Treatment with the CAR T-cell therapy idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel; Abecma) has shown promising results for patients with high-risk multiple myeloma who relapsed early after initial therapy. Presented at the 2024 European Hematology Association (EHA) Congress, the phase 2 KarMMa-2 trial revealed significant and durable responses in these patients.
The overall response rate (ORR) for those treated with ide-cel was 93.5%, with a complete response (CR) rate of 71.0%. Minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity was high, reaching up to 82% at 24 months post-treatment. The progression-free survival rate was 70% at 12 months and 63.3% at 24 months. Additionally, the overall survival rate was 89.9% at 12 months and 78.9% at 24 months.
Patients included in this study had received previous therapies and were at high risk due to factors such as high tumor burden and aggressive disease. Ide-cel therapy involved administering 150 to 450 x 10^6 CAR-positive T cells. Despite the high-risk profile, response rates remained impressive.
Common side effects included neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and cytokine release syndrome (CRS), which was effectively managed with tocilizumab. Notably, the quality of life for patients improved significantly by month 3 of the treatment.
These findings highlight ide-cel as a potent option for achieving deep and lasting responses in high-risk multiple myeloma patients, offering new hope for those with challenging disease profiles.
Source:
Targeted Oncology: Deep and Durable Responses: Ide-Cel CAR T Shows Promise for High-Risk Multiple Myeloma Relapse
