Dr. Chari on Investigational Belantamab Mafodotin Combos in Myeloma

Ajai Chari, MD, a professor of medicine, a hematologist, and an oncologist at Mount Sinai Hospital, discusses next steps with belantamab mafodotin-blmf (Blenrep) and combination studies in multiple myeloma.

Belantamab mafodotin was approved by the FDA based on data from the phase 2 DREAMM-2 trial which were recently published in Lancet Oncology, says Chari. A total of 196 patients were included in the intention-to-treat population and of those patients, 97 were in the 2.5-mg/kg cohort and 99 were in the 3.4-mg/kg cohort. The overall response rate was 31% and 34% for each respective dose. The median progression-free survival was 2.9 months. While these are encouraging data the field of myeloma would like to do better, says Chari.

The objective of those initial studies was to demonstrate that the antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) has single agent activity, although the optimal method for treating patients with advanced myeloma is through the use of combination therapies. To this end, ongoing studies are examining the addition of belantamab mafodotin to lenalidomide (Revlimid), bortezomib (Velcade), and dexamethasone or with novel compounds, such as checkpoint inhibitors. A randomized study is examining the use of the ADC with pomalidomide (Pomalyst) and dexamethasone. Those are just some of the efforts being made to try and advance this agent and move it into a combination setting, concludes Chari.