Multiple Myeloma

Michele Cavo, MD, professor, Seràgnoli Institute of Hematology Bologna University School of Medicine, discusses the results of the phase III EMN02/HO95 MM trial, which compared the efficacy of upfront autologous stem cell transplantation versus novel agent-based therapy for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma.

A regimen consisting of carfilzomib, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone merits further investigation for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma whose disease progresses while on lenalidomide in the earlier stages of disease.

The anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody isatuximab showed promising signs of activity as a single-agent for patients with heavily pretreated relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Carfilzomib (Kyprolis) has received a positive recommendation from the EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use for use in combination with dexamethasone alone as a treatment for patients with multiple myeloma following at least 1 prior therapy.

The European Commission has granted conditional marketing approval to daratumumab (Darzalex) for the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma previously treated with a proteasome inhibitor and an immunomodulatory agent who progressed on their last therapy.

Adding daratumumab (Darzalex) to lenalidomide and dexamethasone reduced the risk of disease progression by 63% in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma in the phase III POLLUX trial.

Early findings from a phase III clinical trial suggest that patients with multiple myeloma who receive upfront autologous stem cell transplant survive longer without disease progression than those who receive chemotherapy alone.

The European Commission approved elotuzumab (Empliciti) for use in combination with lenalidomide (Revlimid) and dexamethasone for patients with multiple myeloma following progression on at least 1 prior therapy.

Kenneth Anderson, MD, PhD, discusses the role of APRIL/BCMA and what potential the targeted agent BION-1301 may have in blocking multiple myeloma cell proliferation, as well as reducing drug resistance and immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment.

Leonie de Best, MSc2, chief operating officer, SkylineDX, discusses the HOVON-87/NMSG-18 study, which demonstrated the validation of the EMC92/SKY92 signature for elderly patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

In an ongoing randomized phase III trial, researchers are looking at lenalidomide (Revlimid) compared with observation in patients with asymptomatic high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma.

Adding ixazomib (Ninlaro) to lenalidomide (Revlimid) and dexamethasone reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 26% compared with lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Sundar Jagannath, MD, discusses emerging agents in multiple myeloma he is most excited about, sequencing challenges, and the role for personalized medicine in the disease.

Single-agent daratumumab (Darzalex) for the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma previously treated with a proteasome inhibitor and an immunomodulatory agent has received a positive recommendation from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use.

S. Vincent Rajkumar, MD, professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic, discusses the significance of the phase III SWOG S0777 study, which looked at bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone versus lenalidomide and dexamethasone in patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma.

The updated NCCN myeloma guideline broadens the diagnostic criteria for active disease and integrates novel therapies into the treatment paradigm.

Kenneth C. Anderson, MD, Giant of Cancer Care: Myeloma, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, discusses how the definition of myeloma has changed.

Adding plitidepsin (Aplidin) to dexamethasone reduced the risk of disease progression by 35% versus dexamethasone alone in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma enrolled in the phase III ADMYRE trial.

Adding daratumumab (Darzalex) to standard bortezomib (Velcade) and dexamethasone improved progression-free survival in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma enrolled in the phase III CASTOR (MMY3004) trial.

Andrew R. Branagan, MD, postdoctoral associate in Medicine (Hematology), Yale Cancer Center, discusses the significance of a vaccine developed to better protect patients with multiple myeloma from getting the flu.