High-dose rituximab in combination with autologous stem cell transplantation for relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma / Combinación de altas dosis de rituximab y autotrasplante de progenitores hematopoyéticos en pacientes de linfoma B difuso de células grandes en recaída o refractario

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of high-dose rituximab (HD-R) in combination with autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT) in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). METHODS: There were 22 patients in the HD-R group, to whom rituximab was administered during stem cell mobilization (375mg/m2 1 day before and 7 days after chemotherapy) and after transplantation (1000mg/m2 on days +1 and +8). In the control group, the procedure was the same as that in the HD-R group but without rituximab. We observed the safety, tolerability, adverse effects and immune reconstitution of HD-R therapy. The log-rank test, univariate analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to evaluate the effect of HD-R on survival. RESULTS: In total, 22 relapsed or refractory DLBCL patients were treated with HD-R. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed except for CD19+ B cell reconstruction in the first 6 months after SCT. There were 20 relapsed or refractory DLBCL patients in the control group. The 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) greatly improved in the HD-R group compared to that in the control group (63.8% vs. 35.0%, P=0.028 and 80.1% vs. 50.0%, P=0.035, respectively). The univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that HD-R and the time to relapse were independent prognostic factors for OS and PFS. CONCLUSION: HD-R in combination with auto-SCT is a feasible and promising treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL

OBJETIVOS: El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la eficacia y la toxicidad de la combinación de altas dosis de rituximab (HD-R) y el trasplante de células madre autólogas (auto-SCT) en pacientes con linfoma B difuso de células grandes (LBDCG) en recaída o refractario. MÉTODOS: El grupo HD-R incluyó 22 pacientes a quienes se les administró rituximab durante la movilización de células madre (375mg/m2 un día antes y 7 días después de la quimioterapia) y tras el trasplante (1000mg/m2 los días +1 y +8). En el grupo control, el procedimiento fue el mismo que en el grupo HD-R, aunque sin rituximab. Observamos la seguridad, la tolerabilidad, los efectos adversos y la reconstitución inmune de la terapia HD-R. Utilizamos la prueba log-rank, el análisis univariante y el análisis de regresión de Cox multivariante para evaluar el efecto de HD-R en la supervivencia. RESULTADOS: En total, 22 pacientes de LBDCG en recaída o refractario fueron tratados con HD-R. No se observaron toxicidades limitantes de dosis excepto para la reconstrucción de células CD19+ B en los primeros 6 meses tras SCT. El grupo control incluyó 20 pacientes de LBDCG en recaída o refractario. La supervivencia libre de progresión (SLP) a 3 años y la supervivencia general (SG) mejoró significativamente en el grupo HD-R en comparación con el grupo control (63,8 vs. 35%; p = 0,028 y el 80,1 vs. 50%; p = 0,035, respectivamente). Los análisis univariante y multivariante demostraron que HD-R y tiempo de recaída eran factores pronósticos independientes para SG y SLP. CONCLUSIÓN: La combinación de HD-R y auto-SCT es un tratamiento factible y prometedor para pacientes con LBDCG en recaída o refractario

Predictores del uso off-label de rituximab en pacientes adultos: un estudio piloto / Off-label use of rituximab and associated factors in adult patients: a pilot study abstract

