Celgene International has reported positive clinical data from a Phase I/II study evaluating the combination of Revlimid (lenalidomide) plus rituximab in patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma.

The study, conducted at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, US, involved 46 patients.

The results indicated an overall response rate of 57% with a complete response rate of 33% and a median duration of response of 18.9 months.

The investigators also demonstrated that Revlimid enhances the effects of rituximab on antibody-dependent cellular mediated cytotoxicity, to direct immune defence cells to attack lymphoma cells.

Drug-related toxicities include neutropenia, lymphopenia, and thrombocytopenia.