Genmab presents subgroup data affirming epcoritamab combination success across lymphoma risk brackets

Genmab (NASDAQ:GMAB) announced new data from a post-hoc subgroup analysis of its pivotal Phase 3 EPCORE FL-1 trial, which evaluates the subcutaneous T-cell engaging bispecific antibody epcoritamab in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide (epcoritamab plus R2).

The findings, presented during an oral session at the European Hematology Association (EHA) 2026 Congress in Stockholm, Sweden, revealed consistent and sustained therapeutic benefits for adults with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma across all evaluated patient subgroups.

The underlying clinical trial randomized 481 heavily or variably pretreated patients, with 243 receiving the epcoritamab plus R2 combination and 238 receiving standard R2 therapy alone.

This updated post-hoc analysis examined the regimen's efficacy based on specific, high-risk clinical markers, including the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) score, early disease progression within two years of frontline therapy (POD24 status), and overall physical fitness metrics.

The evaluation demonstrated that progression-free survival benefits heavily favored the epcoritamab arm, lowering the risk of disease progression or death substantially.

Hazard ratios consistently fell below 0.3 across the cohorts, tracking at 0.18 for lower-risk FLIPI scores and 0.25 for higher-risk FLIPI scores, alongside a hazard ratio of 0.22 among patients exhibiting the difficult-to-treat POD24 phenotype.

Furthermore, overall and complete response rates were markedly higher with the addition of epcoritamab.

For instance, the complete response rate reached 77% for the combination therapy in the high-risk FLIPI 3–5 subgroup compared to just 35.4% for those treated with R2 alone.

The trial's safety evaluation proved manageable and mirrored the broader study population, with no new safety signals reported.

Though side effects like neutropenia and infections occurred more frequently when lenalidomide doses were lowered, the combination maintained its clinical advantages, supporting its ongoing development as a flexible, fixed-duration therapeutic standard regardless of individual baseline comorbidities.