Dr. Pecora on the Significant Results of CTLA-4 and PD-1 Combination in Multiple Myeloma

Andrew L. Pecora, MD, president of the Physician Services Division and chief innovation officer at Hackensack Meridian Health, discusses the results of a trial investigating the combination of CTLA-4 and PD-1 inhibitors for patients with multiple myeloma.

In this phase Ib/IIa trial, patients were grouped into 6 cohorts with various hematologic malignancies. The results focus on the transplant-naïve high-risk patients with multiple myeloma. All patients received ipilimumab (Yervoy) and nivolumab (Opdivo). There are no previous data on the combination of CTLA-4 and PD-1 inhibitors after an autologous stem cell transplant.

This combination had the ability to suppress T-regulatory cells, explains Pecora. The earliest signal that has been seen is higher than expected, showing complete response rates and durable responses in certain cohorts. All indicators demonstrate that the combination is safe.