Polivy (Polatuzumab vedotin-piiq) for Lymphoma

Overview

Polivy is a prescription drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat adults with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified. Polivy is indicated for use after at least two other treatments have been tried. Polivy is usually prescribed in combination with two other antilymphoma drugs, Treanda (Bendamustine) and Rituxan (Rituximab). Polivy is also known by its drug name, Polatuzumab vedotin-piiq.

Polivy is used in immunotherapy for cancer. Polivy is an antibody-drug conjugate consisting of two parts. Polatuzumab is a biologic drug, a genetically engineered protein (antibody) that targets the CD79b protein on lymphoma cells. Vedotin is a powerful anticancer drug too toxic to be administered on its own. Vedotin binds to cells, prevents them from dividing, and induces cell death.

How do I take it?

Polivy is administered as an intravenous infusion once every three weeks.

Polivy comes in the form of a single-dose vial.

Side effects

The FDA-approved label for Polivy lists common side effects including fever, fatigue, diarrhea, decreased appetite, neuropathy (nerve pain, tingling, or pins-and-needles sensation in the extremities), low blood cell counts, and pneumonia.

Rare but serious side effects listed for Polivy can include severe infections, liver damage, fetal harm in pregnant women, and tumor lysis syndrome (a potentially fatal metabolic condition caused when many cancer cells die at the same time). Other serious side effects include severe hypersensitivity. Taking Polivy increases the risk of developing a fatal brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). PML can occur months after taking Polivy.

For more details about this treatment, visit:

Polivy — Genentech

Immunotherapy for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma — American Cancer Society

Immunotherapy — Lymphoma Research Foundation