Breakthrough in Cancer: Approximately 51% Reduction in Risk of Disease Progression

A Phase 3 study presents encouraging results in patients with aggressive DLBCL lymphoma: adding the drug Epcoritamab to standard treatment reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 51%. This is one of the most common and aggressive types of lymphoma. The combination is not yet approved as a first-line treatment.

A first-of-its-kind Phase 3 study presents encouraging results in treating aggressive DLBCL lymphoma. Adding the drug Epcoritamab to the standard R-CHOP treatment reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 51%, with a hazard ratio of 0.49. The study examined patients newly diagnosed with DLBCL and related diseases, with an IPI risk score of 2 to 5. The treatment group received six cycles of R-CHOP combined with Epcoritamab, followed by two additional cycles of Epcoritamab alone. The control group received six cycles of R-CHOP followed by two cycles of Rituximab. The study began in February 2023 and is still ongoing. Epcoritamab is a bispecific antibody, already known under the brand name Epkinly in the US and Tepkinly in Europe for certain indications of previously treated lymphoma, but the combination with R-CHOP as a first-line treatment for DLBCL is not yet approved. The safety profile was consistent with what is already known, and no new safety signal was reported. Full data have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed scientific publication.