Subsidised Access to Columvi® Now Available for Eligible Patients with Relapsed or Refractory DLBCL in Singapore

• Columvi (glofitamab) will be added to the Cancer Drug List (CDL) and Medication Assistance Fund (MAF) on 1 September 2026 for eligible patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who are not candidates for autologous stem cell transplant and have received at least one prior therapy.^[1]
• This inclusion expands treatment options for patients whose cancer has returned, offering a novel T-cell-engaging bispecific antibody as a new alternative alongside existing therapies such as, autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT), CAR-T cell therapy and chemotherapy.^[2][3]
• Under the MAF, eligible Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents will receive subsidies of up to 75% and 20% respectively, at public healthcare institutions.^[1][4]

SINGAPORE, Aug. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Columvi® (glofitamab) will be added to the Singapore Ministry of Health's (MOH) CDL and MAF List. Starting 1 September 2026, this milestone ensures that eligible Singaporeans and Permanent Residents will have subsidised access to the medication in public healthcare institutions.^[1]

Used in combination with gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (GemOx), the treatment is indicated for patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL who are not candidates for an ASCT and who have received at least one prior therapy.^[1]

Lymphoma ranks as the fourth most common cancer among men and the fifth most common among women in Singapore, with more than 5,000 new cases diagnosed between 2019 and 2023.5 Within this group, DLBCL is the most prevalent subtype, accounting for roughly 30 percent of all local lymphoma diagnoses.^[2][5] It is an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and the most common form 6, that causes a type of white blood cells to multiply uncontrollably.^[5]

While first line therapies achieve complete remission for many patients, an estimated 30 to 40 percent will either not respond to initial treatments or will eventually experience a relapse.^[2] International studies show that approximately 75 percent of these relapses occur within a year of completing initial frontline therapy.^[7] Standard second line treatment options include ASCT or CAR-T cell therapy but not all patients are eligible for these options due to clinical factors, age, comorbidities, turnaround time or personal choice.^{[2][3][9][13]} This underscores an urgent need for a broader range of novel and efficacious treatment options.^[3]

The addition of Columvi, a CD20xCD3 T-cell engaging bispecific antibody, to the MAF list addresses this critical need and provides patients with improved access to a new, off-the-shelf biologic medicine that can be administered immediately in any setting, without crucial delays in starting treatment.^[8]

In the pivotal phase III STARGLO study, overall survival remained twice as long for people treated with Columvi in combination with GemOx versus rituximab plus GemOx (25.5 months versus 12.9 months).^[8][10] The Columvi combination is delivered over a fixed treatment period of 12 cycles or 8.5 months 8, and is currently approved in more than 50 countries and recommended in multiple international treatment guidelines.^[12][13][14]

Maik Rutschmann, General Manager, Roche Pharmaceuticals Singapore, said "Ensuring that innovative science reaches the patients who need it most is a key priority for us. The inclusion of Columvi on the CDL and MAF provides a vital new option to patients navigating a relapse, demonstrating the value of this innovation and our commitment to making cancer care more accessible in Singapore."

Dr Ong Shin Yeu, Senior Consultant, Department of Haematology, Singapore General Hospital added, "Given the aggressive nature of relapsed or refractory DLBCL, having a broader toolkit to treat and manage the disease is indispensable. The availability of this new, off-the-shelf option alongside existing therapies empowers us to offer more choices to eligible patients and tailor treatment to their individual circumstances and preferences. The data is encouraging in the trial, with 38 per cent of patients remaining in remission at 30 months, compared to 15 per cent in the comparator arm, pointing to durable outcomes and long-term disease control in a subset of patients. The approval of government subsidies for this medication helps patients access treatment without delay."

About the STARGLO study The STARGLO study [GO41944; NCT04408638] is a phase III, multicentre, open-label, randomised study evaluating the efficacy and safety of Columvi® (glofitamab) in combination with gemcitabine plus oxaliplatin (GemOx) versus MabThera®/Rituxan® (rituximab) in combination with GemOx in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma who have received at least one prior line of therapy and who are not candidates for autologous stem cell transplant, or who have received two or more prior lines of therapy. Preclinical research indicated an increased antitumour effect when combining Columvi with GemOx over GemOx alone, so the STARGLO study was initiated to further explore the potential complementary effects of the treatment combination. Outcome measures include overall survival (primary endpoint), progression-free survival, complete response rate, objective response rate, duration of objective response (secondary endpoints), and safety and tolerability.

