Abecma significantly extends survival among patients with advanced multiple myeloma
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Idecabtagene vicleucel extended PFS compared with standard regimens for adults with advanced multiple myeloma, according to topline data released by the agent’s manufacturer.
Idecabtagene vicleucel (Abecma; Bristol Myers Squibb, 2seventy bio) — also known as ide-cel — is a B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy.
The FDA approved the agent in March 2021 for adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who received at least four previous lines of therapy, including an immunomodulatory agent, a proteasome inhibitor and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody.
The randomized phase 3 KarMMa-3 trial included patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who received two to four prior lines of treatment.
Patients received ide-cel or standard regimens, which consisted of combinations of agents such as daratumumab (Darzalex, Janssen), pomalidomide (Pomalyst, Bristol Myers Squibb), dexamethasone, bortezomib (Velcade, Millennium/Takeda), ixazomib (Ninlaro, Takeda), lenalidomide (Revlimid, Bristol Myers Squibb), carfilzomib (Kyprolis, Amgen) or elotuzumab (Empliciti, Bristol Myers Squibb).
Analysis by independent review committee showed a single dose of ide-cel significantly extended PFS compared with standard regimens. In addition, researchers reported a higher overall response rate among patients treated with ide-cel.
Follow-up for OS — a key secondary study endpoint — is ongoing.
Researchers reported no new safety signals with ide-cel.
Complete results from the KarMMa-3 trial will be submitted for presentation at a medical conference.
“These results help to advance our efforts to make Abecma available for earlier lines of treatment for patients, and we look forward to discussing these results with regulatory authorities,” Steve Bernstein, MD, chief medical officer with 2seventy bio, said in the release. “[These] results are another important proof point for the transformative potential of autologous cell therapy and underscore the importance of continuing to study Abecma in earlier treatment settings for multiple myeloma.”