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 promise of bispecific antibodies in patients with multiple myeloma.

Bispecific antibodies are beginning to emerge as an effective treatment option for patients with multiple myeloma, according to Schmidt. These agents are capable of controlling disease and eliciting impressive response rates, Schmidt adds. 

Several bispecific agents are available to choose from, although it is still not clear as which agent will emerge as the best option for this patient population, Schmidt says. More patients need to enroll on clinical trials to better understand how the use of bispecifics can be optimized, both as single agents and in combination with other BCMA-directed therapies, Schmidt concludes.

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Timothy M. Schmidt, MD, discusses the promise of bispecific antibodies in patients with multiple myeloma.

Dr. Schmidt on the Promise of Bispecific Antibodies in 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.

Timothy M. Schmidt, MD, discusses the safety and efficacy of teclistamab in patients with multiple myeloma.


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 clinical implications of AMG 420 in multiple myeloma. 

AMG 420 demonstrated proof of concept for using bispecific antibodies in multiple myeloma, says Schmidt. The agent showed remarkable responses with a significant depth and durability of response. 

However, because of the design of the drug’s linker, AMG 420 has a short half-life and is metabolized quickly by the patient, Schmidt says. As such, treatment with the agent requires continuous infusion via a pump. Although feasible, this method of administration is not convenient for patients or providers, Schmidt explains. Novel bispecific antibodies being developed may be able to overcome this limitation, concludes Schmidt.

Timothy M. Schmidt, MD, discusses the clinical implications of AMG 420 in multiple myeloma.  



Dr. Schmidt on the Clinical Implications of AMG 420 in Multiple Myeloma 

Timothy M. Schmidt, MD, an assistant professor of the Department of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, discusses the utilization of bispecific antibodies in myeloma.

Bispecific antibodies are a promising off-the-shelf treatment option that have been developed to engage the immune system in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma or other hematologic malignancies, according to Schmidt. Similar to CAR T-cell therapies, bispecific products activate T cells and bring them in close proximity of cancer cells; this allows the agent to recognize when cells are abnormal and induce cell death, concludes Schmidt.

Timothy M. Schmidt, MD, discusses the utilization of bispecific antibodies in myeloma.

Timothy M. Schmidt, MD

Articles

Dr. Schmidt on the Promise of Bispecific Antibodies in Myeloma

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

Dr. Schmidt on the Clinical Implications of AMG 420 in Multiple Myeloma

Dr. Schmidt on the Utilization of Bispecific Antibodies in Myeloma