Asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi-rywn for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoblastic lymphoma

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a neoplastic disease characterized by the malignant proliferation of lymphoid cells in the blood and bone marrow. It accounts for approximately 75% of childhood leukemia. Lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) is a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma characterized by rapid growth and highly aggressive characteristics that occurs most commonly in adolescents and young adults. Asparaginase is primarily used to treat patients with ALL or LBL. Because allergic reactions occur in patients treated with bacterial-derived asparaginase, it is important to develop an alternative asparaginase preparation for patients allergic to asparaginase. Recombinant asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi-rywn (JZP-458) is a recombinant Erwinia asparaginase that uses a novel Pseudomonas fluorescens expression platform in the production process. JZP-458 has the same amino acid sequence as E. chrysanthemi-derived asparaginase (ERW) and its in vitro activity is similar to that of ERW. JZP-458 is highly efficacious in patients allergic to asparaginase. Data from a phase I clinical trial indicated that following the intramuscular or intravenous administration of JZP-458 to volunteers, serum asparaginase activity >= 0.1 IU/mL was observed in 100% of the volunteers 72 hours after administration. In this review, we summarize the mechanism of action and the related research data obtained with JZP-458 for the treatment of ALL or LBL.