IDEC-C2B8 Antibody Is in Phase III Testing for B-Cell Lymphoma

SAN DIEGO, Calif--IDEC Pharmaceuticals Corporation has begun aphase III trial of its anti-lymphoma antibody IDEC-C2B8 in patientswith relapsed low-grade and follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.The company is developing the agent in collaboration with Genentech,Inc.

Up to 200 patients in this single-arm, single-agent trial willreceive four weekly infusions of IDEC-C2B8.

The antibody binds to the CD20 antigen, which is expressed onthe surface of mature B cells and B-cell tumors, but not on B-cellprecursors or plasma cells. Host defenses are thus recruited tokill both malignant and normal B cells. After treatment, the normalB cells regenerate from stem cells within months,IDEC said.