Review of obinutuzumab for follicular lymphoma patients who failed rituximab treatments

This article reviewed the use of obinutuzumab for patients with follicular lymphoma who have failed rituximab treatment. The article concluded that obinutuzumab treatment is useful for follicular lymphoma patients who have not responded well to rituximab regimens. 

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is a common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It can have no symptoms for long periods of time. This leads to many patients being diagnosed in stages III or IV. These patients are often treated with regimens that contain rituximab. Some patients will not respond to, or relapse after, rituximab treatment.  

Obinutuzumab (Gazyva) has recently been approved to treat patients with FL who have relapsed after, or are not responding well to rituximab. More information is needed on the outcomes for FL patients treated with obinutuzumab. 

This review looked at the findings of the GADOLIN study. 396 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma participated in the study. 81% of patients had FL. 79% of patients did not respond well to rituximab treatment. The 396 patients were randomized into two groups. 198 patients received bendamustine (standard of care) alone. 194 patients received bendamustine plus obinutuzumab followed by maintenance obinutuzumab.

The obinutuzumab group had a 45% lower risk of disease progression or death than the other group. Patients with FL specifically had a 52% reduced risk of disease progression or death. The progression free survival (time from treatment to disease progression) was significantly better in the obinutuzumab group.

For patients with FL, the average progression free survival in the obinutuzumab group was 29.2 months. The average progression free survival for FL patients in the only bendamustine group was 13.7 months. 

The most common severe side effect experienced with obinutuzumab was low levels of white blood cells.

The authors concluded that obinutuzumab is a good option to treat patients with follicular lymphoma who have not responded well to rituximab regimens. 

Obinutuzumab has been approved recently for follicular lymphoma patients. Although initial evidence suggests that it is effective at treating FL patients, more research is needed about other aspects of obinutuzumab treatment.