The most common form of amyloidosis, light-chain (AL) amyloidosis, results from abnormalities in plasma cells causing them to produce abnormal amyloid fibrils made up of immunoglobulin light chains. These insoluble fibrils deposit extracellularly and accumulate within organs such as the heart, kidneys, liver, spleen, nervous system, and digestive tract, disrupting their structure and impairing their function. Historically, successful treatments for amyloidosis have been anti-plasma cell chemotherapies that reduce the production of amyloidogenic light chains. More recently, monoclonal antibody treatments such as daratumumab, evaluated in the ANDROMEDA trial, have demonstrated efficacy against malignant plasma cells. Current investigations are also exploring the ability of monoclonal antibodies to target and eliminate amyloid from organs.

In this podcast, we are joined by Morie Gertz, MD, MACP, of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, Vaishali Sanchorawala, MD, of the Boston University Medical Center, Ashutosh Wechalekar, MBBS, MD, FRPC, FRCPath, DM, of the National Amyloidosis Centre, London, UK, and Raymond Comenzo, MD, of the Tufts New England Medical Center, Boston, MA. These experts discuss highlights from this year’s virtual American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting and exposition, such as results from the ANDROMEDA study, the use of monoclonal antibodies, and unmet needs in AL amyloidosis diagnosis and awareness.