About Columvi® (glofitamab) Columvi is a CD20xCD3 T-cell-engaging bispecific antibody designed to target CD3 on the surface of T cells and CD20 on the surface of B cells. Columvi was designed with a novel 2:1 structural format. This T-cell-engaging bispecific antibody is engineered to have one region that binds to CD3, a protein on T cells, a type of immune cell, and two regions that bind to CD20, a protein on B cells, which can be healthy or malignant. This dual-targeting brings the T cell in close proximity to the B cell, activating the release of cancer cell-killing proteins from the T cell. Columvi is part of Roche's broad and industry-leading CD20xCD3 T-cell-engaging bispecific antibody clinical development programme that also includes Lunsumio® (mosunetuzumab), which aims to provide tailored treatment options that suit the diverse needs, preferences, and experiences of people with blood cancers and healthcare systems. Roche is investigating Columvi as a monotherapy and in combination with other medicines for the treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma.

About diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) DLBCL is an aggressive (fast-growing) type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and the most common form, accounting for about one in three cases of NHL.^[15] Approximately 160,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with DLBCL each year, with comparable incidence rates across regions.^[16][17] Medical practices, including pathological classification, diagnosis, staging, initial treatment and relapse management, are similarly approached worldwide.^{[17][18][19][20]} While it is generally responsive to treatment in the frontline, as many as 40% of people will relapse or have refractory disease, at which time salvage therapy options are limited and survival is short.^[21][22] Improving treatments earlier in the course of the disease and providing much needed alternative options could help to improve long-term outcomes.

About Roche in haematology Roche has been developing medicines for people with malignant and non-malignant blood diseases for more than 25 years; our experience and knowledge in this therapeutic area runs deep. Today, we are investing more than ever in our effort to bring innovative treatment options to patients across a wide range of haematologic diseases. Our approved medicines include MabThera®/Rituxan® (rituximab), Gazyva®/Gazyvaro® (obinutuzumab), Polivy® (polatuzumab vedotin), Venclexta®/Venclyxto® (venetoclax) in collaboration with AbbVie, Hemlibra® (emicizumab), PiaSky® (crovalimab), Lunsumio® (mosunetuzumab) and Columvi® (glofitamab). Our pipeline of investigational haematology medicines includes T-cell-engaging bispecific antibody cevostamab, targeting both FcRH5 and CD3, and Tecentriq® (atezolizumab). Our scientific expertise, combined with the breadth of our portfolio and pipeline, also provides a unique opportunity to develop combination regimens that aim to improve the lives of patients even further.

About Roche

Roche (SIX: RO, ROP; OTCQX: RHHBY) is a healthcare company uniquely placed to prevent, stop and cure diseases by uniting leading science and technology across diagnostics, medicines and digital solutions.

Roche was founded in Basel, Switzerland in 1896 and today is a leading provider of transformative medicines and diagnostics for millions of people in over 150 countries around the world. It is dedicated to tackling healthcare challenges that place the greatest strain on patients, families, communities and healthcare systems. Across its Diagnostics and Pharmaceutical divisions, Roche focuses on areas including oncology, neurology, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, ophthalmology, infectious diseases and immunology with the aim of providing real and positive change for patients, the people they love and the professionals who care for them.

Roche Singapore began operations in 1973 and has since become a local leader in innovative medicines and diagnostics across multiple disease areas. Over more than 50 years of growth, Roche has significantly expanded its presence in Singapore to encompass its pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and manufacturing divisions.

For more information, please visit www.roche.com.sg 

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Prescribing information may vary depending on the applicable approval in the respective country. Therefore, before prescribing any product, always refer to applicable local materials such as the prescribing information. NCCN makes no warranties of any kind whatsoever regarding their content, use or application and disclaims any responsibility for their application or use in any way. M-SG-00003241 | August 2026

References

SOURCE Roche