BCMA-Directed CAR T-Cell Therapy in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma

In this segment, Dr. Peter Voorhees introduces the role of BCMA-directed CAR T-cell therapy in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma and its movement into earlier lines of treatment. Dr. Doris Hansen provides context for CARTITUDE-2 Cohort A, a multicohort, single-arm study evaluating ciltacabtagene autoleucel in patients who had received 1 to 3 prior lines of therapy. She explains that safety was the primary endpoint, with preliminary efficacy assessed through response, progression-free survival, and overall survival outcomes. Dr. Hansen contrasts the study design with CARTITUDE-4, a phase 3 randomized study evaluating CAR T-cell therapy against standard-of-care treatment in a broadly similar patient population. She then reviews approximately 5-year follow-up from CARTITUDE-2 Cohort A, highlighting a median progression-free survival of approximately 5 years and the proportion of patients who remained alive and progression-free at 5 years. Dr. Hansen places these findings in context by emphasizing the small cohort size and the need for continued follow-up. She also discusses the reported overall survival rate and notes the absence of parkinsonism or cranial nerve palsy in this cohort.