Genmab jumps after positive trial of AbbVie-partnered lymphoma drug

(Sharecast News) - Shares in Danish biotech group Genmab jumped to a three-year high on Tuesday after a late-stage trial of its lymphoma treatment developed with AbbVie delivered better outcomes than the current standard therapy. Genmab and AbbVie said their drug epcoritamab, when added to the existing standard treatment for newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, reduced the risk of the cancer worsening or patients dying by 51% compared with the standard treatment alone.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, or DLBCL, is an aggressive blood cancer and the most common form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, accounting for around a quarter to a third of cases worldwide. The existing first-line treatment, known as R-CHOP, is a combination of several cancer drugs and has been widely used for around 25 years.

The Phase 3 study tested whether adding epcoritamab to R-CHOP could keep the disease under control for longer in patients receiving their first treatment. The companies said the combination produced a "statistically significant and clinically meaningful" improvement, while its safety profile was broadly consistent with what is already known about the individual treatments.

Epcoritamab, marketed as Epkinly in the US and Japan and Tepkinly in Europe, is already approved for certain lymphoma patients in more than 65 countries. However, its use alongside R-CHOP in newly diagnosed patients is not yet approved.

Genmab and AbbVie said they would now discuss the findings with regulators worldwide, while fuller trial data will be presented at a future medical meeting.

Genmab chief executive Jan van de Winkel said the results had the potential to "reshape the frontline treatment landscape".

Genmab shares were up 9% at DKK2,591 by 1304 BST in Copenhagen, while Abbvie futures were flat in pre-market trade on Wall Street.