Emerging drugs for Hodgkin's lymphoma

Importance of the field: Although to date most patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) can be cured, the current treatment is associated with acute and long-term complications such as infertility, cardiovascular damage and secondary malignancies. Moreover, novel effective therapies are urgently needed for elderly patients and for patients relapsing after high-dose chemotherapy. Areas covered in this review: Currently emerging promising approaches include drugs targeting cell surface structures by mAbs and immunotoxins, as well as small molecules targeting intracellular proteins. This article includes clinical trials published within the past 3 decades and early results reported in international conferences. What the reader will gain: This article summarizes the biological basis and early clinical data on emerging drugs for HL. Take home message: To date, several new drugs are being tested for HL that are expected to change the approach in both first-line and relapsed patients.