Treatment Landscape
Approximately 20% of patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) relapse experience disease progression within 24 months of initiating first-line treatment (POD24). Historically, these patients experience shorter remissions with each subsequent line of therapy, highlighting the need for treatment options beyond front-line regimens.1,2 The treatment landscape for relapsed or refractory (R/R) FL has changed with the availability of 2 bispecific CD20 x CD3 T-cell engagers (TCEs): mosunetuzumab (Lunsumio; Genentech) and epcoritamab (Epkinly; Genmab, AbbVie).
Although mosunetuzumab and epcoritamab are approved as monotherapy for the treatment of R/R FL in the third line and beyond, data from the multicountry, open-label, phase 3 EPCORE FL-1 trial (NCT05409066) have led to FDA approval of epcoritamab in combination with lenalidomide (Revlimid; Bristol Myers Squibb) and rituximab (Rituxan; Genentech: epcoritamab-R2). This regimen has also been incorporated into the National Comprehensive Cancer Network B-cell lymphoma guidelines for R/R FL after 1 or more prior lines of therapy.3-6
Epcoritamab-R2 joins tafasitamab (Monjuvi; Incyte) plus lenalidomide and rituximab as a second-line, chemotherapy-free treatment option for R/R FL. Additional options include chemotherapy-based regimens that combine a CD20-directed antibody with cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin/vincristine/prednisone, cyclophosphamide/vincristine/prednisone, or bendamustine in patients who are bendamustine-naive.3
Key studies that have provided a foundation for EPCORE FL-1 include the AUGMENT (NCT01938001), EPCORE NHL-1 (NCT03625037), and EPCORE NHL-2 (NCT04663347) trials.7-9 AUGMENT was a phase 3, randomized, multicenter trial evaluating rituximab-lenalidomide (R2) vs rituximab with placebo in patients with R/R FL and marginal zone lymphoma without rituximab-refractory disease. At a 5-year follow-up, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 27.6 months vs 14.3 months (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.38-0.66; P < .0001), with 5-year overall survival (OS) rates of 83.2% vs 77.3%, respectively.10
EPCORE NHL-1 is a multicohort, single-arm, phase 1/2 trial that evaluated epcoritamab monotherapy in patients with R/R B-cell lymphomas. In phase 2 of the trial, patients with R/R FL achieved an overall response rate (ORR) of 82.0% and a complete response (CR) rate of 62.5%.7,9 The trial led to the FDA’s accelerated approval of epcoritamab monotherapy for R/R FL in 2024.
At a 3-year follow-up of patients with R/R FL in the pooled expansion cohort, which includes those enrolled in EPCORE NHL-1 and NHL-3 (NCT04542824), the median PFS without and with adjustment for COVID-19 deaths were 15.4 months (95% CI, 9.5-34) and 34.2 months (95% CI, 13.2-not reached), respectively; the median OS was not reached regardless of COVID-19 adjustment.11
The second arm in EPCORE NHL-2 evaluated epcoritamab-R2 in patients with R/R FL in varying dosing schedules, with an ORR of 96% and a CR rate of 87% among 111 patients.12 The rationale for this combination is informed by observations that epcoritamab was efficacious when combined with rituximab in preclinical studies, which demonstrated that a dual CD20-targeting mechanism and epcoritamab peak trimer formation occurred with a limited CD20 receptor occupancy of 20% to 30%.4,13,14 Furthermore, in preclinical studies, lenalidomide combined with epcoritamab appeared to enhance immune cell activation and epcoritamab-mediated killing.13,14
In this clinical spotlight, we aim to highlight points from EPCORE FL-1 to consider when operationalizing epcoritamab-R2 and discuss implications in the shifting treatment paradigm for R/R FL.
EPCORE FL-1 Trial Overview
The EPCORE FL-1 trial was a global, randomized, open-label, multicenter phase 3 trial enrolling 488 patients across 189 sites in 30 countries.4 Eligible patients included adults 18 years and older with measurable, stage II, III, or IV histologically confirmed CD20+ R/R classical FL. Patients must have received at least 1 prior antilymphoma-directed therapy that contained an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and chemotherapy, have an ECOG performance status of 0 to 2, and meet at least 1 criterion from the Groupe d’Etude des Lymphomes Folliculaires Criteria. Patients were excluded if they had received only prior anti-CD20 mAb monotherapy and/or radiation therapy, had stage I disease, had lenalidomide-refractory disease, or had received lenalidomide within 12 months before randomization.
Patients were randomly assigned to receive epcoritamab-R2 (n = 243; receiving epcoritamab 48 mg full dose) or R2 alone (n = 245). During the study, a protocol amendment changed the epcoritamab step-up dosing (SUD) schedule from 2 SUDs to 3 SUDs to reduce the risk of cytokine release syndrome (CRS). After this amendment, 133 patients in the epcoritamab-R2 arm received the 3-SUD regimen. For CRS prevention in the epcoritamab-R2 arm, patients received premedications before the first 4 epcoritamab doses, including oral and intravenous (IV) hydration, an antihistamine, an antipyretic (eg, acetaminophen), and corticosteroids (dexamethasone preferred). Postmedications included 2 L to 3 L of oral fluids within 24 hours after epcoritamab administration and daily corticosteroids (dexamethasone preferred) for 3 days after epcoritamab dosing. Starting with the fifth epcoritamab dose, pre- and postmedication for epcoritamab was required only if patients had grade 2 or higher CRS with the fourth epcoritamab dose.
After a median follow-up of 14.8 months, epcoritamab-R2 reduced the risk for disease progression by 79% (HR, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.14-0.31; P < .0001), with an ORR of 95% (95% CI, 92-97) vs 79% (95% CI, 74-84; P < .0001). Further survival and response data from EPCORE FL-1 are presented in Table 1. Subgroup analyses demonstrated the benefit of epcoritamab-R2 vs R2 in all subgroups, including high-risk populations such as POD24, bulky disease, and those with double-refractory disease.
