Epcoritamab induces deep and durable responses in chemotherapy-ineligible elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Prof Umberto Vitolo speaks to ecancer about the updated results from the phase 2 EPCORE DLBCL-3 trial evaluating fixed-duration epcoritamab monotherapy, a CD3×CD20 bispecific antibody, in newly diagnosed (first-line) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients who are ineligible for standard anthracycline-based chemotherapy due to advanced age and/or comorbidities.

After a median follow-up of 22 months, epcoritamab demonstrated robust clinical activity, with an overall response rate of 73% and complete responses in 63% of response-evaluable patients.

Prof Vitolo says that responses were rapid, frequently deepening over time, and remained durable, with most complete responses ongoing at 12 months and minimal residual disease negativity achieved in the majority of evaluable responders. Median progression-free survival was 13 months, while overall survival was not reached.

He highlights that these findings support epcoritamab as a promising chemotherapy-free, single-agent option for frail, elderly patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL who are unable to tolerate standard curative regimens.