ASH 2025: Highlights in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma
“Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence.” – Ovid The 2025 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition delivered multiple practice-changing datasets surrounding T-cell–redirecting therapies in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma....
Updated Analysis of CARTITUDE-4: Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel in Lenalidomide-Refractory Multiple Myeloma
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Einsele et al, an updated analysis of the phase III CARTITUDE-4 trial has shown that a single infusion of ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel), a B-cell maturation antigen–directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, prolonged overall survival vs...
Multiple Myeloma: FDA Approves Daratumumab and Hyaluronidase-fihj in Combination With VRd
On January 27, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj (Darzalex Faspro) in combination with bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRd) for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous...
Evolving Treatment Landscape Spurs Living Guideline Update on Multiple Myeloma
ASCO, in collaboration with Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario), has published an update to their previous guideline on the treatment of multiple myeloma.1 This new guideline—which has been selected as an ASCO Living Guideline—reflects dramatic changes that have helped improve the management of...
Dual Antigen Targeting of Drug-Resistant Extramedullary Myeloma
In a phase II trial (RedirecTT-1) reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Kumar et al found that the combination of talquetamab (anti–G protein–coupled receptor family C group 5 member D) and teclistamab (anti–B-cell maturation antigen) produced high response rates in patients with...
FDA Releases Draft Guidance for Use of MRD and CR as Primary Endpoints in Multiple Myeloma Trials
On January 20, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a draft guidance for industry regarding the use of minimal residual disease and complete response as primary endpoints in clinical trials evaluating drugs and biologics for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma that ...
Multiple Myeloma: Sex Differences in Etiology and Clinical Presentation
Rates of multiple myeloma, the second most common blood cancer in the United States, are increasing and are twice as high in men than in women. A new study published by Ong et al in the journal Cancer provides insights that may help to explain this disparity. To investigate the sex difference in...
MajesTEC-3: ‘Unprecedented’ Benefit in Previously Treated Multiple Myeloma
For patients with previously treated multiple myeloma, the greatest risk reduction yet achieved in a phase III clinical trial was reported with the BCMA-directed CD3 T-cell engager teclistamab-cqyv plus daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj. Treatment with this combination resulted in an 83% reduction ...
Researchers Create Immune Cell Atlas of Bone Marrow in Patients With Multiple Myeloma
Scientists at several institutions across the country, in partnership with the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF), have helped generate the largest single-cell immune cell atlas of the bone marrow in patients with multiple myeloma. The findings, published by Pilcher et al in Nature Cancer, ...
Using AI to Ensure That All Patients With Cancer Have Access to Precision Oncology Care
Steve Brown, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CureWise (curewise.com), an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven patient advocacy app, describes his year-long quest to understand a series of symptoms that ultimately led to a diagnosis of light chain (AL) amyloidosis—a disease closely related to ...
Molecular Analysis Reveals Underlying Sex-Linked Multiple Myeloma Progression Patterns
Researchers have uncovered that sex-specific dysregulation of exosomal non-coding RNAs may drive different patterns of disease progression of multiple myeloma in male and female individuals, according to findings published in Blood Cancer Journal. “The same therapies are provided for men and women ...
Andrew Portuguese, MD, on Multiple Myeloma: Real-World Outcomes With Elranatamab
Andrew Portuguese, MD, of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, discusses findings from a multicenter analysis from the U.S. Multiple Myeloma Immunotherapy Consortium looking at the real-world safety and efficacy of the BCMA-CD3 bispecific antibody elranatamab (Abstract 136).
Experimental CAR T-Cell Therapy Shows High Efficacy and a Favorable Safety Profile in Multiple Myeloma
Updated findings from the phase II iMMagine-1 study show that anitocabtagene autoleucel (anito-cel), an investigational CAR T-cell therapy for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, continues to deliver high response rates with a reassuring safety profile. Researchers from The University of Texas ...
Alexander Lesokhin, MD: Can Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma Successfully Pause or Discontinue Elranatamab?
Alexander Lesokhin, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses results of a retrospective analysis from the phase II MagnetisMM-3 trial. A post hoc analysis was conducted of the subgroup of patients enrolled in the study who had a prolonged treatment interruption or who permanently discontinued elranatamab and maintained their responses for 6 months or longer (Abstract 2269).
