Immunoglobulin repletion during blinatumomab therapy does not reduce the rate of secondary hypogammaglobulinemia and associated infectious risk
Stephanie Wo, Hannah Levavi, John Mascarenhas, Marina Kremyanskaya, Shyamala Navada, Michal Bar‐Natan, Sara Kim
Abstract
Background: Blinatumomab has demonstrated efficacy in minimal residual disease (MRD) positive and relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) by inciting rapid and sustained B-cell depletion. Methods: Owing to its effect on B-cells, blinatumomab is associated with a higher rate of secondary hypogammaglobulinemia compared to chemotherapy. To mitigate blinatumomab-induced hypogammaglobulinemia, patients were pre-emptively repleted with intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) during blinatumomab therapy. In this retrospective study, we compared outcomes of 23 blinatumomab treated adults with ALL. Seventeen patients routinely received IVIG and 6 patients were in the control cohort. Results: =1). Conclusion: Pre-emptive IVIG repletion during blinatumomab did not prevent hypogammaglobulinemia and associated infection risk.