Bendamustine and Gavyza for follicular lymphoma – pro
In a recent trial, patients aged 18 years with CD20-positive indolent NHL refractory to rituximab from 83 sites in 14 countries in Europe, Asia, and North and Central America were randomized between April 2010 and September 2014 to receive six 28-day cycles of induction therapy with intravenous (IV) obinutuzumab plus bendamustine (n = 194) or bendamustine (n = 202). he investigators concluded: “Obinutuzumab plus bendamustine followed by obinutuzumab maintenance has improved efficacy over bendamustine monotherapy in rituximab-refractory patients with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with manageable toxicity, and is a new treatment option for patients who have relapsed after or are no longer responding to rituximab-based therapy.” Based on this, GAZYVA, in combination with bendamustine followed by GAZYVA monotherapy, is indicated for the treatment of patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) who relapsed after, or are refractory to, a rituximab-containing regimen
Brad S. Kahl and David T. Yang, Follicular lymphoma: evolving therapeutic strategies. Blood 2016 127:2055-2063;
Sehn LH, Chua N, Mayer J, et al: Obinutuzumab plus bendamustine versus bendamustine monotherapy in patients with rituximab-refractory indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (GADOLIN): a randomised, controlled, open-label, multicentre, phase 3 trial.Lancet Oncol. June 23, 2016 (early release online).