AbbVie and Genmab's Epkinly succeeds in first-line lymphoma trial

Danish biotech Genmab and US drugmaker AbbVie announced that their bispecific antibody Epkinly, combined with standard R-CHOP chemotherapy, reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 51% in newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients. The Phase 3 trial results, which surpassed investor expectations and outperformed Roche's rival drug Polivy, position Epkinly to become the first-line standard of care. Following the announcement on October 5, 2026, Genmab's US-listed shares surged up to 14%, with analysts projecting peak annual sales for the therapy could reach $3 billion.

Epkinly Phase 3 trial results

• ▪Genmab and AbbVie stated that the safety profile of the Epkinly and R-CHOP combination was generally consistent with the known safety profiles of the individual therapies
• ▪The Phase 3 trial of Epkinly in newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma enrolled 900 patients at intermediate or high risk of death, randomizing them to receive either Epkinly or a placebo alongside standard R-CHOP chemotherapy
• ▪A Phase 3 trial of Genmab and AbbVie's bispecific antibody Epkinly combined with R-CHOP chemotherapy reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 51% in newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients compared to chemotherapy alone

Epkinly sales and projections

• ▪TD Cowen analyst Yaron Werber projected that Epkinly could eventually record annual sales of $3 billion, while Jefferies analyst Benjamin Jackson forecast peak sales of $1.4 billion in first-line disease alone
• ▪Genmab, which splits ownership rights to Epkinly with AbbVie, reported $312 million in global net sales for the therapy during the first half of 2026

Bispecific antibody mechanism and administration

• ▪Healthcare providers have developed remote evaluation methods for patient side effects, helping to expand the clinical use of bispecific cancer drugs
• ▪Epkinly is a bispecific antibody that latches onto one protein on diseased B cells and another on T cells, stimulating the body's immune system to attack cancer cells
• ▪Bispecific antibodies are associated with immune-related side effects that have historically made them challenging to deliver outside of academic medical centers due to recommended inpatient monitoring

Debatable claims

• ▪Epkinly should replace standard chemotherapy as the first-line treatment for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
• ▪Remote monitoring is safe enough to manage the side effects of bispecific cancer therapies