In the TRANSCEND MCL trial, 82.7% of patients responded to Breyanzi, with 71.6% of patients achieving complete response
Breyanzi demonstrated sustained clinical benefit, with 50.8% of patients still in response at 24 months based on TRANSCEND MCL trial results
November 24, 2025--PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today announced that the European Commission (EC) has granted approval to Breyanzi® (lisocabtagene maraleucel; liso-cel), a CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) after at least two lines of systemic therapy including a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor.
“This approval for Breyanzi in relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma marks another important step as we continue to deliver on the promise of cell therapy for more eligible patients across Europe – the fourth approval for Breyanzi in Europe,” said Emma Charles, senior vice president, Europe Region, Bristol Myers Squibb. “While frontline therapies have advanced over the years for this rare but aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the vast majority of patients relapse or become resistant and face reduced survival outlook, leaving a critical need for new treatment options. Breyanzi has the opportunity to address a treatment gap for this patient population based on its demonstrated clinical benefit.”
The decision is based on results from the MCL cohort of TRANSCEND NHL 001, which enrolled adult patients with relapsed or refractory MCL who had received at least two prior lines of therapy including a BTK inhibitor. Among patients treated in the third-line plus setting, Breyanzi demonstrated a high overall response rate of 82.7% (95% CI: 72.7–90.2) and complete response (CR) rate of 71.6% (95% CI: 60.5–81.1), the study’s primary and key secondary endpoints, respectively. Responses were rapid and demonstrated sustained efficacy, with a median time to first response (CR or partial response (PR)) of 0.95 months (range: 0.7 to 3.0 months) and 50.8% (95% CI: 29.2–52.9) of patients still in response at 24 months.
Safety results were consistent with the well-established safety profile of Breyanzi observed across clinical trials and approved indications, with a predictable safety profile observed in MCL with early resolution. The majority of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurologic toxicities developed during the first 14 days post infusion, reinforcing recent adjustments to short term monitoring requirements. For patients who received Breyanzi for MCL in the TRANSCEND NHL 001 trial, CRS occurred in 61% of patients, with only 1% of patients experiencing grade three or four CRS. The median time to onset was four days (range: 1 to 10 days). Any grade neurologic toxicities occurred in 31% of patients, including grade three or four in 9% of patients. The median time to onset of the first event was eight days (range: 1 to 25 days).
This expanded approval is applicable to all European Union (EU) member states as well as the European Economic Area (EEA) countries Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.* Breyanzi is also approved in the EU for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), high grade B-cell lymphoma (HGBCL), primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) and follicular lymphoma grade 3B (FL3B), who relapsed within 12 months from completion of, or are refractory to, first-line chemoimmunotherapy, and for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL, PMBCL, and FL3B after two or more lines of systemic therapy, and for adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy.
*Centralized Marketing Authorization does not include approval in the United Kingdom (UK).
About TRANSCEND NHL 001
TRANSCEND NHL 001 (NCT02631044) is an open-label, multicenter, pivotal, Phase 1, single-arm, seamless-design study to determine the safety, pharmacokinetics and antitumor activity of Breyanzi in adult patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, high-grade B-cell lymphoma, primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma Grade 3B and mantle cell lymphoma. The primary outcome measures are treatment-related adverse events, dose-limiting toxicities and overall response rate. Secondary outcome measures include complete response rate, duration of response, and progression-free survival.
About MCL
Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an aggressive, rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), representing roughly 3% of all NHL cases. MCL originates from cells in the “mantle zone” of the lymph node. MCL occurs more frequently in older adults with an average age at diagnosis in the mid-60s, and it is more often found in males than in females. In MCL, relapse after initial treatment is common, and for most, the disease eventually progresses or returns.
About Breyanzi
Breyanzi is a CD19-directed CAR T cell therapy with a 4-1BB costimulatory domain, which enhances the expansion and persistence of the CAR T cells. Breyanzi is made from a patient’s own T cells, which are collected and genetically reengineered to become CAR T cells that are then delivered via infusion as a one-time treatment. The treatment process includes blood collection, CAR T-cell creation, potential bridging therapy, lymphodepletion, administration, and side-effect monitoring.
Breyanzi is approved in the U.S. for the treatment of relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) after at least one prior line of therapy, has received accelerated approval for the treatment of relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) after at least two prior lines of therapy and relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) after two or more prior lines of systemic therapy, and is approved for the treatment of relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) after at least two prior lines of systemic therapy. Breyanzi is also approved in Japan, the European Union (EU), Switzerland, Israel, the United Kingdom, and Canada for the treatment of relapsed or refractory LBCL after at least one prior line of therapy; in Japan for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory high-risk FL after one prior line of systemic therapy, and in patients with relapsed or refractory FL after two or more lines of systemic therapy; and in the EU, Switzerland and the UK for the treatment of relapsed or refractory FL after two or more lines of systemic therapy.
Bristol Myers Squibb’s clinical development program for Breyanzi includes clinical studies in other types of lymphoma. For more information, visit clinicaltrials.gov.
The European Summary of Product Characteristics for Breyanzi will be available from the European Commission and EMA websites at
www.ema.europa.eu.
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