What is Gazyva used for and how does it work?

• Gazyva is used to treat or delay the progression of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or follicular lymphoma (FL).
• It targets a specific antigen called CD20 on normal and cancerous B-lymphocytes, which signals the immune system to attack and destroy these cells.
• Stem cells are unaffected because they do not have this antigen.

Indications and Uses

Gazyva (obinutuzumab) is an intravenous medication that is used to treat or delay the progression of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or follicular lymphoma (FL), usually in combination with other treatments. Gazyva is FDA approved to treat:

• CLL as the initial treatment in combination with chlorambucil
• FL in combination with bendamustine in patients who have relapsed or not responded to a rituximab-containing regimen. This is then followed by Gazyva alone as maintenance therapy
• First-time treatment of stage II bulky, III or IV FL. Gazyva is used with chemotherapy first, then alone if the treatment works.

CLL is the most common leukemia in adults. It affects the B-lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) in the bone marrow first.

FL is a cancer of the lymphatic system caused by abnormal B lymphocytes.

How does Gazyva work?

Gazyva targets a specific antigen called CD20 that is a type of protein found on normal and cancerous B-lymphocytes. Gazyva binds to this protein which signals cells in our immune system to attack and kill the marked B-cells. This happens via several different mechanisms, such as activation of signaling pathways that trigger cell death.

Gazyva is a monoclonal antibody. Monoclonal antibodies are man-made proteins that act like human antibodies in the immune system. They are a type of “targeted” cancer treatment but they are usually only given for cancers in which antigens (and their specific antibodies) have been identified already.

Although Gazyva causes cell death in both normal and malignant B-cells, stem cells (young cells in the bone marrow that develop into various types of cells), do not have the CD20 antigen and will not be destroyed, allowing your body to keep producing healthy cells throughout treatment.