Bispecific Monoclonal Antibodies in Multiple Myeloma: Data from ASH 2022: A Podcast

The introduction of novel immunotherapies has transformed the treatment landscape in multiple myeloma (MM). The addition of these agents has significantly improved patient outcomes; however, MM remains largely incurable, with heavily pretreated patients suffering from shorter survival times. To address this unmet need, the focus has shifted toward novel mode of action therapies, such as bispecific antibodies (BsAb), which simultaneously bind to immune effector cells and myeloma cells. Currently, there are several T cell-redirecting BsAb being developed that target BCMA, GPRC5D, and FcRH5. These BsAb show impressive clinical activity for the relapsed/refractory population targeted and will likely become an essential part of MM treatment protocols in the future. In this podcast, the authors summarize and highlight some of the T cell-redirecting BsAb currently in development for the treatment of relapsed/ refractory MM with a focus on the data reported at the oral session for BsAb at the American Society of Hematology's 2022 meeting from clinical phase 1 and 2 studies. The six presentations reported the latest safety and efficacy data for the BsAb: talquetamab, elranatamab, teclistamab, forimtamig, and alnuctamab. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY Multiple myeloma is a type of bone marrow cancer. It affects a type of white blood cell known as a plasma cell. Although multiple myeloma cannot be cured with current therapies, it can often be controlled with treatment. In some people with multiple myeloma, the treatment does not work at all, or it works at first but the cancer comes back. This is known as refractory or relapsed multiple myeloma. New types of treatment are needed for these people. Researchers are studying a type of antibody made in a laboratory called a bispecific antibody. They are a new type of treatment for multiple myeloma that work in a different way to existing treatments. This means they may help people who earlier treatments did not work well for. Bispecific antibodies use the body's immune system to kill cancer cells. They work by attaching to two different types of proteins:one found on plasma cells, and another on a type of white blood cell called a T cell. At the American Society of Hematology's 2022 meeting, researchers presented results from clinical trials studying five different bispecific antibodies: talquetamab, elranatamab, teclistamab, forimtamig, and alnuctamab. In this podcast, two healthcare professionals summarize the most common side effects people had while taking these new medicines, and how manageable they were. They also discuss how effective these bispecific antibodies were at treating refractory or relapsed multiple myeloma.