Dr. Stadtmauer Discusses Promising Targets in Multiple Myeloma

Edward A. Stadtmauer, MD, section chief, Hematologic Malignancies, and Roseman, Tart, Harrow, and Shaffer Families’ President’s Distinguished Professor, Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, discusses promising targets in multiple myeloma.

BCMA has been shown to be a novel target in multiple myeloma because it is expressed on the majority of myeloma cells. CD38 has also proven to be a valuable target in myeloma, having led to the development of the monoclonal antibodies daratumumab (Darzalex) and isatuximab. Now, CD38-targeted CAR T-cell therapy and CD38-targeted bispecific T-cell engagers are also under investigation, says Stadtmauer.

In terms of lesser established targets, CS1 and therein SLAMF7, as well as NY-ESO-1 are also under evaluation. NY-ESO-1 is a member of the cancer-testis antigen family of proteins, and may prove to be a viable immunotherapy target for vaccines and adoptive T-cell therapies, concludes Stadtmauer.