MULTIPLE MYELOMA

Encouraging signs of dose-dependent efficacy, as well as a promising safety profile, were observed in patients with heavily pretreated relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma who were treated with CC-93269, a human IgG1-based T-cell engager that binds to BCMA and CD3 epsilon in a 2+1 format.

Patients with a difficult-to-treat form of multiple myeloma who were treated with a novel, bispecific anti-BCMA/anti-CD38 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy experienced promising responses and a manageable safety profile, according to results of a study that were presented at the 61st Annual American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition.<br /> &nbsp;

In an interview with&nbsp;Targeted Oncology, Mark W. Bustoros, MD, discussed the findings from the study evaluating the genomic predictors of progression in patients with SMM and how these findings will impact treatment decisions for these patients in the future.

Marc J. Braunstein, MD, PhD, discusses the greatest challenge that still exists in the treatment paradigm of multiple myeloma.

Shaji Kumar, MD, discusses the shift in the treatment landscape for patients with multiple myeloma, and how more patients are eligible for stem cell transplantation because of new criteria.

There are at least two dozen different B-cell maturation antigen-directed therapies being explored in clinical trials, Sham Mailankody, MBBS, told attendees at the 37 Annual CFS.&nbsp;Mailankody, an assistant attending physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, New York, highlighted the most promising anti-BCMA agents across several modalities, including CAR T-cell therapy, bispecific antibodies, and antibody-drug conjugates.

There are many greatdebates in the field of multiple myeloma, and one that is becoming increasingly relevant in the era of modern therapies is whether or not to treat patients with asymptomatic disease. While the etiology of MM remains unknown, a major advancement in understanding myeloma pathogenesis has been the observation that all patientsprogress, albeit at differing rates, through an asymptomatic phase of either monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance or smoldering MM.

Pieter Sonneveld, MD, PhD, discusses how the findings from the phase III CASSIOPEIA trial inform current thinking about treating patients with multiple myeloma.

<br /> In the future, we&rsquo;re going to do combination therapies. They will be used in a subset of patients better defined by profiling,&rdquo; Kenneth C. Anderson, MD, told an audience at the Charlotte Plasma Cell Disorder Congress in North Carolina.

Successful induction regimens can reduce the burden of disease and prolong the durability of treatment response, time to disease progression, and overall survival for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, all while minimizing toxicity, according to Saad Usmani, MD, chief of the Plasma Cell Disorders Program and director of clinical research in hematologic malignancies at Levine Cancer Institute of the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In September 2019, the FDA approved new treatment options for patients with endometrial carcinoma, prostate cancer, and multiple myeloma. The FDA also expanded the indication for the Cologuard noninvasive screening test for colorectal cancer. During the month there were 2 breakthrough therapy designations, 2 fast track designations, 1 orphan drug designation, and 1 priority review granted.

The discussion about the pros and cons of a 4-drug regimen for patients with multiple myeloma was highlighted during the 2019 Debates and Didactics in Hematology and Oncology conference.

The combination of daratumumab plus bortezomib, thalidomide, and dexamethasone (VTD) has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma who are eligible for autologous stem cell transplant.

Selinexor plus lenalidomide and dexamethasone, an all-oral triplet, was found to be highly active in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, according to results of the multi-arm STOMP study that were presented during the 17th International Myeloma Workshop. The regimen is also well tolerated and especially active in patients who did not receive lenalidomide prior to the trial.

The combination of carfilzomib, dexamethasone, and daratumumab led to a 37% reduction in the risk of progression or death compared with carfilzomib and dexamethasone alone in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in the phase III CANDOR trial. According to a press release from Amgen, this met the primary endpoint of progression-free survival for the trial.

Simon J. Harrison, MD, gives key takeaways from his presentation on the ICARIA-MM study, which he recently presented at the 2019 International Myeloma Workshop.<br /> &nbsp;

The combination of melflufen and dexamethasone showed antitumor activity in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, both in those with and those without extramedullary disease, according to data from the phase II HORIZON study presented&nbsp;at the 17th International Myeloma Workshop.

The GRIFFIN study showed that the addition of daratumumab to bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone, improved stringent complete response in transplant-eligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma without affecting stem cell mobilization or hematopoietic reconstitution, according to results presented at the 17th International Myeloma Workshop.

Novel agent iberdomide in combination with&nbsp;dexamethasone was safe and demonstrated antitumor activity in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma who were heavily pretreated, according to findings from a phase Ib/IIa trial presented at&nbsp;the 17th International Myeloma Workshop.