Real-World Overall Response Rate and Other Outcomes Related to Originator and Biosimilar Rituximab in Patients with CLL or NHL in the United Kingdom

The results of a noninterventional, retrospective study showed that rituximab originator and the rituximab-abbs biosimilars yielded comparable efficacy and tolerability in the first-line treatment of patients with CLL and NHL, with rituximab-abbs use resulting in cost-savings.

A noninterventional, retrospective study assessed the real-world patient outcomes relating to effectiveness and tolerability of the rituximab originator and its biosimilar rituximab-abbs in the first-line treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in the United Kingdom; the results of this study were presented at the 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.

Data on patient characteristics, response to treatment, healthcare resource utilization, and costs were abstracted retrospectively via an online physician survey. UK-registered hematologists and oncologists reported on randomly selected patients aged 18 years from 4 cohorts with documented CLL or NHL who had received rituximab-abbs or rituximab as first-line immunotherapy (between January 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019). Patient outcomes data were provided from the first treatment to the last date of follow-up available in the medical records.

A total of 46 participating physicians identified 201 patients with CLL or NHL who were treated with rituximab or rituximab-abbs. In terms of efficacy outcomes, the overall response rate, 6-month progression-free survival, and 1-year survival were comparable for rituximab and rituximab-abbs in patients with CLL or NHL.

Across cohorts, the most common grade ≥3 adverse events were neutropenia, fatigue, anemia, and infusion reactions. Healthcare resource utilization was high but similar across cohorts, owing to drug costs, diagnostic testing, oncologist office visits, and day hospital admissions. Use of rituximab-abbs realized a mean annual savings of approximately £1,000 per patient, which was attributed to first-line treatment costs.

Based on the results of this noninterventional retrospective study, it was concluded that the rituximab originator and the rituximab-abbs biosimilar yielded comparable efficacy and tolerability in the first-line treatment of patients with CLL and NHL, with rituximab-abbs utilization resulting in cost-savings.

Source: McBride A, Daniel S, Driessen MT, et al. Real-world overall response rate and other outcomes related to originator and biosimilar rituximab in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the United Kingdom. J Clin Oncol. 2021;39(suppl_15):e18696.