Improving Access to CAR T-Cell Therapies: Thomas G. Martin, MD

“There are estimates that a small number, less than 20%, of patients who are currently CAR T-cell eligible in myeloma actually have access. It's really the minority of people that have access, so just having another therapy on the market will really bridge the gap of some of these access deficiencies.”

Data from the phase 1/2 CARTITUDE-1 study (NCT03548207) demonstrated ciltacabtagene autoleucel’s (cilta-cel) continued ability to produce deep and durable responses in heavily-pretreated patients with multiple myeloma.^1,2

Thomas G. Martin, MD, clinical professor of medicine, Adult Leukemia and Bone Marrow Transplantation Program, and associate director, Myeloma Program, University of California San Francisco, and co-leader, Cancer Immunology & Immunotherapy Program, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, presented these data at the 63rd Annual American Society of Hematology (ASH) Meeting, December 11-14, 2021.

Data on cilta-cel from the CARTITUDE-2 study (NCT04133636) as an earlier line of therapy in patients with only 1 to 3 prior lines of therapy were also presented at ASH 2021. Investigators found that progression-free survival (PFS) at 6 months was 90% (95% CI, 65.6–97.4).

CGTLive spoke with Martin to learn more about cilta-cel and the current landscape of CAR T-cell therapies. He discussed access issues with CAR T-cell therapies and how adding new therapies to the treatment landscape may improve these issues.

(Editor’s note: cilta-cel was approved for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma following 4 or more prior lines of therapy on February 28, 2022.)

REFERENCES

1. New data from CARTITUDE-1 Study show continued deep and durable responses of ciltacabtageneautoleucel (cilta-cel) in treatment of heavily pretreated patients with multiple myeloma. News release. Janssen. December 12, 2021. https://www.janssen.com/new-data-cartitude-1-study-show-continued-deep-and-durable-responses-ciltacabtagene-autoleucel-cilta
2. Martin T, Usmani SZ, Berdeja JG, et al. Updated results from CARTITUDE-1: Phase 1b/2 study of CiltacabtageneAutoleucel, a B-cell maturation antigen–Directed chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy, in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Presented at: 63rd Annual ASH Meeting; December 11-14, 2021, Atlanta, GA. Abstract 549.
3. Cohen YC, Cohen DA, Delforge M, et al. Efficacy and safety of ciltacabtageneautoleucel (cilta-cel), a B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)–directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, in lenalidomide-refractory patients with progressive multiple myeloma after 1–3 prior lines of therapy: Updated results from CARTITUDE-2. Presented at: 63rd Annual ASH Meeting; December 11-14, 2021, Atlanta, GA. Abstract 3866.