EHA2026 | What are the key findings from the subgroup analysis of the EPCORE FL-1 trial in R/R FL?

Following the European Hematology Association (EHA) 2026 Congress, June 11–14, 2026, Stockholm, SE, the Lymphoma Hub was pleased to speak with Lorenzo Falchi, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, US. We asked, What are the key findings from the subgroup analysis of the EPCORE FL-1 (NCT05409066) trial in relapsed/refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma (FL)? 

Key points¹ 

• The phase III EPCORE FL-1 trial (N = 488) evaluated epcoritamab in combination with chemoimmunotherapy (R²) in patients with R/R FL after ≥1 prior line of therapy (LoT). 
• Results from the primary analysis of the EPCORE-FL trial have been previously reported on the Lymphoma Hub. 
• This post hoc subgroup analysis evaluated whether the treatment benefit with epcoritamab + R² over R² alone was maintained across clinically relevant subgroups. 
• Epcoritamab + R² showed favorable efficacy across patient age subgroups. 
  • The overall response rate [ORR] was 96% vs 78% in the <70 years of age subgroup and 91% vs 81% in the ≥70 years of age subgroup. 
  • Progression-free survival (PFS) also favored epcoritamab + R² in both the <70 years of age subgroup (hazard ratio [HR], 0.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.12–0.31) and the ≥70 years of age subgroup (HR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.14–0.60). 
• Regardless of comorbidity burden, epcoritamab + R² resulted in higher response rates and improved PFS compared with R² alone.  
  • In the low and intermediate + high non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)-5 comorbidity score subgroups, the ORR (low, 94% vs 76%; high + intermediate, 97% vs 84%) favored epcoritamab + R² vs R² alone. 
  • Similarly, PFS favored epcoritamab + R² vs R² alone in both the NHL-5 low (HR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.17–0.42) and NHL-5 high + intermediate (HR, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.06–0.29) subgroups. 
• The efficacy benefit with epcoritamab + R² was maintained across prior LoT subgroups. 
  • The ORR was 96% vs 80% in the 1 prior LoT subgroup and 94% vs 78% in the ≥2 prior LoT subgroup.  
  • PFS also favored epcoritamab + R² in both the 1 prior LoT subgroup (HR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.12–0.34) and the ≥2 prior LoT subgroup (HR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.13–0.42). 
• Baseline Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) score and disease progression ≤2 years post-first-line treatment (POD24) status did not influence the efficacy benefit with epcoritamab + R². 
  • The ORR was higher with epcoritamab + R² vs R² alone in both the FLIPI 0–2 (96% vs 85%) and FLIPI 3–5 (93% vs 73%) subgroups. 
  • PFS also favored epcoritamab + R² vs R² alone in both the FLIPI 0–2 subgroup (HR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.10–0.33) and the FLIPI 3–5 subgroup (HR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.15–0.42). 
  • In the non-POD24 subgroup, the ORR (96% vs 85%) was higher with epcoritamab + R² vs R² alone, and PFS favored epcoritamab + R² vs R² alone (HR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.09–0.32). 
  • Similarly, in the POD24 subgroup, ORR (95% vs 70%) favored epcoritamab + R² vs R² alone, as did PFS (HR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.13–0.37). 
• Epcoritamab + R² also resulted in higher response rates and improved PFS over R² alone, regardless of bulky disease or double refractory status. 
• PFS favored epcoritamab + R² vs R² alone regardless of lenalidomide (Len) relative dose intensity (RDI; Len RDI ≤70%, HR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.15–0.41 and Len RDI >70%, HR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.06–0.25). 
• The epcoritamab + R² safety profile was generally manageable across age subgroups and in patients with an increased comorbidity burden. 
• These findings support fixed-duration epcoritamab + R² as standard of care for a broad population of patients with R/R FL after ≥1 prior LoT. 

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