An evaluation of mogamulizumab for the treatment of peripheral T-cell lymphoma

Abstract

Introduction: Peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) is a heterogeneous group of lymphoid malignancies that remains extremely difficult to cure and has a poor prognosis with conventional chemotherapy; therefore, novel treatment modalities are needed. CC chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4) is expressed on the tumor cells of PTCL including adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATL) and is considered to be a promising therapeutic target. Mogamulizumab, a defucosylated, humanized anti-CCR4 mAb, is produced using a novel glycoengineering technology that enhances antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxic activity.

Areas covered: The basic aspects and current treatment strategies against PTCL including ATL were briefly reviewed, followed by a discussion on the development of mogamulizumab and clinical trials of this targeting agent for PTCL including ATL.

Expert opinion: Mogamulizumab is the first therapeutic agent to target CCR4. Mogamulizumab monotherapy achieved a high response rate in patients with relapsed or refractory ATL and PTCL, with an acceptable toxicity profile. Furthermore, dose-intensified combination chemotherapy with mogamulizumab may be a promising treatment option for untreated patients with aggressive ATL, and may, therefore, provide effective and novel treatment strategies for PTCL and ATL.

Keywords::

• adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma
• CC chemokine receptor 4
• mogamulizumab
• peripheral T-cell lymphoma

Acknowledgements

We thank all the investigators who participated in the multicenter clinical trials of mogamulizumab/KW-0761 in Japan. We acknowledge Mr. Koichi Kawamura and Dr. Shiro Akinaga, Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, for critically reviewing our manuscript.