Combination therapy with the type II anti-CD20 antibody obinutuzumab

Introduction: Obinutuzumab is a novel humanized type II glycoengineered anti-CD20 antibody approved for first-line treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in combination with chlorambucil and for treatment of rituximab-refractory follicular lymphoma (FL). Areas covered: We describe current preclinical and clinical evidence supporting the combination of obinutuzumab with not only chemotherapy but also novel targeted therapies for B-cell hematologic malignancies, and its application in chemoimmunotherapy. We also provide an overview of the current clinical trial landscape investigating novel combination therapies based on obinutuzumab. Expert opinion: Within the next 10 years the treatment of B-cell malignancies with obinutuzumab is expected to increasingly move towards chemotherapy-free regimens. Novel combinations of obinutuzumab will be explored with targeted therapies, antibody-drug conjugates, and/or other immunotherapeutic agents, with the aim to achieve clinically meaningful improvements in efficacy and patient safety.