Dr. Paul on the Future of CAR T-Cell Therapy in Multiple Myeloma Treatment

Barry Paul, MD, assistant professor, the Division of Plasma Cell Disorders, the Department of Hematologic Oncology and Blood Disorders, Atrium Health, discusses the emerging benefits of integrating CAR T-cell therapy into treatment paradigms for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

The treatment of patients with multiple myeloma traditionally requires continuous rounds of chemotherapy to be administered until disease progression or tolerance is reached. However, CAR T-cell therapy is typically administered as a single infusion and continues to expand and proliferate in the absence of continued administration, making reinfusion largely unnecessary, Paul explains. This unique feature makes CAR-T cell therapy an attractive option for both patients and physicians.

Despite this, researchers are still developing methods to optimize the efficacy of CAR T-cell therapy in clinical practice. Identifying adjunctive therapies that allow CAR T-cell therapies to persist for longer could lead to a more robust patient response, Paul notes. Similarly, efforts to improve the sequencing of T-cell mediated therapies, including CAR T-cell therapy, bispecific antibodies, and antibody-drug conjugates, could allow practitioners to identify the most effective treatment option for different patient populations. Both areas necessitate more research, Paul concludes.