During AbbVie's Q1 2026 earnings conference call, held April 29, 2026, executives discussed the decision to accelerate Phase III development of the Skyrizi (risankizumab) plus ABBV-382 combination in inflammatory bowel disease after interim data showed double the endoscopic remission rate of either monotherapy in a highly refractory Crohn's disease population. The company has also pulled forward its obesity Phase II program and signaled an earlier-than-expected regulatory submission for etentamig in multiple myeloma.
Key Strategic Signals
Skyrizi + ABBV-382 Combination: Interim data from AbbVie's Crohn's disease platform study showed the combination of Skyrizi (risankizumab) and ABBV-382, an anti-alpha 4 beta 7 antibody, achieved approximately 42% endoscopic remission at week 24 in a population where 82% had failed prior advanced therapies — double the rate observed with either monotherapy. Chief Scientific Officer Roopal Thakkar said the company observed a non-flat exposure-response relationship for ABBV-382, meaning patients with higher drug exposures fared better, and that a Phase IIb study initiating this summer will test a higher dose of ABBV-382 in combination with Skyrizi. AbbVie said it is simultaneously evaluating Phase III acceleration options and will evaluate Skyrizi in combination with ABBV-382 and separately with its extended half-life TL1A antibody, with ulcerative colitis (UC) included alongside Crohn's disease. The Skyrizi plus lutikizumab cohort within the same platform study was discontinued after failing to differentiate meaningfully from Skyrizi monotherapy.
Etentamig regulatory timeline advanced: AbbVie said it now expects to submit etentamig, its B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) bispecific antibody, for regulatory review by the end of 2026 — earlier than previously guided. The Phase III monotherapy trial in third-line-plus multiple myeloma is tracking ahead of schedule, with a response rate readout anticipated in the third quarter of 2026 and the potential for a concurrent interim progression-free survival (PFS) analysis. If that interim PFS analysis is positive, AbbVie said regulatory submissions would follow in the same year. Thakkar also said plans are underway for a Phase III study evaluating etentamig in combination with pomalidomide in second-line-plus patients, including those previously exposed or refractory to anti-CD38 antibodies or who have lost response to a BCMA-directed CAR-T or antibody-drug conjugate (ADC).
ABBV-295 obesity program accelerated: ABBV-295, a long-acting amylin analog with a half-life of approximately 270 hours, produced approximately 10% weight loss after 12 weeks in a multiple ascending dose study conducted predominantly in male, non-obese participants with a mean body mass index of approximately 29. AbbVie said the Phase II program has been pulled forward to the third quarter of 2026, with interim Phase I data in obese patients expected later this year. Thakkar noted the molecule signals through both amylin and calcitonin receptors, and said the pharmacodynamic profile supports potential monthly dosing in the maintenance setting, drawing an analogy to Skyrizi's durable efficacy beyond its 28-day half-life. AbbVie also flagged active interest in external business development to complement ABBV-295 with additional obesity mechanisms, including oral agents and assets that preserve lean muscle mass.
Analyst Pressure Points
IBD combination positioning and competitive durability: JPMorgan analyst Christopher Schott pressed management on where the Skyrizi plus ABBV-382 combination fits in the treatment sequence — specifically whether it would be a second-line option post-Skyrizi or could reach the frontline. Thakkar said AbbVie does not intend to restrict the combination to refractory patients, noting that the platform study already enrolled patients who had previously received Skyrizi, vedolizumab, and Rinvoq (upadacitinib), and that frontline IBD use is commercially and clinically relevant given the risk of irreversible gut damage with uncontrolled inflammation. Schott also asked more broadly about AbbVie's ability to sustain its immunology competitive position given increasing pipeline activity across the sector. Chief Executive Officer Robert Michael pointed to recent business development transactions — including Capstan Therapeutics for in vivo CAR-T B-cell depletion, Nimble Therapeutics for oral peptides, and additions of TL1A and IRAK4 mechanisms — as evidence that AbbVie is building depth beyond Skyrizi and Rinvoq for the next decade.