etoposide + anti-thymocyte globulin

Etoposide + anti-thymocyte globulin is a combination therapy used primarily in the management of severe immune-mediated disorders such as hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and in certain conditioning regimens for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Etoposide is a semisynthetic derivative of podophyllotoxin that acts as an antineoplastic agent by inhibiting DNA topoisomerase II, leading to DNA strand breaks and inhibition of DNA synthesis. It selectively ablates activated T cells while sparing quiescent naive and memory T cells, making it particularly effective in conditions characterized by pathological T-cell activation[1][4][6]. Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) is a polyclonal antibody preparation that targets multiple T-cell specific antigens, resulting in depletion of circulating T lymphocytes via complement-mediated cytotoxicity or apoptosis[2]. This dual approach provides both cytotoxic elimination of pathologic immune cells (etoposide) and broad immunomodulation through targeted depletion of T lymphocytes (ATG), which can be critical for controlling hyperinflammatory states or preparing patients for transplantation.

Other names

etoposide and anti-thymocyte globulinetoposide + ATGVP-16 + ATG