AQUILA Trial Findings in Smoldering Multiple Myeloma

In this segment, Dr. Sagar Lonial asks Dr. Saad Usmani to discuss the clinical implications of the AQUILA trial, which evaluated daratumumab monotherapy compared with active monitoring in patients with high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma. Dr. Usmani reviews the key findings from the study, noting that treatment with daratumumab demonstrated a significant improvement in progression-free survival compared with observation alone. He explains that these results have generated considerable interest because they suggest that early intervention may delay the development of symptomatic multiple myeloma in selected patients. At the same time, Dr. Usmani emphasizes that clinicians must interpret these findings carefully in the context of long-term disease management. Considerations such as treatment duration, long-term safety, and the potential impact on future therapy sequencing remain important areas of discussion. The panel highlights that the AQUILA trial contributes important data to the evolving conversation about treatment strategies in smoldering multiple myeloma.