A novel immune-based therapy has shown encouraging early results in eliminating residual traces of multiple myeloma, a life-threatening blood cancer. Thus, raising the prospect of a future where some patients may be able to avoid bone marrow transplantation (BMT) altogether.
Interim findings from an ongoing clinical trial, presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting in Orlando, indicate that the investigational bispecific antibody linvoseltamab was able to achieve deep responses in all 18 participants enrolled so far. The patients received up to six cycles of the therapy. According to researchers, highly sensitive assessments detected no measurable disease in any of them at this stage.
Multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells, remains incurable despite significant advances in therapy. Standard treatment for eligible patients continues to involve high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem-cell transplantation, a process that is both physically demanding and associated with substantial short- and long-term risks.
Myeloma in India is a relatively rare but significant blood cancer, with incidence rates around 0.7-1.2 per 100,000 people. It is slightly more common in men, often diagnosed in older adults (50s-60s). Managing the disease involves overcoming constraints like varied infrastructure, cost, and ensuring access to novel agents and transplants
The latest results, therefore, have generated considerable interest within the oncology community.
“These patients received modern and effective up-front treatment that eliminated nearly 90 per cent of their tumour burden,” said Dickran Kazandjian, the study’s lead investigator from the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine. “Under usual circumstances, patients like these would be taken for intensive chemotherapy and transplant. Instead, we administered linvoseltamab.”
Linvoseltamab is designed to simultaneously bind to CD3, a protein on T-cells responsible for targeting malignant cells, and BCMA, a marker abundant on myeloma cells. By drawing both cells into close proximity, the drug effectively amplifies the body’s immune response, enabling T-cells to identify and destroy cancerous plasma cells more efficiently.
Researchers described the initial outcomes as “extremely impressive”, noting that the disappearance of persistent myeloma cells—often the seeds of relapse—signals potential for improved long-term disease control. While the threat of recurrence remains inherent in myeloma care, the findings raise the possibility of achieving what clinicians call a “functional cure”, where the disease is kept at bay for extended periods.
The safety profile of the therapy has so far been manageable. A small number of patients reported adverse events such as neutropenia and mild upper-respiratory infections. According to Dr. Kazandjian, these side effects were expected and remained within acceptable limits for a therapy of this class.
Although the data remain preliminary and longer follow-up is required, specialists believe linvoseltamab could, in time, offer a less toxic alternative to bone marrow transplantation, reducing treatment burden and expanding options for patients who may not tolerate aggressive regimens.
