An update on newer monoclonal antibodies in lymphoma therapy

In 2014, an estimated 9.4% of all new cancers in the US were accounted to hematological cancers. Most of these cancers have a B-cell origin and on the cell surface express antigen CD20-known to restrict B-cells. Considering the intrinsic immune status of the patients receiving chemotherapy, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are designed to provide active or passive immunotherapy. Clinical success of rituximab-anti-CD20 mAb in the treatment of lymphoma has led to the development of newer generations of mAb to increase the anti-tumor activity. Hence, recent advances in lymphoma therapy are being built on the conventional prototype of anti-CD20 mAb-rituximab. Our review is an update on the advances in lymphoma therapy using mAb against CD20 including the second generation-ofatumumab, veltuzumab, ocrelizumab, and the third-generation mAbs-ocaratuzumab and obinutuzumab.