At the 2026 Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) Annual Meeting, several studies focused on evolving treatment strategies for patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R DLBCL). Among them, three matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) studies involving relma-cel (relmacabtagene autoleucel) were presented through oral presentation, poster presentation, and conference abstract.
These studies compared relma-cel with three important treatment approaches in R/R DLBCL: another CD19 CAR T cell therapy, bispecific antibody therapy, and conventional salvage treatments. In the absence of direct head-to-head clinical trials, MAIC analyses provide additional comparative information that may support clinical decision-making.
Relma-cel vs Axi-cel: Exploring Survival Outcomes and Neurological Toxicity
An oral presentation at CSCO used an unanchored MAIC method to compare data from the RELIANCE study of relma-cel with the ZUMA-1 study of axi-cel.
After matching adjustments, the analysis showed a trend toward improved overall survival (OS) with relma-cel:
- OS hazard ratio (HR): 0.683
- 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.371–1.259
- P=0.222
The analysis also showed a lower risk of grade ≥3 neurological toxicities with relma-cel.
The findings suggest that when comparing CAR T cell therapies without direct head-to-head studies, both efficacy outcomes and treatment-related safety profiles may be important considerations.
Relma-cel vs Glofitamab: New Insights Into CAR T Cell Therapy and Bispecific Antibody Selection
A second poster presentation evaluated relma-cel compared with glofitamab, a CD20xCD3 bispecific antibody used in R/R DLBCL.
After matching adjustment, relma-cel demonstrated a trend toward improved OS:
- OS HR: 0.669
- 95% CI: 0.295–1.516
- P=0.335
As treatment options for R/R DLBCL continue to expand, clinicians are increasingly considering not only whether an effective therapy is available, but also which treatment approach may be suitable for different patient groups and disease stages.
This study provides additional comparative evidence regarding the role of CAR T cell therapy and bispecific antibody therapy in the evolving treatment landscape.
Relma-cel vs Conventional Salvage Therapy: Significant OS Difference Observed
The third MAIC analysis compared relma-cel from the RELIANCE study (58 patients) with patients receiving conventional immunochemotherapy with or without transplantation from the SCHOLAR-1 dataset (636 patients).
After adjustment for factors including age, gender, International Prognostic Index (IPI) score, number of previous treatment lines, and refractory disease status, the effective sample size for the relma-cel group was 34.75.
The analysis showed:
- Relma-cel was associated with longer overall survival compared with conventional salvage therapy
- OS HR: 0.423
- 95% CI: 0.284–0.630
- P<0.0001
These results add further indirect comparative evidence between CAR T cell therapy and traditional salvage treatment approaches for patients with R/R DLBCL receiving treatment in later lines.
Continuing to Build Clinical Evidence for CAR T Cell Therapy in China
Together, these three studies examined relma-cel across different treatment comparisons — from conventional salvage therapy, to other CAR T cell therapies, and to emerging bispecific antibody approaches.
As treatment options for lymphoma continue to develop, patients and physicians increasingly need evidence that helps match therapies with individual disease characteristics, previous treatments, and clinical needs.
Ongoing research and real-world clinical experience will continue to define the role of CAR T cell therapy and other innovative treatments in the management of R/R DLBCL.
References
- 2026 CSCO Annual Meeting Abstract. MAIC analysis of relma-cel versus axi-cel in R/R DLBCL. Chinese Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2026.
- 2026 CSCO Annual Meeting Abstract. MAIC analysis of relma-cel versus glofitamab in R/R DLBCL. Chinese Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2026.
- 2026 CSCO Annual Meeting Abstract. MAIC analysis of relma-cel versus immunochemotherapy ± transplantation in R/R DLBCL. Chinese Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2026.