Karthik Ramasamy, MBBS, FRCP, FRCPath, PhD, on Ultra–High-Risk Multiple Myeloma: RADAR Trial in Newly Diagnosed Transplant-Eligible Patients
Karthik Ramasamy, MBBS, FRCP, FRCPath, PhD, of the University of Oxford, discusses initial results of the phase II/III UK-based RADAR trial. The study evaluated isatuximab, bortezomib, lenalidomide, dexamethasone, and cyclophosphamide induction, followed by single autologous stem cell transplant, consolidation with isatuximab plus bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone, and isatuximab plus lenalidomide maintenance, in patients with double-hit multiple myeloma (Abstract 98).
Shahzad Raza, MD, on Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma: Novel Doublet in Patients With Extramedullary Disease
Shahzad Raza, MD, of Cleveland Clinic, presents updated phase II results of the RedirecTT-1 trial, focusing on the efficacy and safety of talquetamab combined with teclistamab in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma and extramedullary disease (Abstract 698). The study also received simultaneous publication in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Dory Abelman, PhD(c), HBHSc, on Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma: Ultradeep Whole-Genome Sequencing of cfDNA
Dory Abelman, PhD(c), HBHSc, of the University of Toronto, discusses findings that support the feasibility of ultradeep cell-free DNA whole-genome sequencing for comprehensive genomic profiling in patients with multiple myeloma, which may be a less invasive alternative to bone marrow biopsy (Abstract 495).
Benjamin Diamond, MD, on a Novel Quadruplet for Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma
Benjamin Diamond, MD, of the University of Miami, describes findings from the single-center phase II REKINDLE trial, which looked at the combination regimen of iberdomide, carfilzomib, daratumumab, and dexamethasone in patients with early relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (Abstract 251).
Krina Patel, MD, MSc, on Anitocabtagene Autoleucel for Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma
Krina Patel, MD, MSc, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, provides updated results from the fully enrolled, ongoing iMMagine-1 phase II registrational trial of anitocabtagene autoleucel, an autologous anti-BCMA CAR T-cell therapy with a novel D-domain binder. The agent is under development for patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (Abstract 256).
Jack Khouri, MD, on Multiple Myeloma: Burixafor and Propranolol With G-CSF Before Transplant
Jack Khouri, MD, of Cleveland Clinic, describes the findings of a phase II trial which investigated the safety and efficacy of burixafor (GPC-100), a potent and selective small -molecule antagonist of CXCR4, and propranolol with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for the mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) in patients with multiple myeloma. Researchers aimed to boost the bone marrow HPC niche and optimize mobilization in patients with multiple myeloma eligible for autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (Abstract 1050).
Patient Immune System Characteristics and Long-Term Remission From CAR T-Cell Therapy in Multiple Myeloma
Patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who achieve a long-lasting disease remission from chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy may differ from patients who relapse sooner based upon their immune system and how it responds to the infused CAR T cells, as well as how it...
FDA Approves Daratumumab and Hyaluronidase-fihj for High-Risk Smoldering Multiple Myeloma
On November 6, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj (Darzalex Faspro) for adults with high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma. Efficacy of daratumumab and hyaluronidase as monotherapy vs active monitoring was evaluated in AQUILA, an open-label,...
FDA Approves Belantamab Mafodotin for Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma
On October 23, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved belantamab mafodotin-blmf (Blenrep), a B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)–directed antibody and microtubule inhibitor conjugate, in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone for the treatment of adults with relapsed or...
Lisaftoclax Regimens Effective in Plasma Cell Disorders
Lisaftoclax, an investigational BCL2 inhibitor, in combination with pomalidomide/dexamethasone (Pd) or daratumumab/lenalidomide/dexamethasone (DRd) led to improved outcomes for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma and for patients with AL amyloidosis, according to findings from a...
EHA Publishes Guidelines for LBCL and Multiple Myeloma
The European Hematology Association (EHA) has published two new sets of clinical practice guidelines, including its first dedicated guidelines for large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL), which was published in HemaSphere, as well as an updated set of guidelines in collaboration with the European Myeloma...
Dexamethasone-Sparing Regimen for Frail Patients With Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma
In a French phase III trial (IFM2017-03) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Manier et al found that a dexamethasone-sparing regimen of daratumumab plus lenalidomide improved progression-free survival vs lenalidomide plus dexamethasone in patients with frailty and newly diagnosed multiple myeloma....
New Approvals for Thrombocytopenia, Lung Cancer, Brain Cancer, and Multiple Myeloma
BTK Inhibitor for Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenia: On September 2, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor rilzabrutinib (Wayrilz) tablets to treat adults with persistent or chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) who have had an...
