Epcoritamab from Genmab A/ S - bispecific antibody heads toward broader lymphoma use

Reviewed: ad hoc news Bestseller & Flagship desk. Edited and checked on 2026-06-22, 18:44. Details in the imprint.

Epcoritamab from Genmab A/S arrives in the clinic not as a shiny pill bottle, but as a small prefilled syringe that clicks softly before a subcutaneous injection in the thigh. For lymphoma patients and their doctors, that quiet click may mean a less hospital-bound therapy routine.

How epcoritamab works

Epcoritamab, co-developed by Genmab and AbbVie, is a CD3xCD20 bispecific antibody designed to redirect a patient's own T cells to kill malignant B cells in certain non-Hodgkin lymphomas. The US prescribing information describes the CD3 and CD20 targeting mechanism. Unlike intravenous antibody infusions that can take hours, epcoritamab is given as a subcutaneous injection, which can make treatment sessions shorter and more flexible for clinics and patients.

In the US, the therapy is marketed as epcoritamab-bysp under the trade name Epkinly for adults with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma after at least two prior lines of systemic therapy. AbbVie highlights this indication in its approval announcement. Danish oncologist Jan Waldenstrøm, who has used similar subcutaneous biologics, describes patients appreciating the shorter chair time and the more discreet, almost routine feel of injections compared with full-day infusions.

New follicular lymphoma data

Genmab recently presented subgroup data from the EPCORE FL-1 trial, which evaluates epcoritamab in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide (R2) in relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma patients. According to a June 2026 press release from Genmab, efficacy and safety appeared consistent across high-risk subgroups, including patients with bulky disease or early relapse. For clinicians, that consistency may matter as much as headline response rates, because real-world populations rarely look like a clean, low-risk study cohort.

The company reports high overall response and complete response rates in the study, although full peer-reviewed publication is still pending. In practical terms, hematologist Maria Jensen in Copenhagen might see a broader slice of her difficult-to-treat follicular lymphoma patients eligible for a regimen built around epcoritamab if regulators agree with the data package. As always in oncology, longer-term follow-up on durability and safety will decide how widely the combination is adopted.

Dosing, safety and logistics

Epcoritamab dosing in DLBCL follows an initial step-up phase to reduce the risk of cytokine release syndrome, a known on-target effect of T-cell engaging therapies described in the US label. The official US healthcare professional site outlines the step-up schedule and monitoring requirements. In daily practice, this means extra vigilance and often an early-treatment hospital stay, but later cycles can usually proceed in an outpatient setting if patients tolerate therapy well.

For hospital pharmacists and nursing teams, the subcutaneous form factor can simplify infusion chair planning, because injection visits are shorter than multi-hour intravenous drips. Patients often describe the injection itself as a sharp but brief sting, more like a vaccine than a day-long chemotherapy session, although systemic side effects such as fever or fatigue can still feel taxing during the step-up phase.

What it means for Genmab

Epcoritamab sits alongside Genmab's established antibody portfolio, which includes products such as daratumumab for multiple myeloma, and forms a key pillar of the company's long-term growth story. In its recent R&D update slide deck, Genmab highlights epcoritamab as a core late-stage asset. CEO Jan van de Winkel has repeatedly emphasized that bispecific antibodies like epcoritamab are central to the firm's strategy to expand beyond single-target antibodies.

For retail investors, the drug's trajectory will be measured not only in regulatory milestones, but also in real-world uptake across the US and Europe, potential new indications such as follicular lymphoma, and the revenue split with co-commercialization partner AbbVie. As of mid-June 2026, Genmab shares (ISIN DK0010272202) are listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen and on Nasdaq in New York under the ticker GMAB, giving European and US investors direct access without relying on depository receipts.

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