Is Blincyto (blinatumomab) chemotherapy?
Blincyto (blinatumomab) is used to treat cancer but it is not chemotherapy, Blincyto is a targeted therapy anticancer drug.
Drugs that are used to treat cancer are called anticancer drugs. Anticancer drugs can be divided to different groups:
- targeted therapy
- chemotherapy (chemo)
- hormonal drug therapy
- Immunotherapy
How does Blincyto work?
- Antibodies are a normal part of our immune system.
- Our body makes antibodies to match an antigen (eg germ or protein) that enters the body.
- Antibodies attach to the antigen to mark it so that the immune system knows to destroy it.
- Blincyto is an antibody that has been made to attach to target antigen on the cancer cell.
- It works by directing the part of the immune system called the T-cells to target and bind with the protein (CD19) on the surface of B-cell leukemia or lymphoma cells.
What is Blincyto used for?
Blincyto is used to treat adults and children 1 month and older with:
- B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in remission when only a small number of cancer cells remain in the body (minimal residual disease)
- B-cell precursor ALL that has come back or did not respond to previous treatments
- Philadelphia-chromosome negative B-cell precursor ALL in the consolidation phase of chemotherapy treatment with multiple phases
References
- Blincyto: Accessed 24 February 2021. http://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/drug-info/blincyto.aspx
- Impact of blinatumomab on patient outcomes in relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia: evidence to date: Accessed 24 February 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6173178/
- Blinctyo Package Insert: Accessed December 5, 2024. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2024/125557Orig1s028Correctedlbl.pdf
Read next
What are monoclonal antibodies?
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are man-made proteins that mimic the natural antibodies produced by our immune systems. Monoclonal antibodies can be formulated into medicines to treat various types of illnesses, such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis.
Continue reading
How much does Blincyto (blinatumomab) cost?
The cost of a Blincyto (blinatumomab) vial is approximately $5,427 per 35 microgram (mcg) single-dose vial for injection. The overall cost for your therapy will also depend upon the length of treatment. Most people do not pay out-of-pocket for the full price of Blincyto. Continue reading
Is Blincyto a type of immunotherapy?
Blincyto is a type of immunotherapy called a bispecific monoclonal antibody. This means that it binds to two different molecules at the same time – a protein called CD19 which exists on the surface of B-cell leukemia or lymphoma cells and a protein called CD3 which is expressed on T cells (a specific type of immune system cell). Blincyto may also be called a targeted treatment. Continue reading
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