Dr. Morgan on Idecabtagene Vicleucel in Multiple Myeloma

Gareth J. Morgan, MD, PhD, a professor in the Department of Medicine and director of Multiple Myeloma Research at NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, discusses research examining idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel; bb2121) in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Ide-cel is a CAR T-cell product that has been produced by Bristol Myers Squibb and bluebird bio. In the phase II KarMMA trial, investigators evaluated the efficacy and safety of the product in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.

Through that research, investigators identified the optimum dose of the CAR T-cell therapy in that patient population, which is 150 to 450 x 10⁶. At the highest dose, patients go into remission and remain there for approximately 11.3 months, says Morgan. Additionally, the product appears to be relatively safe, with only 3% of patients experiencing cytokine release syndrome. The product is a significant advancement made in the field because it is both nontoxic and effective, concludes Morgan.