The role of ofatumumab in the treatment of B-cell lymphomas

Abstract

Integration of rituximab into chemoimmunotherapy regimens has recently brought significant progress in the treatment of B cell lymphomas, and the CD20 antigen remains one of the most attractive therapeutic targets. Despite of the recent progress in the field, not all patients with aggressive lymphomas can be cured, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia remains incurable disease. Recently, other anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies have been developed. Ofatumumab — a novel, fully human type I anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, that binds to an epitope different than rituximab, in preclinical studies showed higher efficacy in the destruction of neoplastic B cells in the mechanism of cytotoxicity depending on the complement. In early clinical trials, ofatumumab in monotherapy and in combination with other agents showed an activity against chronic lymphocytic leukemia and other B-cell malignancies, even in rituximab-resistant patients. Ofatumumab was recently approved for the treatment of fludarabine and alemtuzumab refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia. This antibody is extensively tested for many other indications. The article presents the review of current publications concerning the mechanism of action, efficacy and safety of ofatumumab in a broad spectrum of B-cell neoplasms.
Hematologia 2011, 2, 3: 246–255