Next Steps With CAR T-Cell Therapy in Multiple Myeloma: Omar Castaneda Puglianini, MD

This content originally appeared on our sister site, OncLive.

OncLive spoke with Omar Castaneda Puglianini, MD, hematologist and medical oncologist, Moffitt Cancer Center, to learn more about next steps with CAR T-cell therapy in penta-refractory multiple myeloma.

Idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel; Abecma) and ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel), the former FDA-approved and the latter an investigational CAR T-cell therapy, have both demonstrated efficacy in heavily pretreated multiple myeloma.

Puglianini discussed the importance of improving upon the duration of response (DOR) observed with these regimens. Moreover, novel strategies are being examined, as is the role of maintenance therapy patients who progress on CAR T-cell therapy in terms of prolonging DOR, Castaneda Puglianini notes.

Also, developments are being made regarding how to sequence therapies, such as bispecific antibodies or antibody-drug conjugates targeting antigens beyond BCMA, in the post–CAR T-cell therapy space, Castaneda Puglianini continues. These are all areas in need of further examination to improve patient responses, especially in individuals with penta-refractory or triple-class refractory disease who currently have poor overall survival, Castaneda Puglianini concludes.