A method for clinical purging of myeloma bone marrow using peanut agglutinin as an anti-plasma cell agent, in combination with CD19 monoclonal antibody

Previous studies have shown that the lectin peanut agglutinin (PNA) binds bone marrow plasma cell in the majority of patients with myeloma and does not bind to normal haemopoietic progenitors. This lectin has been used in combination with anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody (moAb) in a system for purging myeloma bone marrow. This has now been scaled up for application to ex vivo treatment of large volumes of bone marrow suitable for autologous bone marrow transplantation