- DECNUPAZ is the first and only antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) approved for blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) that is initiated in an outpatient setting
- DECNUPAZ marks AbbVie's first ADC approved for blood cancer
NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., May 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved DECNUPAZTM (pivekimab sunirine-pvzy) for the treatment of adult patients with BPDCN, an ultra-rare and aggressive hematologic malignancy with limited treatment options. The approval is supported by data from the Phase 1/2 CADENZA trial, a global study evaluating the safety and efficacy of DECNUPAZ for BPDCN.
"For patients living with rare cancers, progress in research can be life‑changing," said Roopal Thakkar, executive vice president, research and development, chief scientific officer, AbbVie. "This approval delivers a new option for treating BPDCN and demonstrates our determination to drive meaningful advancements for patients affected by difficult-to-treat cancers."
Patients with BPDCN often present with skin lesions, and the disease can rapidly spread to the bone marrow, lymph nodes, and central nervous system. The disease typically affects adult men aged 60-70 years. Despite initial treatment with intensive chemotherapy, which may include stem cell transplantation, many patients experience relapse, underscoring the need for new treatment options.1
"BPDCN is an aggressive disease with historically limited therapeutic options, particularly for patients whose disease has relapsed or become refractory," said Naveen Pemmaraju, M.D., professor of leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. "Pivekimab sunirine-pvzy is the first and only CD123 targeting ADC that can be initiated in an outpatient setting, offering a meaningful benefit for BPDCN patients in need of new treatment alternatives."
In the Phase 1/2 CADENZA trial, newly diagnosed patients with BPDCN who were treated with DECNUPAZ demonstrated clinically meaningful and durable responses. In newly diagnosed patients with BPDCN (n=33), researchers observed a composite complete response rate of 69.7% with a median duration of response of 9.7 months, with 13 patients (39.4%) who were able to receive post-study treatment stem cell transplant. Patients with relapsed or refractory disease (n=51) had a composite complete response rate of 15.7% with median duration of response rate of 9.2 months, with six patients (11.8%) who were able to receive post-study treatment stem cell transplant.2
Most common adverse reactions (≥20%) were edema, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, hemorrhage, infusion-related reactions, nausea, and diarrhea. DECNUPAZ has a boxed warning for hepatotoxicity, including hepatic veno-occlusive disease, and warnings and precautions for infusion-related reactions, edema, sulfite allergic reactions, and embryo-fetal toxicity.
About the CADENZA Trial
CADENZA is a Phase 1/2, multicenter, open-label study designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, and anti-leukemia activity of pivekimab sunirine-pvzy in patients with CD123-positive hematologic malignancies, including BPDCN. The study was also designed to determine the maximum tolerated dose, recommended Phase 2 dose and dosing schedule for pivekimab sunirine-pvzy monotherapy.3 Results published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology included a total of 84 patients who were part of the trial. Of these, 33 patients with no CNS involvement received DECNUPAZ as a frontline treatment and 51 had relapsed or refractory disease without evidence of active CNS disease. Eleven patients in the frontline treatment group had prior or concurrent cancer diagnoses in addition to BPDCN, making their treatment more complex and challenging.2
About DECNUPAZ (pivekimab sunirine-pvzy)
DECNUPAZ (pivekimab sunirine-pvzy) is a CD123-targeting ADC for the treatment of adult patients diagnosed with the hematological malignancy BPDCN. ADCs are designed to deliver potent cell death-inducing agents called 'payloads' directly to the cells expressing a specific protein. CD123 (IL-3Rα) is a protein overexpressed in BPDCN, making it an ideal target for therapy. The payload is a member of the indolinobenzodiazepine pseudodimer class that alkylates DNA and causes single-strand DNA breaks without crosslinking, leading to apoptosis and cell death.4
In October 2020, the FDA granted pivekimab sunirine-pvzy Breakthrough Therapy Designation for relapsed/refractory BPDCN.
About AbbVie in Oncology
AbbVie is committed to elevating standards of care and bringing transformative therapies to patients worldwide living with difficult-to-treat cancers. We are advancing a dynamic pipeline of investigational therapies across a range of cancer types in both blood cancers and solid tumors. We are focusing on creating targeted medicines that either impede the reproduction of cancer cells or enable their elimination. We achieve this through various, targeted treatment modalities and biology interventions, including small molecule therapeutics, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), immuno-oncology-based therapeutics, multispecific antibody and novel CAR-T platforms. Our dedicated and experienced team joins forces with innovative partners to accelerate the delivery of potential breakthrough medicines.
Today, our expansive oncology portfolio is comprised of approved and investigational treatments for a wide range of blood cancers and solid tumors. We are evaluating more than 35 investigational medicines across some of the world's most widespread and debilitating cancers. As we work to have a remarkable impact on people's lives, we are committed to exploring solutions to help patients obtain access to our cancer medicines.
About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, neuroscience and oncology – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio.
References:
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Shimony, S. et al. Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm (BPDCN): 2025 Update on Diagnosis, Pathophysiology, Risk Assessment, and Management. American Journal of Hematology. Published June 17, 2025. Available at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajh.27737. Accessed April 15, 2026.
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Pemmaraju, N. et al. Pivekimab Sunirine in Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm (BPDCN). J Clin Oncol 44, 861-873(2026). Available at https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO-25-02083. Accessed April 15, 2026.
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Study of IMGN632 in Patients With Untreated BPDCN and Relapsed/Refractory BPDCN. Available at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03386513. Accessed April 15, 2026.
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DECNUPAZ. Summary of Product Characteristics. AbbVie.