Effect of Prior Rituximab on Residence Time of I131 Tositumomab Consolidation Therapy in Patients (pts) with Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL): Analysis of SWOG Clinical Trials.
Authors: Schaefer-Cutillo Julia , Chengazi Vaseem , Peterson Derick R , Maloney David G. , Kibler Kevin , Cebula Erin , Bernstein Steven , Young Faith , Press Oliver W. , Rimsza Lisa M. , Fisher Richard I. , Friedberg Jonathan W. 
Published: April 2020

Backround: Anti CD-20 radioimmunotherapy (RIT) is effective therapy for indolent B-cell NHL, and under investigation in more aggressive histologies. Most data on safety and efficacy of RIT is from the pre-rituximab era, and the effect of rituximab exposure on RIT in pts with NHL is unknown. Gopal et al recently demonstrated that exposure to rituximab correlated with inferior tumor response and alteration in tumor: organ dosimetry ratio both in vitro and in mouse models following therapy with iodine-131 tositumomab (Blood 112:830). Two ongoing SWOG trials evaluating RIT consolidation therapy provide a unique opportunity to evaluate the impact of prior rituximab on pharmacodynamics of iodine-131 tositumomab in humans. S0016 enrolls previously untreated pts with follicular NHL, and iodine-131 tositumomab consolidation is administered after 6 cycles of CHOP. S0433 enrolls previously untreated pts with DLBCL, and iodine-131 tositumomab is administered after 6 cycles of CHOP with rituximab, and 2 additional cycles of CHOP alone. As rituximab leads to B-cell depletion for 6 months or more, we hypothesized the residence time of iodine-131 tositumomab would differ in pts exposed recently to rituximab compared to no prior rituximab.

Methods: Prospective pts at the University of Rochester enrolled in S0016 and S0433 were analyzed. Residence times of iodine-131 tositumomab were calculated using serial imaging on a Picker XP 2000 gamma camera. Rituximab levels were performed within one week prior to dosimetric iodine-131 tositumomab administration using ELISA. Medians were used to summarize the data, and the 2-tailed Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test was used for hypothesis testing.

Results: 16 pts (6 female) on S0016 and 12 pts (6 female) on S0433, were identified, with median ages of 54.5 and 69.5 respectively. All pts had advanced stage disease, and median BMI and creatinine were similar for both groups. Pts on S0433 had a median time from rituximab to RIT of 78.6 days (range 58–98 days). Despite this, rituximab levels were present at time of iodine-131 tositumomab in all pts measured (N=9; median rituximab level 37.2 ug/ml, range 15.6–61.69). Median absolute lymphocyte count appeared lower in the S0433 group compared to the S0016 group (600 vs 1050 /ul), but this difference was not significant (p=0.12). Pts on S0433 (all had received rituximab prior to iodine-131 tositumomab consolidation) had significantly longer RIT residence times when compared to those on S0016, (not treated with prior rituximab): 115 hours vs. 107 hours; p=0.02. Therapeutic doses of iodine-131 tositumomab were not significantly different between the two studies (S0433: 72 mCi vs. S00016: 78 mCi p=0.59).

Conclusions: Our results indicate that prior therapy with rituximab results in a longer residence time of iodine-131 tositumomab when used as consolidation after chemotherapy. Measurable rituximab levels at time of RIT suggest that rituximab-induced B-cell depletion decreases clearance of RIT, possibly allowing for longer exposure times. The significance of this longer residence time is unknown but it could be associated with greater toxicity to normal organs, and could be indicative of decreased tumor binding. If confirmed in larger studies, these findings could have profound implications on RIT administration in the context of rituximab. Rituximab-induced B-cell depletion could obligate the need for unlabeled antibody dosing prior to RIT, and may affect dosimetry of RIT. Prospective studies of RIT in the rituximab era should evaluate the impact of prior rituximab and RIT residence time on toxicities and outcomes in pts treated with RIT.