Dr Berdeja on Ongoing and Planned Research Initiatives in Patients With Multiple Myeloma

Jesus Berdeja, MD, director, Multiple Myeloma Research, Tennessee Oncology, discusses ongoing and planned research initiatives in patients with multiple myeloma, specifically highlighting initiatives taking place at Tennessee Oncology.

Investigators are currently engaged in a multitude of research endeavors in the field of multiple myeloma, Berdeja begins. One aspect of research has been the development of BCMA-directed therapies. However, within the multifaceted multiple myeloma treatment paradigm, other potential therapeutic targets have emerged. For instance, GPRC5D is a salient target, and efforts directed at this target have yielded remarkable progress, Berdeja states. An exemplar of this progress is the FDA approval of the bispecific antibody talquetamab for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, he emphasizes. Unlike its counterparts designed to target BCMA, talquetamab is tailored to combat GPRC5D and CD3, offering a unique avenue of treatment.

Furthermore, investigators are actively developing CAR T-cell therapies aimed at GPRC5D. This approach holds promise for patients who have previously undergone treatments targeting BCMA and GPRC5D, including CAR T-cell therapies and bispecific antibodies, he expands. Notably, interim results from these endeavors have showcased promising treatment outcomes, Berdeja states. It is hoped that CAR T-cell therapy will complement the existing armamentarium of treatments available for patients with multiple myeloma.

In addition to GPRC5D-focused efforts, other bispecific antibodies that target FcRH5, another protein, are being explored. Moreover, ongoing trials investigating combinations of bispecific antibodies and other anti-myeloma therapies, such as anti-CD38 antibodies and cereblonmodifiers, may enhance treatment responses and the durations of these responses, Berdeja explains.

Furthermore, research projects that investigate the synergistic potential of combinations of bispecific antibodies in patients with multiple myeloma with extramedullary disease, a population with a high level of unmet need, are also of interest, Berdeja emphasizes. In summary, many multiple myeloma treatment possibilities are being explored, encompassing both the optimization of existing therapies through strategic combinations and the exploration of treatments not yet commercially available, he concludes.