Marqibo

Marqibo is an anticancer medication that treats Philadelphia chromosome-negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph- ALL). This is a subtype of ALL with changes in DNA in chromosomes other than those found on the Philadelphia chromosome. Marqibo works by stopping the life cycle of cancer cells. This kills cancer cells, which helps slow or stop cancer growth. Marqibo is an infusion into the vein that's usually given after you've tried other anticancer medications first that didn't end up working well.

The FDA approved Marqibo in 2012 for adults with Ph- ALL under its Accelerated Approval Program based on study results measuring response rates to the medication (lowered amount of cancer cells and recovery of blood cell counts). This approval provided a treatment option for adults with ALL who generally had few options available. With this early approval, the FDA required the makers of Marqibo to prove its benefit through clinical studies at a later time. By 2021, the makers weren't able to confirm a potential clinical benefit, so the FDA removed its approval of Marqibo.

Conventional vincristine is used today in treatment plans for many types of leukemias (including ALL) and lymphomas. Marqibo has been discontinued, but it was originally only used for the Ph- ALL subtype that's come back or gotten worse after previous treatment. Unlike conventional vincristine, Marqibo had a fatty coating that helped the medication stay in the blood longer so it reached and slowly entered cancer cells better. This allowed providers to give higher doses of Marqibo compared to conventional vincristine without causing more side effects.