Dr. Gay Discusses the Efficacy Data from the FORTE Trial in Myeloma

Francesca Gay, MD, PhD, hematologist, Myeloma Unit, Division of Hematology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza, discusses the updated efficacy data from the FORTE trial of patients with newly-diagnosed multiple myeloma.

In the study of 474 patients, 315 were treated with carfilzomib (Kyprolis), lenalidomide (Revlimid) and dexamethasone (KRd), and 159 were treated with carfilzomib, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (KCd). The rate of partial response (PR) after induction was very high in both arms, Gay says, with a 97% PR in patients treated with KRd, and a 91% PR in patients treated with KCd. However, the depth of response was higher in patients treated with KRd who received a very good PR or a stringent complete response.

A subset of patients were also evaluated for minimum residual disease (MRD) negativity. The rate of MRD negativity for patients treated with KRd was 56%, and for patients treated with KCd, MRD negativity was 29% (P = 0.008). Additionally, treatment in both arms was well tolerated.