Pharmaceutical Business review

Cell Therapeutics’s combination therapy found effective against lymphoma

The study, conducted at the Institute of Hematology and Medical Oncology at University of Bologna, Italy, investigated the use of a single dose of Zevalin (Ibritumomab Tiuxetan) as consolidation therapy following treatment with a regimen of fludarabine and mitoxantrone (FM chemotherapy) among 26 patients with newly diagnosed non-follicular indolent non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). FM chemotherapy resulted in 50% of patients achieving a complete remission (CR) and 30% achieving a partial remission (PR). Of the 20 patients (13 with CR and 7 with PR) who were evaluable for Zevalin consolidation, 100% obtained a CR at the end of treatment. With a median follow up of 20 months, the estimated three-year progression free survival (PFS) was 89.5%.

Jack Singer, chief medical officer of CTI, said: “This single arm, non-randomized Phase II trial provides additional insights into the potential utility of RIT in intermediate grade NHL, a subtype where CRs are infrequent with rituximab therapy.”