Genmab and Abbvie are planning more Phase III studies with the cancer drug epcoritamab for the treatment of lymphoma during 2024, Genmab CEO Jan van de Winkel announced on Tuesday during a webcast at a scientific conference organized by the American Society of Hematology.

”Together with Abbvie, we have an ambitious vision for the development of epcoritamab. In 2023 we had three ongoing Phase III studies, and in 2024 we have a goal of potentially doubling that number,” says Jan van de Winkel.

Among other things, he highlights a Phase III study with epcoritamab as first-line treatment for follicular lymphoma.

The announcement comes after Genmab over the weekend presented positive results from a Phase I/II study of epcoritimab as a third treatment for follicular lymphoma in patients who had relapsed or did not benefit from previous treatments.

Genmab and Abbvie already market the drug under the name Epkinly/Tepkinly as a third-line treatment for another type of lymphoma, large B-cell lymphoma.

Genmab and Abbvie are also conducting more studies in large B-cell lymphoma, according to Jan van de Winkel.

A few weeks ago, Genmab also announced that the US Food and Drug Administration has granted breakthrough therapy designation to epcoritamab as a third treatment for follicular lymphoma, which may accelerate the processing of an application for approval of the drug based on preliminary clinical results.

In addition the European Medicines Agency, EMA, is reviewing the application for conditional approval of epcoritamab for the treatment of recurrent follicular lymphoma.