Targeting CD30 Using Brentuximab Vedotin in the Treatment of Hodgkin Lymphoma

The expression of CD30 receptors is one of the defining characteristics of the malignant Reed-Sternberg cells of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). CD30 is rarely expressed by normal cells and is rapidly internalized, making it an ideal therapeutic target for monoclonal antibodies and for antibody-drug conjugates. Brentuximab vedotin is the first antibody-drug conjugate to be approved by regulatory agencies for the treatment of patients with relapsed HL, with a single-agent response rate of 75%. In this review article, we discuss the current and ongoing development of brentuximab vedotin in patients with relapsed and newly diagnosed HL.