Trials Evaluating Emerging Maintenance Therapy Regimens in Multiple Myeloma
Nina Shah, MD, discusses maintenance therapies in emerging clinical trials for multiple myeloma.
Nina Shah, MD: Clinical trials are the cornerstone for all of the progress that we’ve had in multiple myeloma, and I’m so thankful to all the investigators and particularly the patients and their families that have participated. Some of the trials I’m really excited about are the maintenance trials, including the SWOG DRAMMATIC trial [NCT04071457], which randomizes patients to get lenalidomide [Revlimid] versus daratumumab [Darzalex] plus lenalidomide with a very interesting subsequent pattern where if patients are MRD negative, they’re randomized to stop therapy or not depending on whichever arm they’re in. Then there’s the AURIGA trial [NCT03901963] that is also randomizing patients to lenalidomide versus daratumumab plus lenalidomide, and the primary end point there is increase or achievement of MRD negativity status at 1-year post treatment. That’s going to be important as far as trying to understand end points that are [achieved] earlier, but are very predictive and are also using combination maintenance therapy. Other trials that are critical are the immunotherapy trials that are combining things like, for example teclistamab and talquetamab [JNJ-64407564] or having these things in the earlier lines of treatment. Patients can do better with these effective therapies if they get them earlier and not in the late line when they have exhausted immune systems.
