Clinical evidence for the role of pixantrone in the treatment of relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the most common non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Although over 50% of patients are cured with first-line therapy that includes an anthracycline, there are a number of patients who require systemic therapy for relapsed or refractory disease. Currently, no drug is approved for this indication. Pixantrone, a novel aza-anthracenedione, was developed to maintain clinical efficacy while minimizing the cardiac toxicity associated with anthracyclines. Initial results of clinical trials demonstrate that pixantrone induces responses in this difficult-to-treat patient population with tolerable side effects. Results of ongoing clinical trials will better define pixantrone’s role in treating diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and help assess its long-term cardiac toxicity.