Epkinly shows 51% PFS boost in frontline DLBCL, may become new standard of care

AbbVie and Genmab reported that their bispecific antibody Epkinly achieved a substantial gain in progression‑free survival when added to the standard R‑CHOP regimen in newly diagnosed diffuse large B‑cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

In the Phase 3 EPCORE DLBCL‑2 trial of about 900 patients, the combination cut the risk of disease progression or death by more than half, a 51 % relative improvement versus R‑CHOP alone. Analysts described the result as the strongest efficacy signal seen in frontline DLBCL registrational studies.

The data position Epkinly as a potential new standard of care and set up a direct competition with Roche’s Polivy, which is currently approved for the same indication. The readout may influence upcoming treatment guidelines and investor expectations for both companies.