ASH Myeloma Spotlight

Joshua Richter, MD, Hackensack University Medical Center, discusses a tool which explored the incidence and survival impact of self-reported symptoms and psychologic distress among patients with multiple myeloma during the 2017 ASH Annual Meeting.

Daratumumab (Darzalex) in combination with VMP (bortezomib [Velcade], melphalan, and prednisone) could become a new standard of care for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are unable to undergo transplant following findings from the phase III ALCYONE study.

Following autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) for patients with multiple myeloma, maintenance therapy of elotuzumab (Empliciti) in combination with lenalidomide (Revlimid) led to an increased rate of response conversions from prior induction therapy, according to the results of a phase II study. 

In the final analysis of the phase III ASPIRE trial, an improvement in survival was confirmed with the combination of carfilzomib (Kyprolis), lenalidomide (Revlimid), and dexamethasone for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, according to findings presented at the 2017 ASH Annual Meeting.

Cristina Gasparetto, MD, associate professor, head of the myeloma program, Duke University Medical Center, discusses a phase 1b study to assess the combination of selinexor and daratumumab in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma previously exposed to proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs during the 2017 ASH Annual Meeting.

In findings from the phase II CENTAURUS clinical trial, treatment with daratumumab (Darzalex) monotherapy produced lasting responses in patients with intermediate- and high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM). 

A novel approach to treatment for patients with smoldering multiple myeloma demonstrated a high rate of complete responses, according to a study presented at the 2017 ASH Annual Meeting. The single-arm, phase II trial evaluated a strategy using induction therapy with carfilzomib (Kyprolis), lenalidomide (Revlimid), and dexamethasone followed by high-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation, consolidation therapy and then maintenance therapy with lenalidomide and dexamethasone.

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy with bb2121 demonstrated an objective response rate of 94% in patients with&nbsp;relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, according to findings from a dose-escalation study. The senior study author, James N. Kochenderfer, MD, presented updated findings from the study during the 2017 ASH Annual Meeting, and commented that 89% of patients had a very good partial response or better, and 56% of patients had a complete remission.&nbsp;<br /> &nbsp;