Drug Overview
Blincyto (blinatumomab; Amgen/AstraZeneca/Astellas), produced in Chinese hamster ovary cells, is a bispecific T-cell engager that directs T-cells to target CD19-positive benign and malignant B-cells. It activates endogenous T-cells by connecting CD3 expressed on the surface of T-cells with CD19 expressed on the surface of B-cells. Blincyto leads to lysis of CD19-positive cancer cells by upregulating cytolytic proteins, inflammatory cytokines, and proliferation of T-cells.
Analyst Outlook
Blincyto (blinatumomab; Amgen/AstraZeneca/Astellas) is being studied in a Phase II/III trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02910063) in relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. Although it is difficult to assess Blincyto’s potential in DLBCL without clinical trial data, its commercial outlook may be limited by its high cost and strong competition from standard rituximabbased regimens, newly launched chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies, and several potential pipeline competitors. However, potential future expansion in DLBCL is possible and may increase its uptake in this indication. Blincyto is also being studied in combination with programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitor Keytruda (pembrolizumab; Merck & Co) in the Phase Ib KEYNOTE-348 doseescalation trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03340766) in relapsed or refractory DLBCL.
Blincyto (blinatumomab; Amgen/AstraZeneca/Astellas), produced in Chinese hamster ovary cells, is a bispecific T-cell engager that directs T-cells to target CD19-positive benign and malignant B-cells. It activates endogenous T-cells by connecting CD3 expressed on the surface of T-cells with CD19 expressed on the surface of B-cells. Blincyto leads to lysis of CD19-positive cancer cells by upregulating cytolytic proteins, inflammatory cytokines, and proliferation of T-cells.
Analyst Outlook
Blincyto (blinatumomab; Amgen/AstraZeneca/Astellas) is being studied in a Phase II/III trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02910063) in relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. Although it is difficult to assess Blincyto’s potential in DLBCL without clinical trial data, its commercial outlook may be limited by its high cost and strong competition from standard rituximabbased regimens, newly launched chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies, and several potential pipeline competitors. However, potential future expansion in DLBCL is possible and may increase its uptake in this indication. Blincyto is also being studied in combination with programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitor Keytruda (pembrolizumab; Merck & Co) in the Phase Ib KEYNOTE-348 doseescalation trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03340766) in relapsed or refractory DLBCL.
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OVERVIEW
LIST OF FIGURES
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