IMW 2021 | Evolution of the multiple myeloma therapeutic landscape
Claudio Cerchione, MD, PhD, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy, outlines the current therapeutic agents available for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma and comments on future treatment strategies. For frontline therapy, Dr Cerchione explains that quadruplets are demonstrating efficacy based on progression-free survival rates as well as measurable residual disease (MRD) negativity. Dr Cerchione further talks on the novel agents for the relapsed/refractory setting such as selinexor and belantamab mafodotin, and the results expected from trials of novel combinations. This interview took place during the 18th International Myeloma Workshop (IMW 2021) congress.
Transcript (edited for clarity)
The therapeutic panorama of multiple myeloma is changing in frontline treatment. The quadruplets are showing wonderful results, in particular, in terms of a progression-free survival, but also in MRD-negativity, not paying on quality of life for our patients. And they think that this is the present, the next future, that daratumumab is becoming the new backbone in transplant-eligible and not eligible patients...
The therapeutic panorama of multiple myeloma is changing in frontline treatment. The quadruplets are showing wonderful results, in particular, in terms of a progression-free survival, but also in MRD-negativity, not paying on quality of life for our patients. And they think that this is the present, the next future, that daratumumab is becoming the new backbone in transplant-eligible and not eligible patients. And I think that this is the biggest novelties of last year.
Moreover in relapsed and refractory setting, we are seeing many wonderful novel agents such as the selinexor, belantamab, but also melflufen and other drugs which are increasing their results. And they think that we are going toward the new combination, so with great results in terms of survival, but also in terms of deepness of response, and this is a wonderful achievement in so difficult to treat patients.
It is also the word over CAR-T and cellular therapies. I think that at the moment, that they are only for patients where we feel at that, the current available opportunities. But I think that considering the results, so we are seeing from clinical trials, maybe they will be anticipated as soon as possible.
I think that immunotherapy is the present and the future of multiple myeloma. And I think that, some years ago we spoke about the difficulty to treat multiple myeloma. But I think that, now we are going toward a new change of a scenario which we can write, I hope as soon as possible, the term ‘cure’ for our multiple myeloma patients.
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Disclosures
Claudio Cerchione, MD, PhD, has received honoraria from Sanofi, GSK, Janssen, BMS-Celgene, Takeda and Karyopharm.
