Summary
Epirubicin has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL). ClinicalTrials.gov lists 8 registered trials linking Epirubicin to Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL): 1 is currently recruiting; 1 has completed; 6 are terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is Phase 4 (NCT04152577). The largest enrolment is 408 participants (NCT03151044). Registration activity spans 1994 to 2024. The literature layer holds 3 publications for this pair: 3 randomised controlled trial publications. Publication years run from 1991 to 2005. These are primary trial reports rather than syntheses, so results have not yet been pooled or graded independently.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma ranks 50 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: Indolent NHL (follicular): spontaneous remission in 20-30% of early-stage, allowing watch-and-wait; aggressive NHL (DLBCL): rapidly lethal without treatment in weeks-months.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 49.5 (trials 20.5, literature 9.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 8 total: 1 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 1 completed, 6 other |
| Linked publications | 3 (3 randomised controlled trial publications) |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | Not recorded |
| Data sources | Open Targets, ChEMBL |
| Linked via biomarker / target | ABL1 |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT04152577 | R2 and Combination Chemotherapy Versus R and Combination Chemotherapy in Newly Diagnosed Highly Aggressive B-NHL 2019 | status unknown | Phase 4 | 200 |
| NCT03151044 | R±CEOP90 Versus R±CEOP75 in Newly Diagnosed Young Patients With Medium/High-risk DLBCL 2016 | status unknown | Phase 3 | 408 |
| NCT05097443 | Orelabrutinib, Rituximab and Combination Chemotherapy in Newly-diagnosed Aggressive B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 2021 | status unknown | Phase 3 | 130 |
| NCT05075460 | Tucidinostat, Azacitidine Combined With CHOP Versus CHOP in Patients With Untreated Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma 2021 | status unknown | Phase 3 | 107 |
| NCT00869284 | Long-Term Follow-up of Tandem High-Dose Therapy With Peripheral Blood Stem Cell for Adults With High-Risk Age-Adjusted IPI Aggressive Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas 1994 | completed | Phase 2 | 45 |
| NCT06739265 | Golidocitinib Plus CHOP in Newly Diagnosed PTCL 2024 | recruiting | PHASE1, PHASE2 | 68 |
| NCT03268889 | Chidamide With CHOP Regimen for de Novo PTCL Patients (CHOP: Cyclophosphamide, Etoposide, Vincristine and Prednisone; PTCL: Peripheral T Cell Lymphoma) 2017 | status unknown | Not applicable | 39 |
| NCT02871869 | Cinobufacini Tablets Combined With Chemotherapeutic Protocol in Treatment of Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma 2016 | status unknown | PHASE2, PHASE3 | 316 |
Published literature
- Randomized controlled trial Effect of epirubicin-based chemotherapy and dexrazoxane supplementation on QT dispersion in non-Hodgkin lymphoma patientsGaletta F, Franzoni F, Cervetti G et al. · Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie · 2005 · PMID 16325366
- Randomized controlled trial [Comparison of effectiveness of adriamycin and epirubicin administered in the CHOP protocol to patients with malignant non-hodgkin's lymphoma]Rolski J, Koralewski P, Pawlicki M · Wiadomosci lekarskie (Warsaw, Poland : 1960) · 1993 · PMID 8236992
- Randomized controlled trial Cardiotoxicity of epirubicin and doxorubicin: a double-blind randomized studyLahtinen R, Kuikka J, Nousiainen T et al. · European journal of haematology · 1991 · PMID 2044726
Mechanism and notes
No mechanism of action is recorded for this pair in the source databases.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL, in this case via the biomarker or target ABL1. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Epirubicin approved for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL)?
Epirubicin has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL). Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Epirubicin in clinical trials for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL)?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 8 registered trials linking Epirubicin to Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL): 1 is currently recruiting; 1 has completed; 6 are terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is Phase 4 (NCT04152577). The largest enrolment is 408 participants (NCT03151044). Registration activity spans 1994 to 2024.
What does the evidence show for Epirubicin in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL)?
Epirubicin has 1 completed trial and 3 linked publications for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL). Completed trials may or may not have posted results; follow the NCT links to check. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL, in this case via the biomarker or target ABL1. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-06. Page built 2026-10-07.