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polatuzumab vedotin

This grade answers one narrow question: how strong is the public evidence and safety record behind this drug, and how clean is its money trail and court record? It is not a verdict on whether the drug is right for you.

C

Score breakdown (72/100)

Safety ×35%
B
Evidence ×25%
F
Regulatory ×15%
A
Money & lawsuits ×15%
A
Options ×10%
F

Safety: 86

Evidence: 35

Regulatory history: 95

Money & lawsuits: 100

Options: 40

What the FDA label says

Approved uses

is a CD79b-directed antibody and microtubule inhibitor conjugate indicated: in combination with a rituximab product, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone (R-CHP) for the treatment of adult patients who have previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), not otherwise specified (NOS) or high-grade B-cell lymphoma (HGBL) and who have an International Prognostic Index score of 2 or greater. ( 1.1 ) in combination with bendamustine and a rituximab product for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL, NOS, after at least two prior therapies. ( 1.2 ) 1.1 Previously Untreated DLBCL, NOS or HGBL POLIVY in combination with a rituximab product, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone (R-CHP) is indicated for the treatment of adult patients who have previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), not otherwise specified (NOS) or high-grade B-cell lymphoma (HGBL) and who have an International Prognostic Index score of 2 or greater. 1.2 Relapsed or Refractory DLBCL, NOS POLIVY in combination with bendamustine and a rituximab product is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL, NOS, after at l...

Contraindications

None. None. ( 4 )

Warnings and precautions

Peripheral Neuropathy: Monitor patients for peripheral neuropathy and modify or discontinue dose accordingly. ( 5.1 ) Infusion-Related Reactions: Premedicate with an antihistamine and antipyretic. Monitor patients closely during infusions. Interrupt or discontinue infusion for reactions. ( 5.2 ) Myelosuppression: Monitor complete blood counts. Manage using dose delays or reductions and growth factor support. Monitor for signs of infection. ( 5.3 ) Serious and Opportunistic Infections: Closely monitor patients for signs of bacterial, fungal, or viral infections. ( 5.4 ) Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML): Monitor patients for new or worsening neurological, cognitive, or behavioral changes suggestive of PML. ( 5.5 ) Tumor Lysis Syndrome: Closely monitor patients with high tumor burden or rapidly proliferative tumors. ( 5.6 ) Hepatotoxicity: Monitor liver enzymes and bilirubin. ( 5.7 ) Infusion Site Extravasation Injury: Ensure patent venous access prior to initiating the infusion and closely monitor the infusion site throughout administration for any signs of extravasation. Stop the infusion immediately if extravasation occurs. ( 5.8 ) Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: Can cause f...

Adverse reactions (label)

The following clinically significant adverse reactions are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the label: Peripheral Neuropathy [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Infusion-Related Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] Myelosuppression [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] Serious and Opportunistic Infections [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] Tumor Lysis Syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] Hepatotoxicity [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7) ] Infusion Site Extravasation Injury [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8) ] The most common adverse reactions (≥20%) in patients with large B-cell lymphoma treated with POLIVY in combination with R-CHP, excluding laboratory abnormalities, are peripheral neuropathy, nausea, fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, alopecia, and mucositis. Grade 3 to 4 laboratory abnormalities (≥10%) are lymphopenia, neutropenia, hyperuricemia, and anemia. ( 6.1 ) The most common adverse reaction (≥20%) in patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL treated with POLIVY in combination with BR are neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, peripheral neuropathy,...

Recent major label changes

Dosage and Administration ( 2.4 ) 8/2026 Warnings and Precautions ( 5.8 ) 3/2026

Source: FDA SPL label for POLIVY (Genentech, Inc.), effective 20260824. Full label on DailyMed.

Side-effect reports sent to the FDA

These are counts of reports people filed, not rates of harm. Anyone can file one, and nobody checks whether the drug was the cause. Millions of doses are taken for every report sent, so the useful part is how this drug compares with the average across all drugs.

5,872reports that mention this drug
5,868of those blame this drug, not another one the person was taking
98%of reports describe a serious outcome, such as a hospital stay (average for all drugs: 57%)
19.2%of reports include a death, from any cause (average for all drugs: 9.1%)

Problems reported most often

Disease Progression · 1,219Off Label Use · 800Anaemia · 460Neutropenia · 424Febrile Neutropenia · 376Cytokine Release Syndrome · 362Death · 359Drug Ineffective · 359Pyrexia · 353Thrombocytopenia · 337Covid-19 · 327Blood Lactate Dehydrogenase Increased · 313Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma · 311Platelet Count Decreased · 307Pneumonia · 299

Reports per year

20192020202120222023202420252026
2484095161,0551,270845898531

Source: the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports are voluntary and unverified. Drugs that are prescribed a lot, in the news, or in lawsuits attract more reports, so the percentages are compared with the whole database to correct for that partly, not fully.

Recalls and regulatory record

0recall actions on file
0 / 0brand / generic applications
0label changes since 2021
NoREMS program

Evidence base

12randomized trials (PubMed)
4systematic reviews
108registered trials
82%of completed trials posted results
7%terminated or withdrawn
45%industry-funded

Counts measure how much evidence exists and how transparent it is, not how big the benefit is. For that, ask your prescriber: if 100 people like me took this, how many would get better because of it, and how many would be harmed? (Doctors call these the "number needed to treat" and "number needed to harm.") It differs by condition and is the number drug ads leave out. Sources: PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov.

Money and lawsuits

In 2024, drug companies reported $0 in payments to US physicians and hospitals tied to this drug across 0 transactions.

No pending federal MDL names this drug or its brands.

Not named in any federal pharmaceutical settlement of $100M or more on record.

Sources: CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act); Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation pending docket list; DOJ settlements as tabulated on Wikipedia with links to the primary record. State-court and individual suits are not included.

Who takes it and what it costs

Not in the Medicare Part D spending file (typically hospital-administered or very new drugs).

Same-class alternatives

No same-class alternatives found in RxClass.

Questions to ask your prescriber

  1. The most-reported problems in FDA's adverse event data are disease progression, anaemia, neutropenia. How would we recognize and handle those?
  2. Off-label use is among the most-reported items for this drug. Is my use on-label, and if not, what evidence supports it?
  3. There is no generic. Is there an older generic in the same class that works as well for my situation?
  4. What result are we expecting, by when, and what is the plan if it does not happen?
  5. If 100 people like me took this drug, how many would actually get better because of it, and how many would be harmed by it? (Doctors call these the number needed to treat and the number needed to harm.)