Dr. Schmidt on the Safety and Efficacy of Teclistamab in Multiple Myeloma

Timothy M. Schmidt, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, discusses the safety and efficacy of teclistamab (JNJ-64007957) in patients with multiple myeloma.

In a phase 1 study (NCT03145181), teclistamab, a BCMA- and CD3-targeted bispecific antibody, demonstrated superior efficacy compared with initial studies of currently-approved drugs in the multiple myeloma arsenal, Schmidt says. The overall response rate observed with the agent was 67%, with a very good partial response rate of 50%, adds Schmidt. Moreover, many of the responses achieved with teclistamab lasted for 6 months or longer.

Regarding the safety profile for this agent, cytokine release syndrome (CRS) was observed in some patients, although this proved to be similar to what has been observed with other bispecific antibodies in other hematologic malignancies and CAR T-cell therapies, which have a similar mechanism of action, Schmidt explains. Importantly, the incidence of CRS proved to be low and primarily grade 1 or 2 in severity. Notably, no grade 3 CRS events were reported, which suggests that this agent could serve as a more feasible treatment option for a broader patient population, Schmidt concludes.