Dr. Nastoupil on Efficacy With Pembrolizumab and Rituximab in Follicular Lymphoma

Loretta J. Nastoupil, MD, Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses efficacy findings of a study investigating the combination of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and rituximab (Rituxan) in patients with relapsed follicular lymphoma.

Researchers have known that enhancing patients' immune systems for treatment with follicular has been effective, with rituximab being the prime example, Nastoupil explains. The combination strategy could be synergistic in enhancing the patients' immune systems to target their follicular lymphoma cells. This phase II single-center study investigated the combination in relapsed, rituximab-sensitive patients with follicular lymphoma. There were 16 doses of pembrolizumab at 200 mg every 3 weeks, and rituximab was administered at 375 mg/m² for 4 doses.

Enrollment has been completed, and the efficacy results out of 20 evaluable patients demonstrate an overall response rate of 65%. Fifty percent of these patients achieved a complete response. With 8 months of follow up, these responses seem to be durable, she adds.