We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
AbbVie's Epcoritamab Combo Shows PFS Benefit in Frontline DLBCL
Read MoreHide Full Article
Key Takeaways
AbbVie's epcoritamab plus R-CHOP significantly improved PFS versus R-CHOP alone in frontline DLBCL.
The combination reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 51% in the phase III study.
Epcoritamab plus R-CHOP was generally well tolerated, with a safety profile consistent with prior reports.
AbbVie (ABBV - Free Report) , along with Genmab (GMAB - Free Report) , announced positive top-line data from the phase III EPCORE DLBCL-2 study, which evaluated epcoritamab in combination with standard-of-care rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin hydrochloride, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) in patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), with an International Prognostic Index (IPI) score of two to five.
Year to date, shares of AbbVie have rallied 19.1% compared with the industry’s increase of 11.4%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What Did ABBV’s EPCORE DLBCL-2 Study Results Show?
The open-label, multicenter, randomized EPCORE DLBCL-2 study evaluated the efficacy of fixed treatment duration,epcoritamab, a T-cell engaging bispecific antibody administered subcutaneously, in combination with R-CHOP versus R-CHOP alone in the given patient population.
The study met its primary endpoint, wherein treatment with epcoritamab plus R-CHOP demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared with R-CHOP alone. The combo of epcoritamab + R-CHOP reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 51%.
Per the company, this is the first phase III study of a bispecific antibody combination therapy to demonstrate statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in PFS in frontline DLBCL.
The results were based on the first planned efficacy interim analysis. Following the significant benefit observed, the Independent Data Monitoring Committee recommended unblinding the study.
The safety profile of epcoritamab in combination with R-CHOP was generally well tolerated and similar to previously reported safety profiles of the individual treatments.
AbbVie and Genmab plan to engage with global regulatory bodies to determine the next steps of development for the investigational combination of epcoritamab plus R-CHOP.
More on ABBV’s Epcoritamab Development Program
AbbVie currently markets epcoritamab under the brand name Epkinly in the United States and Japan, and as Tepkinly in the European Union.
Epkinly/Tepkinly is already approved as monotherapy for adults with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (R/R FL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy.
In July 2026, the EC approved Tepkinly in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide (Tepkinly+R2) for adult patients with R/R FL after at least one line of systemic therapy.
The FDA approved Epkinly in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide for a similar indication in the United States in November 2025.
AbbVie has partnered with Denmark-based Genmab to jointly develop epcoritamab under the companies' oncology collaboration agreement. While both companies share commercialization rights in the United States and Japan, AbbVie is responsible for commercialization in other global markets.
AbbVie and Genmab continue to advance their global development and regulatory expansion while evaluating the therapy as a monotherapy and in combination regimens across multiple hematologic malignancies through several late-stage clinical studies.
Over the past 60 days, estimates for Pfizer’s 2026 earnings per share have risen from $2.95 to $2.98, while estimates for 2027 have increased from $2.85 to $2.95 during the same time. PFE’s shares have surged 15.8% year to date.
Pfizer’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 16.62%.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
Image: Bigstock
AbbVie's Epcoritamab Combo Shows PFS Benefit in Frontline DLBCL
Key Takeaways
AbbVie (ABBV - Free Report) , along with Genmab (GMAB - Free Report) , announced positive top-line data from the phase III EPCORE DLBCL-2 study, which evaluated epcoritamab in combination with standard-of-care rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin hydrochloride, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) in patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), with an International Prognostic Index (IPI) score of two to five.
Year to date, shares of AbbVie have rallied 19.1% compared with the industry’s increase of 11.4%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What Did ABBV’s EPCORE DLBCL-2 Study Results Show?
The open-label, multicenter, randomized EPCORE DLBCL-2 study evaluated the efficacy of fixed treatment duration,epcoritamab, a T-cell engaging bispecific antibody administered subcutaneously, in combination with R-CHOP versus R-CHOP alone in the given patient population.
The study met its primary endpoint, wherein treatment with epcoritamab plus R-CHOP demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared with R-CHOP alone. The combo of epcoritamab + R-CHOP reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 51%.
Per the company, this is the first phase III study of a bispecific antibody combination therapy to demonstrate statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in PFS in frontline DLBCL.
The results were based on the first planned efficacy interim analysis. Following the significant benefit observed, the Independent Data Monitoring Committee recommended unblinding the study.
The safety profile of epcoritamab in combination with R-CHOP was generally well tolerated and similar to previously reported safety profiles of the individual treatments.
AbbVie and Genmab plan to engage with global regulatory bodies to determine the next steps of development for the investigational combination of epcoritamab plus R-CHOP.
More on ABBV’s Epcoritamab Development Program
AbbVie currently markets epcoritamab under the brand name Epkinly in the United States and Japan, and as Tepkinly in the European Union.
Epkinly/Tepkinly is already approved as monotherapy for adults with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (R/R FL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy.
In July 2026, the EC approved Tepkinly in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide (Tepkinly+R2) for adult patients with R/R FL after at least one line of systemic therapy.
The FDA approved Epkinly in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide for a similar indication in the United States in November 2025.
AbbVie has partnered with Denmark-based Genmab to jointly develop epcoritamab under the companies' oncology collaboration agreement. While both companies share commercialization rights in the United States and Japan, AbbVie is responsible for commercialization in other global markets.
AbbVie and Genmab continue to advance their global development and regulatory expansion while evaluating the therapy as a monotherapy and in combination regimens across multiple hematologic malignancies through several late-stage clinical studies.
ABBV’s Zacks Rank & Stock to Consider
AbbVie currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
A better-ranked stock in the large-cap pharma sector is Pfizer (PFE - Free Report) , currently holding a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Over the past 60 days, estimates for Pfizer’s 2026 earnings per share have risen from $2.95 to $2.98, while estimates for 2027 have increased from $2.85 to $2.95 during the same time. PFE’s shares have surged 15.8% year to date.
Pfizer’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 16.62%.