Combination therapies for B-cell lynphomas comprising administration of anti-CD20 antibody

Abstract

New combined therapeutic regimens for treatment of B-cell lymphomas are disclosed which comprise in particular administration of anti-CD20 antibodies to patients having low-, intermediate- or high-grade non-Hodgkins lymphomas.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A method for treating relapsed B-cell lymphoma comprising administering to a patient having relapsed the B-cell lymphoma a therapeutically effective amount of an anti-CD20 antibody.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said patient was treated previously with an anti-CD20 antibody.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said patient previously underwent a bone marrow or stem cell transplantation.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said patient previously underwent radiotherapy.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said patient previously underwent chemotherapy for said B-cell lymphoma.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said chemotherapy is selected from the group consisting of CHOP, ICE, Mitozantrone, Cytarabine, DVP, ATRA, Idarubicin, hoelzer chemotherapy regime, La La chemotherapy regime, ABVD, CEOP, 2-CdA, FLAG & IDA with or without subsequent G-CSF treatment), VAD, M & P, C-Weekly, ABCM, MOPP and DHAP.  
     
     
         7 . A method for treating a subject having B-cell lymphoma, which subject has not exhibited appreciable tumor remission or regression after administration of a chimeric anti-CD20 antibody, comprising administering to said patient a radiolabeled anti-CD20 antibody.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said radiolabeled anti-CD20 antibody is administered from about one week to about two years after said administration of said chimeric anti-CD20 antibody.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said radiolabeled anti-CD20 antibody is administered from about one week to about nine months after said administration of said chimeric anti-CD20 antibody.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said anti-CD20 antibody is a chimeric anti-CD20 antibody.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said chimeric antibody is C2B8 (Rituximab®).  
     
     
         12 . A method for treating B-cell lymphoma comprising administering a synergistic therapeutic combination comprising at least one anti-CD20 antibody and at least one cytokine, wherein the therapeutic effect is better than the additive effects of either therapy administered alone.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said at least one cytokine is selected from the group consisting of alpha interferon, gamma interferon, IL-2, GM-CSF and G-CSF.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said anti-CD20 antibody and said alpha interferon, gamma interferon, IL-2, GM-CSF or G-CSF is administered sequentially, in either order, or in combination.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said anti-CD20 antibody is a chimeric antibody.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said chimeric anti-CD20 antibody is C2B8 (Rituximab®).  
     
     
         17 . A method for treating B-cell lymphoma comprising administering to a patient a therapeutically effective amount of anti-CD20 antibody before, during or subsequent to a chemotherapeutic regimen.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said chemotherapy regimen is selected from the group consisting of CHOP, ICE, Mitozantrone, Cytarabine, DVP, ATRA, Idarubicin, hoelzer chemotherapy regime, La La chemotherapy regime, ABVD, CEOP, 2-CdA, FLAG & IDA with or without subsequent G-CSF treatment), VAD, M & P, C-Weekly, ABCM, MOPP and DHAP.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said anti-CD20 antibody is a chimeric antibody.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said chimeric antibody is C2B8 (Rituximab®).  
     
     
         21 . A method for treating B-cell lymphoma comprising administering to a patient a therapeutically effective amount of an anti-CD20 antibody before, during or subsequent to a bone marrow or stem cell transplant.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said anti-CD20 antibody is a chimeric anti-CD20 antibody.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said chimeric anti-CD20 antibody is C2B8 (Rituximab®).  
     
     
         24 . A method of reducing residual CD20+ tumor cells in bone marrow or stem cells before or after myeloablative therapy by administering to a patient an anti-CD20 antibody.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said anti-CD20 antibody is a chimeric anti-CD20 antibody.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said chimeric anti-CD20 antibody is C2B8 (Rituximab®).  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said B-cell lymphoma is selected from the group consisting of low grade/follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), small lymphocytic (SL) NHL, intermediate grade/follicular NHL, intermediate grade diffuse NHL, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), high grade immunoblastic NHL, high grade lymphoblastic NHL, high grade small non-cleaved cell NHL, bulky disease NHL, mantle cell lymphoma, AIDS-related lymphoma and Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said B-cell lymphoma is selected from the group consisting of low grade/follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), small lymphocytic (SL) NHL, intermediate grade/follicular NHL, intermediate grade diffuse NHL, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), high grade immunoblastic NHL, high grade lymphoblastic NHL, high grade small non-cleaved cell NHL, bulky disease NHL, mantle cell lymphoma, AIDS-related lymphoma and Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said B-cell lymphoma is selected from the group consisting of low grade/follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), small lymphocytic (SL) NHL, intermediate grade/follicular NHL, intermediate grade diffuse NHL, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), high grade immunoblastic NHL, high grade lymphoblastic NHL, high grade small non-cleaved cell NHL, bulky disease NHL, mantle cell lymphoma, AIDS-related lymphoma and Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said B-cell lymphoma is selected from the group consisting of low grade/follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), small lymphocytic (SL) NHL, intermediate grade/follicular NHL, intermediate grade diffuse NHL, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), high grade immunoblastic NHL, high grade lymphoblastic NHL, high grade small non-cleaved cell NHL, bulky disease NHL, mantle cell lymphoma, AIDS-related lymphoma and Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said B-cell lymphoma is selected from the group consisting of low grade/follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), small lymphocytic (SL) NHL, intermediate grade/follicular NHL, intermediate grade diffuse NHL, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), high grade immunoblastic NHL, high grade lymphoblastic NHL, high grade small non-cleaved cell NHL, bulky disease NHL, mantle cell lymphoma, AIDS-related lymphoma and Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia.