Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse
Recent clinical, regulatory, research and industry developments relating to this disease.
B Cell Lymphoma 6 (BCL6): A Conserved Regulator of Immunity and Beyond.
Polatuzumab Vedotin in Previously Untreated Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.
Axicabtagene Ciloleucel as Second-Line Therapy for Large B-Cell Lymphoma.
Estimating the global burden of Epstein-Barr virus-related cancers.
Tisagenlecleucel in Adult Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.
Axicabtagene Ciloleucel CAR T-Cell Therapy in Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma.
What's happening now
An analyst briefing on current research, clinical, regulatory and industry activity surrounding this disease.
- 3 clinical trials expected to report results, the earliest in Q3 2026.
- Q3 2026A Phase II Study of Glofitamab Plus Polatuzumab-R-CHP for Patients With High-risk Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma
- Q4 2027A Randomized, Open-label, Multicenter, Phase 2 Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Zilovertamab Vedotin (MK-2140) Plus R-CHP Versus Polatuzumab Vedotin Plus R-CHP in Treatment-naïve Participants With GCB Subtype of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)
- Q1 2035LOC-R01: Randomized Phase IB/II Study of Escalating Doses of Lenalidomide and Ibrutinib in Association With R-MPV as a Targeted Induction Treatment for Patients Aged 18 to 60 (up to 65 for Phase II) With a Newly Diagnosed Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma
Clinical MilestonesViewHide
- 2026-07-30A Randomized, Open-label, Multicenter, Phase 2 Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Zilovertamab Vedotin (MK-2140) Plus R-CHP Versus Polatuzumab Vedotin Plus R-CHP in Treatment-naïve Participants With GCB Subtype of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)Results expected Q4 2027
- 2026-03-05A Phase II Study of Glofitamab Plus Polatuzumab-R-CHP for Patients With High-risk Diffuse Large B-cell LymphomaResults expected Q3 2026
- 2025-09-25LOC-R01: Randomized Phase IB/II Study of Escalating Doses of Lenalidomide and Ibrutinib in Association With R-MPV as a Targeted Induction Treatment for Patients Aged 18 to 60 (up to 65 for Phase II) With a Newly Diagnosed Primary Central Nervous System LymphomaResults expected Q1 2035
- 2028-11-01ClinicalOptimizing Lymphodepletion to Improve Outcomes in Patients Receiving Anti Cluster of Differentiation Antigen 19 (Anti-CD19) Chimeric Antigen Receptor T (CAR T) Cell Therapy With Kymriah/tIsagenlecleucel (LOKI)Withdrawn
- 2026-07-30ClinicalA Randomized, Open-label, Multicenter, Phase 2 Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Zilovertamab Vedotin (MK-2140) Plus R-CHP Versus Polatuzumab Vedotin Plus R-CHP in Treatment-naïve Participants With GCB Subtype of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)Results expected Q4 2027
- 2026-03-05ClinicalA Phase II Study of Glofitamab Plus Polatuzumab-R-CHP for Patients With High-risk Diffuse Large B-cell LymphomaResults expected Q3 2026
- 2025-09-25ClinicalLOC-R01: Randomized Phase IB/II Study of Escalating Doses of Lenalidomide and Ibrutinib in Association With R-MPV as a Targeted Induction Treatment for Patients Aged 18 to 60 (up to 65 for Phase II) With a Newly Diagnosed Primary Central Nervous System LymphomaResults expected Q1 2035
Therapeutic landscape
Therapies with a regulatory footing for this condition, alongside the wider set of agents co-studied with it in the literature.
Approval — Ordspono as monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or… (2024)
Approval — Tepkinly as monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or… (2023)
Approval — Columvi in combination with gemcitabine and oxaliplatin is indicated for the treatment of… (2023)
Approval — Breyanzi is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with diffuse large B-cell lymph… (2022)
Approval — Zynlonta as monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or… (2022)
Approval — Minjuvi is indicated in combination with lenalidomide followed by Minjuvi monotherapy for… (2021)
Approval — Polivy in combination with bendamustine and rituximab is indicated for the treatment of a… (2020)
Approval — Kymriah is indicated for the treatment of: • Paediatric and young adult patients up to an… (2018)
Clinical trials
The current development programme across all trial phases.
Regulatory timeline
Drug regulatory events matched to this condition by indication — EMA.
European Medicines Agency (CC BY 4.0). Events are matched to this condition by drug indication text — approvals/updates for drugs indicated for it, not disease-specific acts.
Research activity
Key research shaping understanding of this disease, combining the latest publications with the most influential evidence.
Major themes8
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive4
- Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse3
- Antigens, CD191
- Antigens, CD201
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid1
- Gene Expression Profiling1
- Genetic Heterogeneity1
- Germinal Center1
Leading journals6
- The New England journal of medicine5
- Journal of hematology & oncology2
- American journal of hematology1
- Blood1
- Frontiers in immunology1
- International journal of molecular sciences1
Leading researchers8
- Locke FL4
- Bartlett NL3
- Farooq U3
- Flinn IW3
- Ghobadi A3
- Jacobson CA3
- Jiang Y3
- Miklos DB3
Affiliations (unnormalised)6
- City of Hope National Medical Center2
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute2
- Moffitt Cancer Center2
- University of Iowa2
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center2
- Abramson Cancer Center1
Disease biology
Key proteins & gene products studied in this disease. Number shows shared papers.
Related conditions
Diseases frequently studied alongside this one. Number shows shared papers.
Disease profile
A grounded synthesis of the condition — overview, causes, mechanism, risk factors and current standard of care.
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is a malignant lymphoma made up of large B lymphoid cells, with nuclei that can be larger than normal macrophage nuclei or more than twice the size of a normal lymphocyte. The growth pattern is predominantly diffuse. Most cases represent the malignant counterpart of B lymphocytes at a midstage of differentiation.
The supplied grounding does not support a specific cause or aetiology for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. One review notes that novel genetic classification systems are being used to guide individualized treatment, but it does not establish a single causal mechanism. EBV is mentioned only in a broader review of EBV-related cancers and is not specifically linked here to this disease.
The disease arises from malignant transformation of B cells at a midstage of differentiation, producing a diffuse proliferation of large B lymphoid cells. The literature grounding also points to genetic, transcriptome, and epigenetic aspects in DLBCL, indicating biologic heterogeneity and molecularly defined subgroups. BCL6 is highlighted as an important regulator in DLBCL, consistent with a role for altered transcriptional control in disease biology.
The supplied grounding does not support specific risk factors for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. It does indicate that genetic features and molecular classification are relevant to the disease, but not as established risk factors. EBV is discussed only at the level of EBV-related cancers overall, without disease-specific risk attribution here.
A widely recognized standard regimen is R-CHOP, which combines rituximab with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone. For relapsed or refractory disease, the literature highlights newer approaches including CAR-T cell therapy, bispecific T-cell engagers, immunomodulatory drugs, immune checkpoint inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, molecular pathway inhibitors, and epigenetic-modifying drugs. The grounding also specifically mentions axicabtagene ciloleucel and tisagenlecleucel as CAR-T therapies used in this setting.
AI-generated summary grounded in MeSH and 4 peer-reviewed sources. Informational only — not medical advice. Generated 2026-07-07.
Reference
Authoritative identity, definition & identifiers.
Malignant lymphoma composed of large B lymphoid cells whose nuclear size can exceed normal macrophage nuclei, or more than twice the size of a normal lymphocyte. The pattern is predominantly diffuse. Most of these lymphomas represent the malignant counterpart of B-lymphocytes at midstage in the process of differentiation.
- Disease identity & definition — NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), public domain
- Clinical trials — ClinicalTrials.gov (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
- Research activity — Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) + OpenAlex-derived paper links
- Related entities are derived from literature co-mention (studied together) — associative, not causal.