Idiotype vaccine production using hybridoma technology.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is the most common hematological malignancy both in Europe and in the United States. Follicular lymphoma (FL), a tumor comprised of mature B cells, represents one fourth of all NHL and, despite good response rates to standard treatments, tends to frequently relapse to such an extent that it is still considered incurable. Among several alternative therapeutic options actively being pursued, immunotherapy by idiotypic vaccination is in the forefront of clinical experimental medicine. The idiotype vaccine consists of the tumor-specific immunoglobulin conjugated with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and administered together with an adjuvant. Over the last 20 years, researchers have proven that this vaccine can induce specific immune responses. Too, those patients with such responses experience a disease-free survival longer than normally achievable, although these latter results require further confirmation in large clinical trials. Traditionally, idiotype vaccines have been produced through hybridoma technology. In this chapter this technology is described.