Dr. Baz on the Utility of Venetoclax in Heavily Pretreated Multiple Myeloma

Rachid Baz, MD, hematologist and medical oncologist, myeloma section head in the Department of Malignant Hematology at Moffitt Cancer Center, director of clinical research in the Malignant Hematology Department, discusses the utility of venetoclax (Venclexta) in patients with heavily pretreated multiple myeloma.

Venetoclax is often utilized in those with t(11;14) disease, which accounts for approximately 15% of all patients with multiple myeloma, according to Baz. Additionally, venetoclax is starting to be utilized in earlier treatment settings for this patient population, given the immense benefit that has been observed, Baz says. 

Data presented on the use of venetoclax plus daratumumab (Darzalex) earlier on in the disease showed that the doublet resulted in response rates that were over 90%. Moreover, many patients achieved minimal residual disease negativity, Baz adds. If a patient with t(11;14) disease has a late relapse, venetoclax would be recommended, as long as they had not been previously treated with the drug, Baz explains. However, many patients in the United States may have already received venetoclax and are unlikely to have gotten to the third-or fourth line of treatment without having received the agent, Baz concludes.