AbbVie’s TEPKINLY Wins EU Approval for Follicular Lymphoma

This regulatory milestone follows clinical evidence from the Phase 3 EPCORE FL-1 trial, which compared the new combination regimen against the standard care of lenalidomide and rituximab alone. Data published in The Lancet earlier this year demonstrated that the TEPKINLY-based treatment reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 79%. Notably, 74% of patients receiving the therapy achieved a complete response, a significant increase over the 43% observed in the control group.

For patients with follicular lymphoma—a slow-growing but typically incurable form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma—the approval offers a shift in the treatment paradigm. Catherine Thieblemont of Paris Cité University noted that the ability to provide a durable, chemotherapy-free response is vital for patients facing the repetitive cycle of relapse and shrinking treatment options. The safety profile remained consistent with previous findings, though clinicians are advised to monitor for common side effects, including neutropenia, fatigue, and cytokine release syndrome.