Prof Anas Younes talks to ecancer at the 17^th European Haematology Association Congress in Amsterdam about a new class of monoclonal antibodies, mTOR inhibitors and the importance of clinical trials.

A trial using brentuximab vedotin, a new class of monoclonal antibodies that target CD30, showed 74% response and 30% complete response rate.

Patients with complete response had an average of 2 years without relapse; however, patients with partial response had a shorter remission period. Brentuximab vedotin, now FDA approved, is one of most active single agents and produces a high response rate with low toxicity.

Dr Younes also discusses everolimus, currently the only mTOR inhibitors only approved for non-Hodgkin’s and Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and ibrutinib and a PI3 kinase inhibitor, both oral with a broad activity in the relapse setting.

Filiming supported by Amgen