Dr Vose on the Optimal Role for Epcoritamab in Relapsed/Refractory LBCL

"[Epcoritamab] would be an option for patients who [are unable to continue] standard induction therapy [or]…for patients who are not eligible for more intense regimens, such as autologous transplant or CAR T-cell therapy. It is potentially an outpatient regimen, and once patients get through the first cycle, it is tolerated quite well."

Julie M. Vose, MD, MBA, a professor and chief of the Division of Oncology and Hematology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center/Nebraska Medicine, where she is also the George and Peggy Payne Distinguished Chair in Oncology, discusses select populations of patients with relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) who may experience the most benefit with epcoritamab-bysp (Epkinly).

Long-term data from the phase 1/2 EPCORE NHL-1 trial (NCT03625037) demonstrated that patients in this population who received epcoritamabmonotherapy achieved the longest reported median duration of complete response (CR) among FDA-approved bispecific antibodies for LBCL and diffuse LBCL transformed from follicular lymphoma, Vose shared. The overall median duration of CR with epcoritamab (n = 157) was 36.1 months (95% CI, 20.2–not reached), highlighting the agent’s ability to induce durable responses. The overall response rate was 59%, with a CR rate of 41% and a partial response (PR) rate of 17%.

Epcoritamab is an effective treatment option for patients who are ineligible for intensive treatments, such as autologous transplant or CAR T-cell therapy, Vose stated, adding that the agent should especially be considered for those who discontinue standard induction therapy. The agent has the potential for outpatient administration, and after the first cycle, it is generally well tolerated, she shared. However, frequent dosing requirements may be a limitation for patients who must travel long distances for treatment, Vose noted. Despite this, high response rates and an acceptable toxicity profile make epcoritamab a viable therapeutic option for a broad population of patients with relapsed or refractory LBCL and transformed DLBCL, Vose concluded.