title: Profile of blinatumomab and its potential in the treatment of relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
abstract: The CD19 marker is expressed on the surface of normal and malignant immature or mature B-cells. On the other hand, immunotherapy involving T-cells is a promising modality of treatment for many neoplastic diseases including leukemias and lymphomas. The CD19/CD3-bispecific T-cell-engaging (BiTE(®)) monoclonal antibody blinatumomab can transiently engage cytotoxic T-cells to CD19+ target B-cells inducing serial perforin-mediated lysis. In the first clinical trial, blinatumomab showed efficacy in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, but the most important trials have been conducted in relapsed/refractory (R/R) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and in ALL with minimal residual disease. Encouraging reports on the activity of blinatumomab in R/R Philadelphia chromosome-negative B-cell precursor ALL led to its approval by the US Food and Drug Administration on December 3, 2014 after an accelerated review process. This review focuses on the profile of blinatumomab and its activity in R/R ALL.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Hematology Department, ICO-Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Josep Carreras Research Institute, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Badalona, Spain.
authors.forename: Josep-Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ribera
authors.affiliation: Clinical Hematology Department, ICO-Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Josep Carreras Research Institute, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Badalona, Spain.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.affiliation: Clinical Hematology Department, ICO-Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Josep Carreras Research Institute, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Badalona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ribera
authors.affiliation: Clinical Hematology Department, ICO-Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Josep Carreras Research Institute, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Badalona, Spain.
authors.forename: Eulàlia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Genescà
keywords: BiTE® monoclonal antibodies; acute lymphoblastic leukemia; blinatumomab; relapsed/refractory