Genmab’s Rina-S Shows Superior Survival and Safety Profile vs. AbbVie’s Elahere

Key points

• Genmab’s Rina-S achieved a median progression-free survival of 9.5 months in 109 patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, compared to 5.6 months for AbbVie’s Elahere in a phase 3 trial.
• The objective response rate for Rina-S was 45.9% in the latest data, lower than the 55.6% seen in earlier trial parts, but analysts noted strong durability in heavily pre-treated populations.
• Rina-S showed no safety signals for ocular toxicity, peripheral neuropathy, or interstitial lung disease, whereas Elahere carries a boxed warning for ocular issues and has caused Grade 3 reactions in 11% of patients.
• TD Cowen analysts described Rina-S as 'clearly superior' to Elahere, citing differentiated efficacy and safety, and expect phase 3 data to support this view.
• Genmab projects Rina-S sales could exceed $2 billion, driven by trials in endometrial and platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer, areas where Elahere is not indicated.

Background

AbbVie’s Elahere generated $690 million in 2025, its third full year on the market. Genmab acquired Rina-S through its $1.8 billion purchase of ProfoundBio, a move AbbVie challenged in court by alleging trade secret theft, which Genmab refuted in its second-quarter earnings update.

Why it matters

The data suggest Rina-S could displace Elahere as the leading FRα-directed ADC for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, potentially reshaping market dynamics and driving significant revenue for Genmab while intensifying legal and competitive tensions with AbbVie.

What to watch

Genmab expects to share phase 3 Rainfol-02 trial data later in 2026, which will compare Rina-S to investigator’s choice of treatment. Additional studies in endometrial and platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer are also underway.