Dr. Mateos on the Significance of the CANOVA Trial in R/R t(11;14) Myeloma

María-Victoria Mateos, MD, PhD, an associate professor of medicine and director of the Myeloma unit at the University of Salamanca in Spain, discusses the significance of the ongoing phase 3 CANOVA trial,which is examining venetoclax (Venclexta) in patients with relapsed/refractory t(11;14) multiple myeloma.

In the multicenter, open-label CANOVA study, patients with relapsed/refractory, t(11;14)–positive multiple myeloma were randomized to receive either venetoclax plus dexamethasone or pomalidomide (Pomalyst) plus dexamethasone. t(11;14) in multiple myeloma is a cytogenetic abnormality, usually present in approximately 15% to 20% of patients, says Mateos. 

Venetoclax is the first targeted therapy being used to treat patients with multiple myeloma, explains Mateos. This is important because if all patients with t(11;14) in this study are shown to be candidates to receive venetoclax, then all patients with the translocation can receive this drug, concludes Mateos.