Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in Treating Patients With Refractory Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma or Hodgkin's Lymphoma

RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies can locate cancer cells and either kill them or deliver cancer-killing substances to them without harming normal cells.

PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of monoclonal antibody therapy in treating patients with refractory anaplastic large cell lymphoma or Hodgkin's lymphoma.

OBJECTIVES:

• Determine the safety and tolerability of multiple doses of monoclonal antibody HeFi-1 in patients with CD30+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma or Hodgkin's lymphoma.
• Determine the pharmacokinetics of this drug in this patient population.
• Evaluate the efficacy, in terms of correlating immunologic parameters and immunogenicity, of this drug in these patients.

OUTLINE: This is an open-label, dose-escalation study.

Patients receive monoclonal antibody HeFi-1 IV over 30 minutes 3 times a week for 2 weeks. Treatment may continue for 2 additional weeks in the absence of anti-HeFi-1 response. Responding patients may continue treatment at monthly intervals for one year.

Cohorts of 3-4 patients receive escalating doses of monoclonal antibody HeFi-1 until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 4 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity.

Patients are followed monthly.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 9 patients will be accrued for this study.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed CD30+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) or Hodgkin's lymphoma

  • At least 50% of malignant cells must react with HeFi-1
  • HIV positive or HIV negative
• Measurable disease
• No symptomatic CNS disease
• Must have failed or be ineligible for standard chemotherapy regimen

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• Not specified

Life expectancy:

• More than 2 months

Hematopoietic:

• Not specified

Hepatic:

• No significant hepatic disease
• Bilirubin no greater than 2 mg/dL

Renal:

• No significant renal disease
• Creatinine no greater than 3 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

• No significant cardiovascular disease

Pulmonary:

• No significant pulmonary disease

Other:

• No significant endocrine, rheumatologic, or allergic disease
• No active clinical disease caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV) I, HSV II, hepatitis B, or tuberculosis
• Not pregnant
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No prior murine antibody therapy

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy to measurable disease

Surgery:

• Not specified

Other

• At least 4 weeks since prior cytotoxic therapy to measurable disease