Multiple Myeloma

Abstracts presented at ASH 2025 explore CAR T-cell therapy's effectiveness in newly authorized treatment centers, revealing promising outcomes for multiple myeloma patients and the prospect of expanded access.

These are the most popular multiple myeloma articles from 2025.

Highlights from EHA 2025 included use of bispecific antibodies in more settings and novel approaches for improving outcomes in hard-to-treat patients.

Advances in radiopharmaceuticals, precision medicine, and the importance of diversity in clinical trials for multiple myeloma and cancer care were among the most popular articles with readers in 2025.

AMCP Nexus 2025 explored innovative health care policies, oncology advancements, and the impact of new regulations on patient access and treatment outcomes.

A study reveals a U-shaped relationship between BMI and CAR T-cell therapy outcomes in multiple myeloma (MM), highlighting the impact of overweight status on efficacy.

The FDA approved daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj (Darzalex Faspro), offering a new treatment for high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma.

Marcus Flores, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, discusses the vital role of pharmacists in multidisciplinary cancer care, exploring collaboration, patient-centered strategies, and AI.

Venetoclax plus bortezomib and dexamethasone improved PFS in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, especially in patients with BCL2high disease.

Teclistamab shows promising real-world effectiveness and safety in older adults with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM), matching clinical trial outcomes.

Cilta-cel demonstrates superior efficacy and durability in treating high-risk myeloma, balancing effectiveness with safety concerns for patients.

Matias Sanchez, MD, a hematologist-oncologist at University of Illinois Health, discussed the latest advancements in value-based multiple myeloma care, including minimal residual disease strategies and innovative targeted therapies.

Despite reduced immune responses, immunization lowers infection rates and remains central to supportive care in patients with multiple myeloma.

Matias Sanchez, MD, a hematologist-oncologist at University of Illinois Health, discussed strategies to deliver cutting-edge multiple myeloma care while mitigating costs.

Investigators believe the SWIFT-seq system holds potential to replace more invasive bone marrow biopsies.

Emerging data suggest that isatuximab‐KRd and daratumumab‐KRd produce superior depth of response compared with KRd alone, with sustained MRD negativity and encouraging progression‐free survival in NDMM.

Emilie Aschenbrenner, PharmD, BCOP, outlines how Froedtert Health and the Medical College of Wisconsin use outpatient-based care models, standardized protocols, and collaborative partnerships to improve cost-effectiveness, accessibility, and patient experience.

Past efforts to collect data and to understand the relationship between minimal residual disease and outcomes will help researchers in multiple myeloma develop a new generation of targeted therapies, decide when treatment can be stopped, and possibly screen populations for the disease.

Emilie Aschenbrenner, PharmD, BCOP, highlights how measurable residual disease (MRD) testing can support value-based care in multiple myeloma by guiding personalized treatment intensity, potentially reducing costs and improving outcomes.

Emilie Aschenbrenner, PharmD, BCOP, discusses how integrating CD38-targeted therapies into first-line treatment for transplant-ineligible multiple myeloma requires balancing clinical benefit, cost, and insurance coverage.

Continuing his interview about these results, CEPHEUS lead investigator Saad Z. Usmani, MD, MBA, FACP, FASCO, highlights the minimal residual disease negativity findings.

Early identification of multiple myeloma could help clinicians intervene more swiftly.

International Myeloma Foundation Chief Medical Office Joseph Mikhael, MD, shares how the M-Power initiative is addressing disparities through community engagement, education, and improved clinical trial access.

Panelists discuss how upcoming ASCO presentations will focus on long-term CAR T-cell therapy outcomes showing potential cure plateaus, minimal residual disease (MRD)–guided treatment escalation/de-escalation strategies, tri-specific antibodies, and the economic value of using MRD negativity to guide maintenance therapy discontinuation decisions.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and bispecific antibodies are transforming multiple myeloma care, with earlier use, expanded community access, and outpatient delivery models offering opportunities to improve value, safety, and equity in treatment.

Cilta-cel’s mechanism of action allows it to penetrate challenging areas of multiple myeloma, providing deep and durable responses even in high-risk patients, explains Surbhi Sidana, MD, MBBS, Stanford University. Still, safety trade-offs should always be a consideration, she adds.

Patients with extramedullary disease had inferior progression-free survival.

Panelists discuss how recent updates from the phase 3 IsKia trial demonstrate that isatuximab combined with carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone improves minimal residual disease negativity rates by approximately 10% at both the 10–5 and 10–6 levels, particularly benefiting high-risk patients.

Panelists discuss how the PERSEUS trial’s subgroup analysis reinforced that sustained minimal residual disease negativity predicts better long-term outcomes and demonstrated the potential for treatment de-escalation at the 2-year mark, while other trials like Advance showed dramatic increases in MRD negativity rates with quadruplet therapy.

Following the FDA approval of linvoseltamab (Lynozyfic; Regeneron) for heavily pretreated multiple myeloma, Sundar Jagannath, MBBS, highlights its potential for earlier use, increased accessibility, and greater competition in the B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) bispecific antibody space.