Introducción: comprender los factores que condicionan el uso off-label de los agentes monoclonales es crucial para su utilización racional. El objetivo de nuestro estudio fue describir la prevalencia de uso off-label de rituximab y los factores médicos, clínicos y socioeconómicos que se vinculan con dicha práctica. Métodos: estudio de corte transversal retrospectivo. Incluimos pacientes adultos con una primera indicación de rituximab entre 2010 y 2016. La exposición primaria fue definida como el momento de la pérdida de patente de rituximab. Otros factores considerados fueron el diagnóstico de base y las comorbilidades, así como también datos referentes a los médicos tratantes. El evento primario fue la prevalencia de prescripción off-label de rituximab. Utilizamos un modelo de regresión logística para estimar la asociación entre el tiempo y el evento primario. Resultados: de 160 pacientes adultos que iniciaron tratamiento con rituximab y fueron potencialmente elegibles se tomó una muestra aleatoria; 22 de ellos fueron incluidos en el análisis final. La prevalencia de uso off-label fue del 30,4% (IC 95%, 13,9 a 54,9%). No evidenciamos un cambio en el patrón de prescripción de rituximab asociado al tiempo de caída de la patente. El único factor predictor de dicho uso fueron las internaciones previas (7 vs. 1, p = 0,04). Conclusión: el uso off-label de rituximab es frecuente en nuestra población. Futuros estudios deberían estar dirigidos a determinar los factores asociados a esta práctica, así como a estimar el impacto en términos de eficacia y potencial toxicidad en esta población. (AU)

Background: the description of those characteristics that are associated with the off-label use of monoclonal antibodies remains paramount if we are to maximize the rational use of available resources. Our main objective was to describe the prevalence of off-label use of Rituximab, in addition to its associated factors (for example, prescribing physician and patient´s clinical and socioeconomic characteristics). Methods: we designed a retrospective cross-sectional study which included patients starting treatment with Rituximab between 2010 and 2016. Our main exposure was the time when Rituximab´s patent expired. Other potential factors associated with the off-label prescription pattern were baseline diagnosis and comorbidities in addition to the main characteristics of the prescribing physician. The main outcome was the prevalence of off-label use of Rituximab. We used a multivariate logistic regression model in order to estimate the association between time and our main endpoint. Results: out of 160 eligible patients that started treatment with Rituximab we included 22 adult patients in our main analysis by conducting a random sampling procedure. The prevalence of off-label use was 30.4% (95% CI, 13.9 to 54.9%). We did not find a change in the prescription pattern of Rituximab with regards to time and patent expiration. The only factor associated with off-label use were previous hospitalizations (7 vs. 1, p = 0.04). Conclusions: the off-label use of Rituximab is common in our population. Future studies evaluating distinct factors associated with such use as well as its impact in both potential efficacy and toxicity are warranted. (AU)

Farmacoepidemiología del rituximab en un hospital pediátrico de alta complejidad / Rituximab pharmacoepidemiology in a tertiary-care pediatric hospital

Objetivo: Estudiar el perfil farmacoepidemiológico de rituximab en un hospital pediátrico de alta complejidad. Métodos: Diseño: Estudio de utilización de medicamentos: Prescripción ­ Indicación. Lugar: Hospital de Pediatría Juan P. Garrahan, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Participantes: pacientes que recibieron rituximab, de enero 2012 a junio 2014, comprendió 58 pacientes con 17 patologías distintas. Mediciones principales: se analizó la efectividad como: positiva, negativa e incierta. Se estudiaron las reacciones adversas al medicamento, que fueron procesadas y notificadas. Se evaluó también la manera de premedicar la administración del fármaco. Resultados: treinta y dos pacientes (55%) presentaron un resultado positivo luego del tratamiento,16 pacientes (29%) presentaron un resultado negativo y 9 (16%) tuvieron un resultado incierto. Los mejores resultados se obtuvieron en el tratamiento de pacientes con trasplante de médula ósea con infección por virus de Epstein Barr y en linfoma de Burkitt. Se hallaron 41 reacciones adversas en a 22 pacientes, la mayoría estuvieron relacionadas a la infusión. Se premedicó de 8 formas distintas a los pacientes. Conclusiones: Las patologías con mejores resultados son similares a lo esperado según la literatura consultada. El perfil de seguridad del rituximab lo ubica como un medicamento riesgoso. Es necesario mejorar el registro para ejecutar programas de farmacoepidemiología (AU)

