Role of CD30 targeting in malignant lymphoma.

CD30 is an important therapeutic target for the treatment of malignant lymphomas. CD30 is a member of the TNF cell receptor superfamily and is highly expressed in a variety of lymphoma subsets, including Hodgkin lymphoma and anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Initial studies evaluated the safety and efficacy of several monoclonal antibodies targeting CD30, with limited success. More recently, the anti-CD30 drug-conjugate brentuximab vedotin produced high response rates with an excellent safety profile. These results lead to the approval of brentuximab vedotin for the treatment of patients with relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma and anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Current studies are focusing on incorporating brentuximab vedotin in front-line regimens and expanding its potential clinical utility in other CD30-expressing malignancies.