Dr. Hansen on the PFS Benefit With Ide-Cel in Relapsed/Refractory MM

Doris Hansen, MD, assistant member, Moffitt Cancer Center department of blood and marrow transplant and cellular immunotherapy, discusses the progression-free survival (PFS) benefit yielded by idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel; Abecma) on the phase 2 KarMMa trial (NCT03361748) in patients with pretreated relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

The phase 2 KarMMa trial (NCT03361748) demonstrated an overall response rate of 73% in all patients treated with ide-cel and the median PFS was 8.6 months in patients with R/R MM.

The study examined the safety and efficacy of ide-cel in this patient population and was pivotal because it provided a new novel therapy to those who otherwise have limited options, according to Hansen. Patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma often have a median PFS of 2 to 3 months, according to Hansen. However, patients who receive a BCMA-targeted CAR T-cell therapy experience improved outcomes, Hansen continues.

For example, results from the KarMMa study showed that patients who achieved a deep response with ide-cel, or a complete remission or better, had a median PFS of approximately 22 months, and a duration of response of 21 months. These results held up with a longer follow-up, Hansen concludes.