IDEC Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Antibody Clears Phase III Trials

IDEC and Genentech have reported that their antibody treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, IDEC-C2B8, was found to be effective in a Phase III trial. The new data, reported at the American Society of Hematology meeting, back up positive Phase II data and open the way for a marketing application.

IDEC-C2B8 achieved an overall response rate of 50% in the Phase III, open-label monotherapy trial, which involved a total of 166 patients. The antibody was given on an outpatient basis during the 22-day treatment period. In total, 76 of 151 evaluable patients responded to the treatment; nine (6%) of these responses were complete, while 67 (44%) were partial, said clinical investigator Myron Czuczman of the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in the USA.

At over nine months' follow-up, the median time to disease progression for responders following treatment with IDEC-C2B8 has not been reached. Of the responding patients, 70% remain in remission.