The Implications of the Results From CARTITUDE-1 for Future Research and Care in Multiple Myeloma
The results from the CARTITUDE-1 study showed the remarkable efficacy of ciltacabtagene autoleucel, a B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, when used in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma after four or more prior lines of...
Do the Results From CARTITUDE-1 Represent a Cure for Patients With Multiple Myeloma? We Need Longer Follow-Up to Know for Sure
The results of the CARTITUDE-1 clinical trial demonstrate outstanding and unprecedented long-term efficacy with ciltacabtagene autoleucel, a B-cell maturation antigen–directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.1 (See the July 2025 issue of The ...
Rare Secondary Cancer After CAR T-Cell Therapy Successfully Treated, Case Report Shows
In a case presentation published in The New England Journal of Medicine, targeted treatment was successful for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-positive peripheral T-cell lymphoma developed after CAR T-cell therapy for multiple myeloma. Using advanced genomic, phenotypic, and functional profiling...
Smoldering Multiple Myeloma: How the Guidance Is Changing
Clinical trials have sought to determine the benefit of treating the precursors of multiple myeloma, but as the phenotypes and genomics of this entity are becoming better delineated, the wisdom of early intervention has remained confusing for clinicians. At the 2025 Debates and Didactics in...
Case 3: Optimal Sequencing of T-Cell–Redirected Therapies
This is Part 3 of Navigating the T-Cell Therapy Landscape in Multiple Myeloma, a three-part video roundtable series. Scroll down to watch the other videos from this roundtable. In this video, Drs. Kenneth Anderson, Ajai Chari, and Noopur Raje discuss the treatment of a patient with high-risk multiple myeloma that is progressing following maintenance therapy. The patient is a 65-year-old man with back pain, anemia, and lytic bone disease with 70% bone marrow plasma cells (deletion 17p and 1q amplification) His IgA kappa is 6.5 g/dL, and his kappa:lambda ratio is 800. He is treated with isatuximab, carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone, achieving a measurable residual disease (MRD)-negative complete response after eight cycles. He undergoes stem cell collection, but defers autologous stem cell transplant and receives carfilzomib plus lenalidomide maintenance for 2 years. Four years later, he has increasing MRD while in complete response. In the conversation that follows, the faculty discuss how increasing MRD informs treatment decisions, the clinical data supporting the use of the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy ciltacabtagene autoleucel, and considerations when sequencing CAR T-cell therapies and bispecific T-cell engagers.
Case 2: Role of T-Cell–Redirected Therapies in Elderly Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma
This is Part 2 of Navigating the T-Cell Therapy Landscape in Multiple Myeloma, a three-part video roundtable series. Scroll down to watch the other videos from this roundtable. In this video, Drs. Kenneth Anderson, Ajai Chari, and Noopur Raje discuss the treatment of a patient with relapsed multiple myeloma. The patient is an 80-year-old woman with hematocrit of 30, compression fractures in the thoracic and lumbar spine, and normal calcium and renal function. A bone marrow biopsy shows 80% plasma cells with hyperdiploidy; her IgA is 1,600 mg/dL, and the kappa:lambda ratio is 200. She receives RVD-lite, achieving a very good partial response. However, 2 years later, her IgA and kappa:lambda ratio are found to be increasing. In the conversation that follows, the faculty discuss the optimal salvage therapy for this patient, the role that chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies play at first relapse, and the impact of frailty status on choice of therapy.
Case 1: Role of ASCT in the Era of Quadruplet Induction and T-Cell–Redirected Therapies
This is Part 1 of Navigating the T-Cell Therapy Landscape in Multiple Myeloma, a three-part video roundtable series. Scroll down to watch the other videos from this roundtable. In this video, Drs. Kenneth Anderson, Ajai Chari, and Noopur Raje discuss the treatment of a patient with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. The patient is a 65-year-old man who presents with back pain. He is found to have IgG kappa 4.5 g/dL, kappa:lambda ratio of 250, and 70% bone marrow plasma cells with 1q amplification and t(4:14). His calcium and renal function are normal, but he is found to have diffuse bone disease. In the conversation that follows, the faculty discuss the many quadruplet induction therapies that may be an option for this patient, the role that measurable residual disease plays in determining the best course of therapy, whether autologous stem cell transplant is still necessary, and how they are incorporating CAR T-cell therapy and bispecific T-cell engagers into the initial management of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.
