During AbbVie’s Q1 2026 earnings conference call, held April 29, 2026, executives discussed the decision to accelerate Phase III development of the Skyrizi (risankizumab) plus ABBV-382 combination in inflammatory bowel disease after interim data showed double the endoscopic remission rate of either monotherapy in a highly refractory Crohn’s disease population. The company has also pulled forward its obesity Phase II program and signaled an earlier-than-expected regulatory submission for etentamig in multiple myeloma.
Key Strategic Signals
Skyrizi + ABBV-382 Combination: Interim data from AbbVie’s Crohn’s disease platform study showed the combination of Skyrizi (risankizumab) and ABBV-382, an anti-alpha 4 beta 7 antibody, achieved approximately 42% endoscopic remission at week 24 in a population where 82% had failed prior advanced therapies — double the rate observed with either monotherapy. Chief Scientific Officer Roopal Thakkar said the company observed a non-flat exposure-response relationship for ABBV-382, meaning patients with higher drug exposures fared better, and that a Phase IIb study initiating this summer will test a higher dose of ABBV-382 in combination with Skyrizi. AbbVie said it is simultaneously evaluating Phase III acceleration options and will evaluate Skyrizi in combination with ABBV-382 and separately with its extended half-life TL1A antibody, with ulcerative colitis (UC) included alongside Crohn’s disease. The Skyrizi plus lutikizumab cohort within the same platform study was discontinued after failing to differentiate meaningfully from Skyrizi monotherapy.
Etentamig regulatory timeline advanced: AbbVie said it now expects to submit etentamig, its B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) bispecific antibody, for regulatory review by the end of 2026 — earlier than previously guided. The Phase III monotherapy trial in third-line-plus multiple myeloma is tracking ahead of schedule, with a response rate readout anticipated in the third quarter of 2026 and the potential for a concurrent interim progression-free survival (PFS) analysis. If that interim PFS analysis is positive, AbbVie said regulatory submissions would follow in the same year. Thakkar also said plans are underway for a Phase III study evaluating etentamig in combination with pomalidomide in second-line-plus patients, including those previously exposed or refractory to anti-CD38 antibodies or who have lost response to a BCMA-directed CAR-T or antibody-drug conjugate (ADC).
ABBV-295 obesity program accelerated: ABBV-295, a long-acting amylin analog with a half-life of approximately 270 hours, produced approximately 10% weight loss after 12 weeks in a multiple ascending dose study conducted predominantly in male, non-obese participants with a mean body mass index of approximately 29. AbbVie said the Phase II program has been pulled forward to the third quarter of 2026, with interim Phase I data in obese patients expected later this year. Thakkar noted the molecule signals through both amylin and calcitonin receptors, and said the pharmacodynamic profile supports potential monthly dosing in the maintenance setting, drawing an analogy to Skyrizi’s durable efficacy beyond its 28-day half-life. AbbVie also flagged active interest in external business development to complement ABBV-295 with additional obesity mechanisms, including oral agents and assets that preserve lean muscle mass.
Analyst Pressure Points
IBD combination positioning and competitive durability: JPMorgan analyst Christopher Schott pressed management on where the Skyrizi plus ABBV-382 combination fits in the treatment sequence — specifically whether it would be a second-line option post-Skyrizi or could reach the frontline. Thakkar said AbbVie does not intend to restrict the combination to refractory patients, noting that the platform study already enrolled patients who had previously received Skyrizi, vedolizumab, and Rinvoq (upadacitinib), and that frontline IBD use is commercially and clinically relevant given the risk of irreversible gut damage with uncontrolled inflammation. Schott also asked more broadly about AbbVie’s ability to sustain its immunology competitive position given increasing pipeline activity across the sector. Chief Executive Officer Robert Michael pointed to recent business development transactions — including Capstan Therapeutics for in vivo CAR-T B-cell depletion, Nimble Therapeutics for oral peptides, and additions of TL1A and IRAK4 mechanisms — as evidence that AbbVie is building depth beyond Skyrizi and Rinvoq for the next decade.
RemeGen PD-1/VEGF bispecific differentiation: Deutsche Bank analyst James Shin pressed Thakkar on how RC-148, the PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody acquired through the RemeGen agreement, can differentiate given its later entry into a field already occupied by established competitors. Thakkar said AbbVie’s strategy is not to develop RC-148 as a standalone asset but to deploy it as a combination partner for Temab-A, the company’s c-MET ADC, across colorectal, lung, and ovarian cancers — framing the asset’s value as contingent on ADC combinations rather than monotherapy positioning.
Forward-Looking Catalysts
Q3 2026 — etentamig Phase III response rate readout: The Phase III trial evaluating etentamig monotherapy in third-line-plus multiple myeloma is expected to deliver a response rate readout in the third quarter of 2026, with a potential concurrent interim PFS analysis. AbbVie said a positive interim PFS result would trigger regulatory submissions by year-end, making this the most time-sensitive oncology catalyst on the company’s near-term calendar. The trial’s ahead-of-schedule pace reduces execution risk on that timeline.
H2 2027 readout for Temab-A colorectal cancer Phase III: Following AbbVie’s decision to pivot the next-generation c-Met directed ADC telisotuzumab adizutecan (Temab-A) colorectal cancer pivotal strategy from c-MET-selected monotherapy to an all-comers combination with bevacizumab, the company said it expects an initial data readout from the Phase III trial in the second half of 2027. The strategic rationale cited was a 30% objective response rate and 97% confirmed disease control rate for Temab-A plus bevacizumab versus 0% and 70%, respectively, for Lonsurf (trifluridine/tipiracil) plus bevacizumab as the comparator, with responses observed regardless of c-MET expression level. AbbVie also said Temab-A received its first breakthrough therapy designation as a monotherapy in second-line-plus EGFR wild-type non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with a Phase III trial in that setting in planning.
This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed and edited by the AllSci editorial team Explore more at AllSci News: https://allsci.com/news/
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