title: Role of Rituximab and Rituximab Biosimilars in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.
abstract: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), is the most-common subtype of NHL. DLBCL can be classified into at least 3 major immunologically distinct types, which contributes to considerable variation in disease prognosis and response to treatment. DLBCL potentially is curable, even when diagnosed at advanced stages. The current standard of care for most patients with untreated or relapsed/refractory DLBCL is chemoimmunotherapy containing rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody. With advanced understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of DLBCL and specific signaling pathways that are activated in different subtypes, potential new therapeutic targets have been identified, some of which are at the late stages of clinical development. This review summarizes the critical role of rituximab in the current standard of care treatment for DLBCL and discusses why rituximab is likely to remain an important component of treatment options for DLBCL in the foreseeable future. In addition, current and emerging therapeutic agents, including potential benefits of rituximab biosimilars, for patients with DLBCL are discussed. The advent of rituximab biosimilars may facilitate accessibility of rituximab-based chemotherapies to patients with DLBCL and has potential cost-saving benefits for healthcare systems globally.
authors.affiliation: Center for Lymphoma & Myeloma, Weill Cornell Medicine/New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Morton
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN.
authors.forename: Philip E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Lammers
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ciceri
authors.affiliation: Global Medical Affairs, Pfizer Inc, New York, NY. Electronic address: ira.jacobs@pfizer.com.
authors.forename: Ira A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059451:Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D000069283:Rituximab / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D059451:Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals; D000069283:Rituximab
keywords: Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody; Chemoimmunotherapy; DLBCL; Non–Hodgkin lymphoma; R-CHOP