Novel Single-Cell Sequencing Blood Test for Multiple Myeloma
Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have developed a blood test that may alter the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple myeloma and its precursor conditions. The new method, known as SWIFT-seq, uses single-cell sequencing to profile circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood, offering a...
Evidence of Potential Cure With Single CAR T-Cell Infusion for Some Patients With Multiple Myeloma
In long-term results from the CARTITUDE-1 trial, investigators had found that the autologous cellular immunotherapy ciltacabtagene autoleucel was potentially curative for one-third of patients with heavily pretreated relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.1 These patients remained progression-free ...
DREAMM-7 Analysis Compares Survival Outcomes Between Triplet Regimens for Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma
In an analysis from the phase III DREAMM-7 trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Hungria et al compared survival outcomes with belantamab mafodotin, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (BVd) vs daratumumab, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (DVd) in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma...
Teclistamab for High-Risk, Heavily Pretreated Multiple Myeloma: Real-World Data
Teclistamab-cqyv is the first bispecific T-cell engager antibody that targets both B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) proteins on myeloma cells and CD3 proteins on T cells. It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2022 for treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple...
FDA Grants Accelerated Approval to Linvoseltamab-gcpt for Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma
On July 2, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to linvoseltamab-gcpt (Lynozyfic), a bispecific B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed CD3 T-cell engager, for adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least four prior lines of...
Novel Tri-Specific Antibody Shows Efficacy and Safety in Refractory Myeloma
According to the initial findings of an ongoing first-in-human phase I trial, reported at the European Hematology Association (EHA) 2025 Congress, promising results have been shown for a novel off-the-shelf tri-specific antibody in the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma highly refractory...
MRD-Guided Treatment in Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma
In a French-Belgian phase III trial (MIDAS) reported at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting and in The New England Journal of Medicine, Perrot et al examined the outcomes of treatments guided by measurable residual disease (MRD) status in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Study Details In...
Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel Delivers Lasting Remissions in Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma
New long-term follow-up data from the phase Ib/II CARTITUDE-1 study demonstrated that one-third of patients in the study with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma treated with the chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy ciltacabtagene autoleucel achieved progression-free survival of 5 years or...
Potential New Standard of Care Emerges in Multiple Myeloma
A new four-drug combination appears to be effective and safe in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, according to data from the ADVANCE clinical trial conducted by investigators at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Presented ...
Genomic Score May Predict Progression From Precursor Condition to Active Multiple Myeloma
Investigators have developed a genomic score, called multiple myeloma-like (MM-like), for predicting progression from multiple myeloma precursor conditions to active cancer, study results published in Nature Genetics showed. The researchers created a map of the genome of multiple myeloma and its...
Physical Function Acts as Predictor of Survival for Daratumumab-Based Therapy in Multiple Myeloma
Patients with multiple myeloma who had lower physical function scores at the time of treatment initiation demonstrated a greater benefit to daratumumab treatment than those with higher physical function scores, according to the results of a study published in the European Journal of Haematology....
Strategy for Managing Immunotherapy-Induced Parkinsonism in Patients With Multiple Myeloma
The JAK (Janus kinase) inhibitor ruxolitinib may prove to be an effective treatment of parkinsonism arising from immunotherapy for patients with multiple myeloma, according to the results of two case reports by Baldeep Wirk, MD, and Jin Lim, MD, PhD, both of Virginia Commonwealth University,...
NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: 2025 Updates
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) released its first set of Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) in 1996, covering eight tumor types. Today, guidelines are available for more than 60 tumor types, subtypes, and related topics. During the NCCN’s 30th Annual...
How Could So Many Physicians Have Failed Me?
The first sign that something was terribly wrong was in 2015, when I began to feel so fatigued that it was difficult to get out of bed even after 8 to 10 hours of sleep. I’ve been full of energy my whole life and couldn’t understand why I was so tired all the time. Then I began to experience...
Use of Ruxolitinib to Resolve Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel–Induced Parkinsonism in Patients With Multiple Myeloma
Ruxolitinib may prove to be an effective treatment of parkinsonism arising from ciltacabtagene autoleucel treatment for patients with multiple myeloma, according to the results of a case report published in the Journal of Hematology. The report featured two cases of patients with multiple myeloma...
Addition of Daratumumab to Treatment Regimen in Transplant-Ineligible, Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Mateos et al, the final results of the phase III ALCYONE trial showed persistent benefit with the addition of daratumumab to bortezomib, melphalan, and prednisone (D-VMP) in transplant-ineligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. The primary...
