Combinability of epcoritamab CD20-targeting T-cell engager and CD20 antibody-targeted therapies in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Journal: Leukemia & Lymphoma
Published:
Abstract

Epcoritamab, a subcutaneous CD3xCD20 bispecific antibody approved for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and follicular lymphoma, is being evaluated in regimens containing CD20-targeted monoclonal antibodies (e.g. rituximab plus cylophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone [R-CHOP]). To demonstrate combinability of epcoritamab with CD20 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), potential interference of rituximab or obinutuzumab with epcoritamab was investigated. While there was dose-dependent binding interference between CD20 mAbs and epcoritamab through steric hindrance, ex vivo assays using tumor cell lines, R-CHOP-treated patient samples, and an animal model showed this did not impair tumor cell killing. In a pharmacokinetic model, >90% maximal cytotoxicity was predicted after the first full epcoritamab dose in the presence of therapeutic rituximab concentrations due to effective tumor-epcoritamab-T-cell trimer formation. Immunoprofiling of R-CHOP-treated DLBCL patient samples showed emergence of less-differentiated CD8 memory T cells, further supporting the feasibility of the combination in ongoing studies of epcoritamab with rituximab-containing chemoimmunotherapy.

Authors
Durga Dandamudi, Iwona Konieczna, Kelly Calabrese, Monica Wielgos Bonvallet, Christiaan Kweekel, Elke Gresnigt Van Den Heuvel, Ramesh Iyer, Paul Ellis, Luis Rodriguez, Apurvasena Parikh, Tommy Li, Madelon Paauwe, Cormac Cosgrove, Adam Chervin, Edward Reilly, Pearlie Epling Burnette, Edith Szafer Glusman