Pilot Study of Tocilizumab in Patients with HIV and Symptomatic Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesvirus (KSHV)-Associated Multicentric Castleman Disease

CONCLUSION: Tocilizumab is safe in patients with HIV and may have a role in the management of symptoms associated with KSHV-MCD. Incomplete responses to tocilizumab may occur because tocilizumab binds to the gp80 IL-6 receptor and KSHV vIL-6 can bind to the gp130 receptor subunit without the requirement for gp80. The addition of AZT and VGC to tocilizumab also showed clinical benefit.DisclosuresUldrick: Celgene: Research Funding; Celgene: Patents & Royalties: 10,001,483 B2; Merck: Research Funding. Yarchoan: NIH: Patents & Royalties: Patents on IL-12 for KS and cereblon-binding drugs for KSHV diseases. Spouse has patent on KSHV IL-6. Patents assigned to DHHS/NIH.; Celgene Corp.: Research Funding.

Source: Blood - November 21, 2018 Category: Hematology Authors: Ramaswami, R., Lurain, K., Widell, A., Polizzotto, M. N., Goncalves, P. H., Lindsley, M., Steinberg, S. M., Whitby, D., Uldrick, T. S., Yarchoan, R. Tags: 623. Mantle Cell, Follicular, and Other Indolent B-Cell Lymphoma-Clinical Studies: Poster II Source Type: research