Regeneron reports strong results for a cancer combination therapy

Regeneron said its experimental cancer combination therapy led to disease disappearance in previously untreated patients with a form of blood cancer. The first part of a late-stage trial showed encouraging safety and early efficacy signals in people with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, or DLBCL.

The study enrolled 22 patients. It tested odronextamab combined with chemotherapy. The company said the therapy produced complete responses in all patients treated at the 160 mg dose level.

Odronextamab is a bispecific antibody. These medicines are designed to link a cancer cell with an immune cell, allowing the body’s immune system to attack the cancer. DLBCL is a fast-growing lymphoma that affects the lymphatic system. It involves changes in B cells, a type of white blood cell that helps the body fight infection.

Regeneron reported that B-cell counts were cleared after the first dose of the treatment. The data were presented at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. Most patients in the trial completed six cycles of the regimen at both 80 mg and 160 mg dose levels. The higher dose has been selected for further research.

The company said results suggest that combining odronextamab with the chemotherapy regimen known as CHOP produced deep and lasting responses. The findings indicate the therapy may be effective without the use of rituximab, a long-standing component of DLBCL treatment.

Aafia Chaudhry, Regeneron’s global program head, said the company aims to create potent bispecific therapies that do not require large combinations of additional drugs. Chaudhry said this approach is intended to reduce treatment burden while maintaining strong activity against the cancer.

Regeneron plans to begin enrolling patients for the second part of the study. That phase will measure how well the new combination works compared with rituximab plus chemotherapy, the current standard of care for DLBCL. Chaudhry said the company’s strategy is to replace rituximab rather than add to it.