Effects of ide-cel on older adults with MM
Kalariya N, Hildebrandt MAT, Hansen DK, et al. Clinical Outcomes After Idecabtagene Vicleucel in Older Multiple Myeloma Patients: A Multicenter Real-World Experience. Blood Advances. 2024; (doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2024013540).
A retrospective study concluded that idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel) works as safely and effectively in older patients with multiple myeloma (MM) as in younger adults, despite a greater presence of frailty and geriatric traits. The finding is based on data from 156 ide-cel recipients with MM, 75 of whom were ≥65 years. Although patients in the older cohort were more likely to have polypharmacy, four or more comorbidities, organ dysfunction, neuropathy, and falls, they exhibited strong clinical responses to the chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. At a median 14.2-month follow-up, the best overall response rate (ORR) among the older patients was 86.7% — comparable to an ORR of 73% in the pivotal KarMMa trial. Median rates of progression-free survival and overall survival were measured at a respective 9.1 months and 26.5 months in the older patients. Additionally, just 1% and 4% of older patients, respectively, developed grade 3 or higher cytokine release syndrome and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome.