Analysis Finds Efficiencies, Savings of Using a Single Bispecific for DLBCL and FL

An analysis published this week finds that oncology practices can save time and money by using a single bispecific antibody to treat both relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and follicular lymphoma (FL) instead of stocking multiple single-indication therapies.¹

The study, published in Future Oncology and funded by Genmab,¹ comes after FDA has approved several bispecific antibodies to treat forms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, including glofitamab (Columnvi; Genentech) for DLBCL, mosunetuzumab (Lunsumio; Roche) for FL, and epcoritamab (Epkinly; Genmab/AbbVie) for both indications.^2-4

Managing multiple bispecifics can impose operational burdens, as each agent requires staff education, insurance coordination, and administrative infrastructure. Stocking multiple agents can lead to product waste, the authors state. In academic settings, multiple agents may be desired to compare efficacy and safety outcomes; however, demands by various payers to select a specific bispecific may also compel providers in different settings to carry more than one product.

Thus, the new study sought to quantify what had previously been an unknown: the concrete economic value of consolidating to a single dual-indication agent.

Researchers used a 3-phase mixed-methods approach:

• They conducted 1-on-1 interviews with 18 oncology professionals and identified 4 key efficiency domains: onboarding new medications, coordinating insurance and financial aid, ordering and preparing medications, and planning and providing treatment.
• Second, a national web-based survey of 105 clinicians conducted in June and July of 2025, which included 41% physicians, 40% nurses or advanced practice providers, and 19% pharmacists, quantified time savings across these domains.
• Finally, these survey data were combined with Bureau of Labor Statistics wage rates and drug cost data to model practice-level savings.

The authors highlighted a feature of epcoritamab that differentiates it from some other products: from the start, it has only been offered through subcutaneous injection.

“While this is the first study to examine efficiencies in administrative and operational tasks from a using a single product to treat multiple indications, previous research has explored how other drug features—such as subcutaneous formulations—have resulted in streamlined workflows, saving time and costs to healthcare practices,” the authors write. “Consistent with these findings, previous literature has demonstrated that subcutaneous administration of epcoritamab further enhances practice efficiencies by reducing administration time and staff resources versus alternatives.

“Specifically, epcoritamab required approximately half to a quarter of the personnel and chair time compared to other [bispecific antibodies] for NHL. Our study did not consider impacts of mode of administration on practice efficiencies, and thus, the estimate of epcoritamab’s potential impact on practice cost is likely conservative.”

Results Show Significant Savings Regardless of Setting

For a community practice that treats 100 patients eligible for bispecific antibody therapy (61% DLBCL, 39% FL) the model projected a total time savings of 3110 hours in the first year of adopting a single dual-indication agent. These hours translated to a savings of $278,013, or $2643 per patient.

When direct financial savings from bulk purchasing discounts ($192,501) and reduced drug wastage ($55,086) were factored into the total, first-year cost savings reached $525,600.

Academic practices, given their more complex institutional workflows, stood to gain even more. The study estimated time savings worth $963,074 for a hypothetical academic center, with total cost savings reaching $1,210,611 ($11,417 per patient). Across a combined community-academic network, projected savings came to $962,886 ($9179 per patient).

The most commonly confirmed efficiency gains were related to onboarding tasks: 74% of respondents confirmed savings in initial administrative setup with the manufacturer, while 67% confirmed efficiencies in both pharmacy and therapeutic (P&T) committee preparation and staff training.

The authors noted limitations related to use of self-reported survey data, the absence of external questionnaire validation, and estimates limited to the first year of adoption. The study relied on funding the manufacturer of epcoritamab, and several authors are employed by or consult for Genmab or AbbVie.

References

1. Graff T, Bains Chawla S, Jun M, Operational efficiencies of using one vs multiple bispecific antibodies for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma in the US. Future Oncol. 2026;27:1-9. doi: 10.1080/14796694.2026.2636559
2. Caffrey M. 3-Year EPCORE NHL-1 data published showing 53% have deep, durable remission. AJMC.com. February 12, 2026. Accessed February 28, 2026. https://www.ajmc.com/view/3-year-epcore-nhl-1-data-published-showing-53-have-deep-durable-remission
3. Joszt L. FDA approves bispecific antibody mosunetuzumab for R/R follicular lymphoma. AJMC.com. December 23, 2022. Accessed February 28, 2026. https://www.ajmc.com/view/fda-approves-bispecific-antibody-monsunetuzumab-for-r-r-follicular-lymphoma
4. Joszt L. FDA approves glofitamab-gxbm to treat adults with relapsed/refractory DLBCL. AJMC.com. June 16, 2023. Accessed February 28, 2026. https://www.ajmc.com/view/fda-approves-glofitamab-gxbm-to-treat-adults-with-relapsed-refractory-dlbcl