Press Conference from ASH 2011, San Diego: Randomized Phase II Trial Comparing GA101 (Obinutuzumab) with Rituximab in Patients with Relapsed CD20+ Indolent B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: Preliminary Analysis of the GAUSS Study 

The first clinical trial to directly compare rituximab with the new anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody obinutuzumab for the treatment of relapsed non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) has shown higher response rates for patients treated with the novel therapy. 

NHL survival rates have increased dramatically in the last several decades because of such proven and effective targeted therapies as rituximab that aim directly at the key molecular features of the disease. Despite advances in NHL treatment, hematologists continue to be challenged by drug resistance and disease relapses among their patients. Obinutuzumab, also known as GA101, is a new investigational therapy and the first type II bio-engineered monoclonal antibody specifically targeting CD20 (a prominent lymphoma biomarker) to be studied for use in NHL. Early research with GA101 has shown potential anti-lymphoma activity, but no studies have compared the results against current clinical options directly.