Glofitamab’s Mechanism of Action in Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Tycel Phillips, MD, a clinical associate professor of hematology and medical oncology at the University of Michigan Health, discusses the mechanism of action of glofitamab in patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).

According to Phillips, glofitamab is a bispecific antibody, meaning it has 2 binding epitopes, CD20 and CD3. This will hopefully activate T cells and cause a clonal T cell expansion or for the patient’s own T cells to attack the tumor. Phillips says, in this way, it is very similar to a CAR T product without the manufacturing need. Also, according to Phillips, by using the patient’s own immune system, it will also hopefully avoid toxicities associated with other treatments used in this patient population.

0:08 | Glofitamab is a bispecific antibody. So, in essence it has 2 binding epitopes that will bind to CD20, which is on the malignant B-cell and also bind to CD3, which is on the patient's T cell. And in aspects, it brings it into close proximity with the hope of activating the T cell and causing a clonal T cell expansion or to allow the patient's own immune system their T cells in this instance, to attack and kill off the tumor cells. Again, in this way, it's almost quasi-like an off the shelf CAR T product without the need for manufacturing. So, by using the patient's immune system, ideally, we can avoid some of the toxicities we see with some other mechanisms or treatments that we typically use for this patient population.