Dr. Lonial on the Results of the DREAMM-2 Trial in Multiple Myeloma

Sagar Lonial, MD, FACP, professor and chair, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, chief medical officer, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, discusses the results of the phase 2 DREAMM-2 trial in multiple myeloma.

In the ongoing DREAMM-2 trial (NCT03525678), patients who have received at least 3 prior lines of therapy and are refractory to an immunomodulatory agent, a proteasome inhibitor, and are refractory or intolerant to a CD38-directed monoclonal antibody received single-agent belantamab mafodotin at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg or 3.4 mg/kg. Patients were heavily pretreated, having received at least 5 prior lines of therapy in both arms, says Lonial. The primary end point of the study was overall response rate (ORR).

The ORR was approximately 32% in the 2.5 mg/kg group and 35% in the 3.4 mg/kg group. The progression-free survival was 2.8 months and 3.9 months in the 2.5 mg/kg and 3.4 mg/kg groups, respectively. Notably, the duration of response (DOR) was 11 months in the 2.5 mg/kg group and 6.2 months in the 3.4 mg/kg group. The DOR can be understood as an amalgamation of response rate and tolerability, says Lonial. As such, the results suggest that the lower dose of 2.5 mg/kg is better tolerated and more effective, concludes Lonial.