Generally, epcoritamab-R2 was well tolerated, with neutropenia and infections being the most common treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). Neutropenia occurred in 74% (69% grade 3) of patients, resulting in growth factor use in 150 (61.7%), but febrile neutropenia was uncommon, occurring in 6%. All-grade infections occurred in 77% (33% grade 3) of patients; notable opportunistic infections in the epcoritamab-R2 arm included cytomegalovirus (CMV) in 8%, herpes simplex virus (HSV) in 8%, and Pneumocystis jirovecii in less than 1%, none of which were fatal. Overall, 19% of patients treated with epcoritamab-R2 discontinued treatment due to TEAEs, with discontinuation rates of 9%, 3%, and 19% for epcoritamab, rituximab, and lenalidomide, respectively. Dose reductions for lenalidomide occurred in 57 (23%) patients who received epcoritamab-R2 and in 44 (18%) who received R2.
CRS occurred in 26% of patients who received the 3-SUD regimen, with 21% grade 1 and 5% grade 2, most commonly after the first full dose of epcoritamab 48 mg. CRS was more common in the group who received the 2-SUD regimen (Table 1). Median time to CRS onset was 34.9 hours (IQR, 20.2-100.1), and median time to CRS resolution was 24 hours (IQR 11.3-72). One event of grade 1 immune effector cell–associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) occurred.
CR, complete response; CRS, cytokine release syndrome; EFS, event-free survival; ICANS, immune effector cell–associated neurotoxicity syndrome; NE, not evaluable; ORR, overall response rate; OS, overall survival; PFS, progression-free survival; PR, partial response; SD, stable disease.
Practical Considerations When Using Epcoritamab-R2
Treatment Schedule and Administration
Epcoritamab-R2 is administered in 28-day cycles for up to 12 cycles. Epcoritamab is administered on a 3-SUD schedule during cycle 1, with the first full dose given on day 22 (priming doses). It is then administered weekly for cycles 2 to 3, and once every 4 weeks during cycles 4 through 12.5 Rituximab is given weekly during cycle 1 and on day 1 of cycles 2 through 5. Lenalidomide 20 mg orally is administered on days 1 through 21 of each 28-day cycle for cycles 1 through 12 (Figure 1).
Epcoritamab-Specific Pre- and Postmedication Considerations
Epcoritamab-associated pre- and postmedications are required for cycle 1 of epcoritamab-R2 only to prevent CRS. If no grade 2 or higher CRS occurs and priming doses need to be repeated, these epcoritamab-associated pre- and postmedications can be omitted starting with the fifth epcoritamab dose (cycle 2, day 1).5 Depending on the sequence of epcoritamab and IV rituximab, premedications given for epcoritamab can also serve as rituximab premedications (see sequence of administration of epcoritamab-R2).
Recommended premedications prior to cycle 1 epcoritamab priming doses (see Table 2).
In the trial, 24 hours before the priming doses of epcoritamab in cycle 1, patients were instructed to consume 2 L to 3 L of oral fluids, and antihypertensive medications could be held at the discretion of the provider.5 On the day of all cycle 1 epcoritamab doses, 30 to 60 minutes before epcoritamab administration, patients received an antihistamine (eg, diphenhydramine 50 mg IV/oral), an antipyretic (eg, acetaminophen 650-1000 mg oral), 500 mL of isotonic IV fluids, and a glucocorticoid of dexamethasone 15 mg or equivalent. On the day after epcoritamab, patients were instructed to consume 2 L to 3 L of oral fluids, and for 3 days, starting the day after epcoritamab, to take dexamethasone 15 mg or equivalent orally.5
Matthew M. Lei, PharmD, BCOP, is a clinical pharmacy specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
Yumena Kawasaki, PharmD, BCOP, is a hematology/oncology clinical pharmacist at Yale New Haven Health in Connecticut.
Uvette Lou, PharmD, BCOP, is a clinical pharmacist in hematology/oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston
Although the epcoritamab package insert states that dexamethasone or an equivalent can be used, dexamethasone is the preferred glucocorticoid for CRS prophylaxis, based on data with other TCEs showing lower CRS rates with dexamethasone compared with other corticosteroids.15 In practice, dexamethasone is commonly administered at a 16-mg dose rather than the 15-mg dose recommended in the package insert because the commercially available tablet strength is 4 mg.
See Table 2 for a detailed outline of epcoritamab-specific pre- and post-medications.
Rituximab-Specific Considerations
Rituximab premedications are shared with epcoritamab in cycle 1. For cycle 2 and onward, antihistamine, acetaminophen, and other institution-specific rituximab premedications would continue.
The first dose of rituximab should be given IV to assess for tolerability. If patients complete 1 full dose of IV rituximab without severe adverse reactions, a switch to the subcutaneous (SC) formulation can be considered, pending payer preference.16
Sequence of Administration of Epcoritamab-R2
In the EPCORE FL-1 trial, premedications were administered first, followed by rituximab (as first or second medication) and/or lenalidomide (as first or second medication), and then epcoritamab. Institutions can consider administering epcoritamab before rituximab so that the premedications given for epcoritamab can also serve as rituximab premedication; because epcoritamab SC injection is brief and no epcoritamab-associated CRS/ICANS has been reported immediately after administration, this approach should not delay rituximab administration. If the order of administration is reversed (IV rituximab given before epcoritamab) and the rituximab infusion is prolonged due to a rituximab-associated infusion reaction, premedications with shorter half-lives (eg, acetaminophen and diphenhydramine) may need to be repeated before epcoritamab administration.