar to mitoxantrone and anthracyclines. This compound has been developed to minimize cardiac toxicity without reducing efficacy.


METHODS
This review summarizes the preclinical and clinical trial data for the use of pixantrone for the treatment of aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma.


RESULTS
An overview of the mechanism of action of pixantrone, preclinical data, clinical efficacy, safety data and future developments for this compound.


CONCLUSIONS
Pixantrone has been shown to be superior to other single-agent therapies for the salvage treatment of relapsed/refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The pixantrone application will be submitted to the regulatory authorities in the USA and in Europe.
Mukherji
Deborah
D
St Georges Hospital, Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London SW170QT, UK.
Pettengell
Ruth
R
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007546:Isoquinolines; C086548:pixantrone