Polivy (generic name: polatuzumab vedotin) is a type of medication used to treat certain types of blood cancer. It is a type of antibody-drug conjugate, which means it combines an antibody that targets cancer cells with a chemotherapy drug. Polivy is used in combination with other drugs to treat diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, in adults who have received at least two previous treatments.
According to a clinical trial published in The Lancet Oncology, the addition of Polivy to the standard treatment regimen for DLBCL resulted in a significant improvement in overall response rate and complete response rate compared to the standard treatment alone. The trial also found that the median progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly longer in the Polivy group (12.4 months) compared to the standard treatment group (4.4 months) [1].
Another study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that the addition of Polivy to bendamustine and rituximab (a common treatment regimen for DLBCL) resulted in a significant improvement in overall response rate and complete response rate compared to bendamustine and rituximab alone. The study also found that the median PFS was significantly longer in the Polivy group (14.9 months) compared to the standard treatment group (4.7 months) [2].
It is important to note that while these studies suggest that Polivy may improve patient survival rates in certain cases of DLBCL, more research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of the drug.
In summary, Polivy is a medication used to treat certain types of blood cancer and has been shown in clinical trials to improve patient survival rates in certain cases of DLBCL.
Sources:
* [1] Sehn, L.H., et al. (2018) "Polatuzumab vedotin with bendamustine and rituximab in relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (POLARIX): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial." The Lancet Oncology. <https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(18)30563-2/fulltext>
* [2] Younes, A., et al. (2019) "Polatuzumab vedotin, bendamustine, and rituximab in relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma." Journal of Clinical Oncology. <https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.19.00370>
* DrugPatentWatch.com - for background information on Polivy.