Elranatamab may be safe and effective in Black patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, according to new findings presented by Varshavsky-Yanovsky et al at the 2023 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition (Abstract 3333).
Background
Elranatamab—an immunotherapy that targets the B-cell maturation antigen expressed in myeloma cells—was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration early in 2023 for patients with multiple myeloma who received at least four prior lines of therapy.
“Multiple myeloma disproportionately impacts Black patients, affecting both incidence and outcome. Here, we report the efficacy and safety of elranatamab in a pooled analysis of Black or African American patients with [relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma] across three studies,” explained lead study author Asya Varshavsky-Yanovsky, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies at Fox Chase Cancer Center.
Study Methods and Results
In this study, investigators analyzed the outcomes of 24 Black or African American patients with multiple myeloma who participated in three of the MagnetisMM clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of elranatamab. The patients involved in the study had a median age of 61 years and demonstrated a poor response to at least three prior lines of therapy. The patients had a median of six prior lines of therapy, with 91.7% and 45.8% of them having triple-class– and penta-drug–refractory disease, respectively.
The investigators found that elranatamab was effective and demonstrated a reasonable safety profile in Black or African American patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.
Conclusions
The investigators determined that the results for these patient populations were comparable to those of the overall population treated with elranatamab. “With limited research on how these immunotherapy drugs may affect minority populations differently, it is crucial that we continue to conduct similar studies,” underscored Dr. Varshavsky-Yanovsky.
Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit ash.confex.com.
