Antibody Therapies for Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Abstract

Large B-cell lymphomas (LBCLs) constitute a subgroup of aggressive but highly curable lymphoproliferative diseases. Treatment of relapsed/refractory (R/R) patients still represents an unmet clinical need, and novel drugs and combinations are in continuous development. The pan–B cell panel of surface antigens that characterizes LBCL leads to a large umbrella of druggable targets. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) express their activity against lymphoma by targeting multiple tumor-specific antigens. This category consists of a number of molecules with different mechanisms of action, including naked mAbs, radioimmunoconjugates, antibody-drug conjugates, checkpoint inhibitors, and bispecific antibodies. In the last decade, apart from the well-known role of the anti-CD20 mAb rituximab, novel mAbs have led to remarkable steps forward in the treatment of R/R LBCL in monotherapy and combined with chemotherapy. Multiple studies are in development trying to bring these novel compounds into the frontline setting to empower the RCHOP effect or as alternative chemotherapy-free options for elderly/unfit patients. This review provides insight into antilymphoma mAbs, focused on the efficacy and safety of the main molecules approved or in development for LBCL andperspectives on the treatment of this disease.

Keywords:

• diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
• immunotherapy
• targeted therapy
• monoclonal antibodies
• checkpoint inhibitors
• bispecific antibodies

Author Contributions

All authors made substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data, took part in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content, agreed to submit to the current journal, gave final approval to the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

U Vitolo has acted on advisory boards for Janssen, Celgene, Genmab, Incyte, and Gilead, and has received lecture fees from Roche, Celgene, Janssen, AbbVie, and Gilead. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Additional information

Funding

No financial support was received for the production of this manuscript.