Aim: To study the pharmacoepidemiological profile of rituximab in a pediatric tertiary-care hospital. Methods: Study design: Evaluation of medication use: Prescription ­ Indication. Place: Hospital de Pediatría Juan P. Garrahan, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Participants: patients receiving rituximab between January 2012 and June 2014, including 58 patients with 15 different conditions. Main measurements: effectivity was defined as: positive, negative, and uncertain. Adverse events associated with rituximab were studied, processed, and notified. Premedication for administration of the drug was also studied. Results: Thirty-two patients (55%) had a positive response,16 patients (29%) had a negative response , and 9 (16%) had an uncertain response to the treatment. The best results were obtained in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation with Epstein Barr virus and in those with Burkitt's lymphoma. Forty-one adverse events were observed in 22 patients, related to drug-infusion in the majority of cases. Pre-medication was administered in the patients in 8 different ways. Conclusions: The conditions in which the best results were achieved were similar to those reported in the literature. The safety profile of rituximab places it among risk drugs. Registration needs to be improved to run pharmacoepidemiology programs (AU)

Are biological agents toxic to human chondrocytes and osteocytes?

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of biological agents (BAs) on human chondrocytes and osteocytes in vitro. METHODS: Primary cell cultures obtained from gonarthrosis patients were divided into four groups, two of which were designated as control cultures of chondrocyte and osteocyte, and the other two groups were exposed to BAs administered via the culture medium. Cultured cells were characterized by immunophenotyping. Before and after administration of the agents, the cultures were observed by inverted and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The number of live cells and the proliferation rate were monitored by MTT assay. RESULTS: Rituximab and adalimumab were the least toxic agents to chondrocytes, whereas adalimumab and etanercept were to osteocytes. CONCLUSION: During periods of intense active inflammation, the concentration of the preferred BAs after inhibition of inflammation needs to be emphasized when their effects on cartilage and bone tissue are considered at the cellular level if the clinical practice is to continue.

Expression of bioactive anti-CD20 antibody fragments and induction of ER stress response in Arabidopsis seeds.

Seed-based expression system is an attractive platform for the production of recombinant proteins in molecular farming. Despite the many advantages of molecular farming, little is known about the effect of the different subcellular accumulation of recombinant proteins on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) quality control system in host plants. In this study, we analyzed the expression of anti-CD20 antibody fragments in seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana (ecotype Columbia) and corresponding glycosylation mutants, and evaluated the influence of three different signal sequences on the expression levels of scFv-Fc of C2B8. The highest protein accumulation level, with a maximum of 6.12 % total soluble proteins, was observed upon fusing proteins to the signal peptide of Arabidopsis seed storage albumin 2. The ER stress responses in developing seeds at 13 days post-anthesis were also compared across different transgenic lines under normal and heat shock conditions. Based on the gene expression profiles of ER stress transducers, our results suggest that accumulation of antibody fragments in the ER exerts more stress on ER homeostasis. In addition, quantitative PCR results also implicate enhanced activation of ER-associated degradation in transgenic lines. Last but not the least, we also demonstrate the anti-tumor potency of plant-derived proteins by showing the anti-tumor activity of purified scFv-Fc proteins against Daudi cells. Together, our data implies that better understanding of the interaction between exogenous protein production and the cellular quality control system of the host plant is necessary for the development of an optimal expression strategy that will be especially beneficial to commercial protein manufacturing.

The double-edged sword: Neurotoxicity of chemotherapy.

The number of available therapies for hematologic malignancies continues to grow at a rapid pace. Unfortunately, many of these treatments carry both central and peripheral nervous system toxicities, potentially limiting a patient's ability to tolerate a full course of treatment. Neurotoxicity with chemotherapy is common and second only to myelosuppression as a reason to limit dosing. This review addresses the neurotoxicity of newly available therapeutic agents including brentuximab vedotin and blinatumomab as well as classic ones such as methotrexate, vinca alkaloids and platinums. Although peripheral neuropathy is common with many drugs, other complications such as seizures and encephalopathy may require more immediate attention. Rapid recognition of adverse neurologic effects may lead to earlier treatment and appropriate adjustment of dosing regimens. In addition, knowledge of common toxicities may help differentiate chemotherapy-related symptoms from actual progression of cancer into the CNS.