A new drug combination has shown promise in treating people diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), reducing the risk of progression or death by 51% compared to the current treatment alone. The findings come from the Phase 3 EPCORE DLBCL-2 trial, which tested the addition of epcoritamab to R-CHOP, a standard chemotherapy and immunotherapy regimen used to treat DLBCL. The companies developing the drug, Genmab and AbbVie, announced the ]results on October 5. Findings From The Lymphoma Trial The trial evaluated newly diagnosed patients with DLBCL and other large B-cell lymphomas who had an International Prognostic Index (IPI) score of 2 to 5, indicating varying levels of disease risk. Patients received either epcoritamab plus R-CHOP or R-CHOP alone. The combination reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 51%, with a hazard ratio of 0.49 and a p-value below 0.0001. The benefit was seen in the trial’s primary higher-risk group as well as the broader population included in the study. The companies said this is the first Phase 3 study of a bispecific antibody combination to demonstrate a significant improvement in progression-free survival in newly diagnosed DLBCL.Also read: World Meningitis Day: Why 1 In 3 Meningitis Deaths Occur In Children Under 5 How Does Epcoritamab Work? Epcoritamab is a bispecific antibody that engages T-cell. Unlike chemotherapy, which directly targets rapidly dividing cells, the drug is designed to bring the body’s immune cells into closer contact with cancer cells. It binds to CD3 on T cells and CD20 on B cells, effectively directing T cells towards CD20-positive cancer cells so they can attack them. R-CHOP, meanwhile, combines rituximab with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone and has been a standard treatment for DLBCL for decades. “DLBCL is an aggressive disease and the need to advance treatment options is critical. These positive topline results suggest that epcoritamab combined with R-CHOP could offer a new standard of care in newly diagnosed DLBCL patients,” said Daejin Abidoye, MD, Vice President, Therapeutic Area Head, Oncology, Solid Tumor and Hematology, AbbVie.Also read: Can Obeldesivir Prevent Ebola Symptoms After Exposure? Drug Trial Moves Forward As Death Toll Crosses 4,000Hope For A New Course Of Treatment In Blood Cancer DLBCL is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, accounting for around 25% to 30% of non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases worldwide. Although R-CHOP has improved outcomes, some patients still experience disease progression or relapse. The new findings suggest that bringing a bispecific antibody into treatment from the time of initial diagnosis could improve how long patients remain free from disease progression. “As an investigator with firsthand experience in both the landmark trial that established R-CHOP as a standard of care nearly 25 years ago and EPCORE DLBCL-2, it is particularly meaningful to see the potential benefit of bispecific antibody therapy in newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma,” said Gilles Salles, MD, PhD, Chief of the Lymphoma Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. But the combination is still investigational and has not been approved for newly diagnosed DLBCL. The companies said they plan to engage regulatory authorities globally based on the results. Full trial data will also be presented at a future medical meeting, meaning detailed results, including the complete safety and survival data, are still awaited.