Obinutuzumab Plus Gemcitabine, Dexamethasone and Cisplatin (O-GDP) As Salvage Chemotherapy Prior to Autologous Stem Cell Transplant in Aggressive B Cell Lymphoma

Background: CCTG LY.12 defined GDP (gemcitabine, dexamethasone and cisplatin) (GDP) as an effective outpatient salvage chemotherapy regimen in relapsed/refractory (R/R) patients with aggressive lymphomas who are candidates for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) (Crump et al. JCO 2014). Obinutuzumab (O) is an alternative anti-CD20 that may produce responses in rituximab-refractory lymphomas. Head-to-head, O did not improve efficacy compared to R when combined with CHOP as initial therapy (Vitolo JCO 2017). However, salvage therapy differs from initial therapy in that patients have been previously exposed to, and have relapsed after, prior R. We therefore performed a single centre, single arm clinical trial of O-GDP to assess safety and efficacy in R/R aggressive B cell lymphoma as a salvage regimen prior to consolidation with ASCT.