Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY), announced data from a five-year follow-up of the pivotal Phase III POLARIX study evaluating Polivy^® (polatuzumab vedotin-piiq) in combination with Rituxan^® (rituximab), cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisone (R-CHP) in people with untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Data were presented in an oral session at the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, December 7-10, 2024 in San Diego, California. This latest analysis conducted after a median follow-up of 60.9 months, includes descriptive data on primary and secondary endpoints, as well as safety results.

“POLARIX was the first trial to elevate treatment standards for frontline diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in 20 years and we are additionally encouraged by the five-year follow-up results,” said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., Genentech’s chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. “More than 38,000 people worldwide have been treated with Polivy in combination with R-CHP and these data continue to underscore its potential to improve outcomes for people diagnosed with this aggressive lymphoma.”

Follow-up exploratory analysis after five-years indicated a positive trend in overall survival (OS) in the intent-to-treat (ITT) population in favor of Polivy in combination with R-CHP compared to Rituxan plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (R-CHOP). Results showed a trend in reduction in the risk of death (HR 0.85; 95% CI: 0.63–1.15) for people with previously untreated DLBCL with the Polivy combination, an improvement on the three-year follow-up data (HR 0.94; 95% CI: 0.67–1.33). The five-year analysis of POLARIX indicates that the full difference in OS between treatment arms has yet to be observed and an additional two years of follow-up will continue.

“Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is a notoriously challenging cancer to treat, however, Polivy in combination with R-CHP has shown to be a critical advance for patients by helping to reduce relapse and disease progression,” said Gilles Salles, M.D., Ph.D., chief of Lymphoma Service, Division of Hematological Malignancies, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York. “The survival trend seen in this follow-up analysis reinforces the potential impact of frontline treatment with Polivy in combination with R-CHP and its role as a standard of care therapy.”

In addition to the positive trend in OS, an observational analysis suggested nearly 25% fewer follow-up treatments such as radiation, systemic chemotherapy and CAR-T cell therapy were needed in patients receiving Polivy in combination with R-CHP compared to those treated with R-CHOP (38.3% versus 61.7%).

At five years of follow-up, benefits in progression-free survival and disease-free survival with Polivy in combination with R-CHP were maintained, consistent with the three-year follow-up data, reinforcing the potential of Polivy in combination with R-CHP to provide durable and lasting remissions. The latest follow-up data also showed a numerical reduction in death related to patients’ lymphoma in those treated with Polivy in combination with R-CHP compared to those treated with R-CHOP (9.0% versus 11.4%). The safety profile remains consistent with the known profiles of the individual study medicines with no new safety signals observed, reinforcing the positive benefit-risk profile of this Polivy combination.

Results from an expanded cohort of 1,000 patients including global and Chinese patients demonstrated comparability to the global ITT population.

Polivy in combination with R-CHP is currently approved for the treatment of first-line (1L) DLBCL in more than 90 countries worldwide including the U.S., countries throughout the EU, the U.K., Japan, Canada and China. Genentech continues to work with health authorities around the world to bring this treatment regimen to even more patients.

Genentech aims to offer various treatment options for DLBCL that meet the diverse needs of patients and healthcare systems. In an effort to elevate treatment standards even further, Genentech is exploring Polivy in combination with other molecules, including its bispecific antibodies. Studies include the Phase III SUNMO trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of subcutaneously administered Lunsumio^® (mosunetuzumab-axgb) in combination with intravenous (IV) Polivy versus IV Rituxan plus gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (R-GemOx) in second-line or later DLBCL, and the Phase III SKYGLO trial investigating the efficacy of Polivy in combination with R-CHP and Columvi^® (glofitamab-gxbm) versus Polivy in combination with R-CHP in 1L DLBCL.