OSAKA, JAPAN & CAMBRIDGE, MASS. -- Takeda (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) announced that the European Commission (EC) approved ADCETRIS® (brentuximab vedotin) in combination with etoposide, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, dacarbazine and dexamethasone (ECADD) - a chemotherapy regimen - in adult patients with newly diagnosed Stage IIb with risk factors/III/IV Hodgkin lymphoma. The decision follows a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) on April 25, 2025.

The approval for this ADCETRIS-based combination regimen, known as BrECADD, in frontline Hodgkin lymphoma is based on the results of the randomized Phase 3 HD21 trial. The study met its co-primary safety and efficacy endpoints, with BrECADD demonstrating significantly superior safety as assessed by treatment-related morbidity (TRMB) and non-inferior progression-free survival (PFS) in comparison to escalated doses of bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine and prednisone (eBEACOPP), a standard of care treatment in Europe[1].

“Today's approval represents a significant advancement for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma in the European Union,” said Teresa Bitetti, president of the Global Oncology Business Unit at Takeda. “This approval reinforces the role of ADCETRIS as a backbone in the treatment of specific lymphomas, offering healthcare professionals greater flexibility to tailor treatment plans according to individual patient needs. We’re proud to contribute another impactful option for those diagnosed with this challenging disease.”

ADCETRIS is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) directed at CD30, a defining marker of Hodgkin lymphoma, and has been previously approved as a therapy for adult patients in the European Union (EU) in six distinct indications. This decision marks the second approval for an ADCETRIS-based combination regimen for frontline Hodgkin lymphoma, broadening the spectrum of available treatments for patients who historically have had limited options.

“With BrECADD, patients now have a treatment option that not only offers greater curative potential[2]* but also significantly reduces treatment-related morbidity compared to eBEACOPP,” said Peter Borchmann, MD, PhD, University Hospital of Cologne, Germany, and trial chairman of the HD21 study. “This new ADCETRIS-based combination therapy may offer a new standard of care for frontline treatment of adults with advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma, contributing to improved long-term outcomes for patients.”