Dr. Vesole on the Advantages of CAR T-Cell Therapy in Multiple Myeloma

David H. Vesole, MD, PhD, director of the Myeloma Program at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, professor of medicine at Georgetown University, co-director of the Myeloma Division and director of Myeloma Research at John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center, discusses the advantages of CAR T-cell therapy in multiple myeloma.

CAR T-cell therapy has generated a lot of excitement in multiple myeloma, says Vesole.

Unlike other therapies, such as belantamab mafodotin-blmf (Blenrep), which is an antibody-drug conjugate that must be used in combination with other agents to optimize efficacy, CAR T-cell therapy alone has a response rate of 75% to 100%.

Additionally, a majority of BCMA-directed therapies are given indefinitely, whereas CAR T-cell therapy is a one-and-done approach. For example, patients receive CAR T cells on day 1 of treatment and may not need additional therapy for 1 or 2 years thereafter.

Ultimately, this will lead to improved quality of life for patients, Vesole concludes.