Obinutuzumab

Indications and Usage

Obinutuzumab is FDA-approved 

• In combination with​ chlorambucil chemotherapy for the treatment of people with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
• In combination with bendamustine followed by obinutuzumab monotherapy for the treatment of patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) who relapsed after, or are refractory to, a rituximab-containing regimen.
• In combination with chemotherapy followed by obinutuzumab monotherapy in patients achieving at least a partial remission, for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated stage II bulky, III or IV follicular lymphoma.

Side effects needing medical attention

Infusion-related reactions during the first infusion; low platelet count; low red blood cell counts; fever; cough; muscle and joint pain; low count of certain types of white blood cells.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare but serious brain infection that can result in death, has been reported with obinutuzumab.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation may cause serious liver problems including liver failure and death. If patients have had hepatitis B or are carriers of HBV, receiving obinutuzumab could cause the virus to become an active infection again.