FDA Approves Isatuximab Plus VRd in Transplant-Ineligible Multiple Myeloma

Fact checked by Jordyn Sava
News
Article

The approval is supported by data from the phase 3 IMROZ study which demonstrated superior progression-free survival with isatuximab plus VRd vs VRd alone in patients with newly diagnosed, transplant-ineligible multiple myeloma.

Multiple Myeloma: © David A Litman - stock.adobe.com

Multiple Myeloma: © David A Litman - stock.adobe.com

  • The FDA has approved isatuximab (Sarclisa) plus bortezomib (Velcade), lenalidomide (Revlimid), and dexamethasone (VRd) for the treatment of patients with transplant-ineligible, newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.
  • This is the first approved anti-CD38 therapy in combination with standard-of-care VRd in this patient population.
  • This marks the third indication for isatuximab in multiple myeloma.

Isatuximab plus VRd (isa-VRd) is now an FDA-approved combination for the treatment of patients with transplant-ineligible, newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, making it the first anti-CD38 therapy available in this patient population plus VRd.1

In May 2024, the supplemental biologics license application of isatuximab for this indication was granted priority review, identifying the treatment as a significant improvement compared with those currently available.2

The approval is supported by the phase 3 IMROZ study (NCT03319667).3,4 At a median follow-up of 59.7 months, patients treated with isa-VRd (n = 265) followed by isatuximab plus Rd experienced a median progression-free survival(PFS) that was not reached (NR) vs 54.34 months (95% CI, 45.207-NR) in patients treated with VRd alone (HR, 0.596; 98.5% CI, 0.406-0.876; log-rank P =.0005), meeting the primary end point of the study. Notably, the 60-month PFS rate was 63.2% in the investigational group vs 45.2% in the control arm. This PFS benefit was seen across most subgroups, including some difficult-to-treat populations with negative prognostic factors.4

"IMROZ is the first global, phase 3 study of an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody in combination with VRd in patients with transplant-ineligible myeloma. In this presentation, we [showed] that the IMROZ regimen led to a statistically significant improvement in PFS, deep response rates with statistically significant improvements in complete response [CR] and minimal residual disease [MRD]-negative CR, sustained in MRD negativity, and a safety profile consistent with that of each agent,” lead study author Thierry Facon, MD, professor of hematology in the Department of Hematology at Lille University Hospital, France, stated in a presentation of the data.

Although overall survival (OS) data were immature at data cutoff, an interim OS analysis showed a positive trend for isa-VRd (HR, 0.776; 95% CI, 0.407-1.48). The 5-year OS rates were 72.3% and 66.3% for patients treated with isa-VRd vs VRd, respectively. Further, the overall response rate was 91.3% for isa-VRd and 92.3% for VRd with a CR or better rate of 74.7% for isa-VRd and 64.1% for VRd (P =.01). The very good partial response or better rate was 89.1% and 82.9% for isa-VRd and VRd, respectively (OR, 1.729; 95% CI, 0.994-3.008).3

REFERENCES:
1. FDA approves isatuximab-irfc with bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. News release. FDA. September 20, 2024. Accessed September 20, 2024. https://tinyurl.com/pph8yf6c
2. Sarclisa accepted for FDA priority review for the treatment of transplant-ineligible newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. News release. Sanofi. May 27, 2024. Accessed August 9, 2024. https://tinyurl.com/53hhdwwj 
3. Facon T, Dimopoulos MA, Leleu XP, et al. Phase 3 study results of isatuximab, bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (Isa-VRd) versus VRd for transplant-ineligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (IMROZ). J Clin Oncol. 2024;42(suppl 16):7500. doi:10.1200/JCO.2024.42.16_suppl.7500.
4. Facon T, Dimopoulos M-A, Leleu XP, et al. Isatuximab, bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone for multiple myeloma. N Engl J Med. Published online June 3, 2024. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2400712 
Recent Videos
Caitlin Costello, MD, an expert on multiple myeloma
Caitlin Costello, MD, an expert on multiple myeloma
Caitlin Costello, MD, an expert on multiple myeloma
Caitlin Costello, MD, an expert on multiple myeloma
Caitlin Costello, MD, an expert on multiple myeloma
Related Content