Dr. Popat on Unmet Needs in Triple-Class Refractory Multiple Myeloma

Rakesh Popat, BSc, MBBS, MRCP, FRCPath, PhD, consultant hematologist, University College Hospital, honorary clinical senior lecturer, University College London Cancer Institute, North Thames Clinical Research Network Specialty Lead for Hematology, Cancer Division, discusses unmet needs in triple-class refractory multiple myeloma.

Despite significant advancements that have been made over the past decade, multiple myeloma remains an incurable hematologic malignancy, Popat says. Currently, a major challenge in myeloma involves developing novel treatments for patients with triple-class refractory disease, Popat explains.

These heavily pretreated patients have progressed on or become intolerant of proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory agents, and CD38-directed monoclonal antibodies, says Popat.

These 3 drug classes have been brought into earlier lines of treatment in combination regimens for patients with multiple myeloma. Therefore, limited treatment options are available for patients with heavily pretreated progressive disease, concludes Popat.