Epcoritamab Plus Ibrutinib for the Treatment of Relapsed or Refractory Aggressive B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

This phase Ib/II trial evaluates the safety, optimal dose, and efficacy of the combination of epcoritamab and ibrutinib in treating patients with aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma that has come back (relapsed) or responded to previous treatment (refractory). Epcoritamab, a bispecific antibody, binds to two different types of receptors (proteins present on the cell surface) at the same time. The two receptors that epcoritamab binds to are called CD3 and CD20. CD3 is found on T cells, which are important cells of the immune system that help fight cancer and infections. CD20 is found on the surface of most types of aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma cells. By binding to both CD3 and CD20, epcoritamab brings the two cells close together so the T cells can fight and kill the lymphoma B cells. Ibrutinib, a Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, binds to a protein on B cells, a type of white blood cell from which the lymphoma developed. By doing this it decreases the ability of the lymphoma B cells to survive and grow. Ibrutinib may also improve the health (or fitness) of T cells thus making epcoritamab safer and/or more effective.