Pembrolizumab for the treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Pembrolizumab is a novel monoclonal antibody that targets the interaction between programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1). Pembrolizumab has shown significant clinical efficacy in Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL), but results in non Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) are mixed. Some NHL subtypes, which share certain genetic features with HL, such as alterations in chromosome 9p24.1 and expression of PD-L1, have shown promising responses in early phase trials.

Areas covered: In this review, we provide an overview of pembrolizumab as a compound, and present the available clinical efficacy and safety data in the treatment of diffuse large B cell lymphomas.

Expert opinion: Current early phase data suggest that single agent pembrolizumab in NHL demonstrates both efficacy and a favorable safety profile. However, it is anticipated that future treatment strategies will be biomarker-driven and incorporate pembrolizumab into combination therapies with chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy agents.

KEYWORDS:

• Pembrolizumab
• diffuse large B cell lymphoma
• checkpoint inhibition

Article highlights

• Pembrolizumab is a novel anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody with promising activity in non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

• Data from early phase clinical trials with pembrolizumab has identified certain DLBCL subtypes, such as PMBCL, as being particularly sensitive to checkpoint inhibition

• For DLBCL as a whole, characterization of molecular subtypes will be crucial to direct the most efficacious use of checkpoint inhibition with pembrolizumab

• Clinical trials combining pembrolizumab with targeted agents in DLBCL are ongoing

This box summarizes key points contained in the article.

Declaration of interest

J Kuruvilla has received honoraria from and consulted for Merck. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer Disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.