Successful desensitization to brentuximab vedotin after hypersensitivity reaction.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) have become the standard of care for numerous diseases. However, side effects including infusion and hypersensitivity reactions experienced by patients continue to be a limiting factor in their use. In the therapy of cancer, treatment choices are frequently limited and minimizing side effects of a life-saving or life-prolonging therapy becomes of the utmost importance. We report the successful use of a rapid desensitization protocol in a patient with NHL, treated with a novel antibody-drug conjugate, chimeric monoclonal antibody linked to the antimitotic agent monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) Brentuximab vedotin, who had previously developed a hypersensitivity reaction.