Dr. Anderson on Updated KarMMa Data With Ide-Cel in Multiple Myeloma

Larry Anderson, MD, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine of the Division of Hematology/Oncology, at Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center of UT Southwestern Medical Center, discusses outcomes with idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel, Abecma) in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, as demonstrated in the phase 2 KarMMa trial (NCT03361748).

The updated results from the study, presented at the 2021 International Myeloma Workshop, showed that ide-cel yielded a median overall survival (OS) of 24.8 months in heavily pretreated patients with triple-class exposed relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, according to Anderson. Overall survival was similar for those who had received 3 or more prior lines of therapy, Anderson explains. Additionally, the median OS was more than 20 months for patients with extramedullary and triple-class refractory disease.

The CAR T-cell therapy elicited an overall response rate (ORR) of 73% and resulted in a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 8.6 months, Anderson explains. Notably, in the subset of patients who received the highest dose of CAR T cells, the ORR was even higher, at 81%, with a complete response (CR)rate of 39%. In this subset, the median PFS was 12.2 months, Anderson says.

Notably, responses to ide-cel were durable, with a median duration of response of 10.9 months among all treated patients. The durability increased with depth of response, to 21.5 months of remission for those who achieved a CR and 41% of these patients were still in remission 2 years later, Anderson concludes.