ASH 2021 | Connect® MM: treatment patterns and holistic burden in triple-class refractory multiple myeloma

Sundar Jagannath, MD, Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, discusses the rationale, design and findings of the ongoing Connect® MM Disease Registry investigating the clinical, economic and humanistic burden in patients with triple-class refractory multiple myeloma (NCT01081028). This prospective study enrolled 240 patients who were refractory to immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), proteasome inhibitors, and anti-CD38 antibodies. Among patients that received further treatment, it was revealed that retreatment with IMiDs, proteasome inhibitors or anti-CD38 drugs in different combinations were the most common strategies. Median overall survival (OS) was estimated at 8.9 months in all patients, and was 1 month among patients who did not receive further treatment. Interestingly, patients who were treated with selixenor and belantamab mafodotin, two drugs approved in the triple-class refractory setting had similar outcomes to patients who had received more than one line of prior therapy, with a median OS of 10.8 months. Moreover, using various quality of life (QoL) assessment tools, it was found that patients experienced a progressive decline in QoL. Dr Jagannath emphasizes the importance of introducing novel more effective drugs for this patient population with a poor prognosis and poor QoL. This interview took place at the 63rd ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition congress in Atlanta, GA.