Monoclonal antibodies as a breakthrough in personalised leukaemia therapy: what pharmacists and doctors should know

Abstract

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are an important medical innovation in modern medicine. They are an effective therapy for several subtypes of leukaemia but may have undesirable effects, which may be minimised through the provision of interdisciplinary care including a pharmacist. The goals of this narrative review were twofold: first, to summarise the literature on the side effects of mAbs and the challenges of their preparation, and to provide recommendations for the safe preparation of mAb drug formulations for clinicians. Second, to suggest clinical roles for pharmacists to improve patient safety and clinical outcomes for leukaemia patients receiving mAb therapy. The review covers data from 178 scientific and official sources of information on the types of targeted immunobiological drugs for the treatment of various types of leukaemia. The results are a detailed description of the possible side effects from mAb therapy and a list of suggested actions that can be taken to prevent them. Pharmaceutical aspects of the use of mAbs, such as pharmacoeconomics, compounding and stability, are also discussed. The discussion is organised according to the current classification of leukaemia. The drugs considered include blinatumomab, inotuzumab ozogamicin, gemtuzumab ozogamicin, rituximab, ofatumumab, obinutuzumab, and alemtuzumab. The review offers a comprehensive resource to equip pharmacists and other clinicians to optimise mAb therapy and promote the safe use of these novel therapies.