Preliminary results from a clinical trial called IKEMA point to a promising new combination treatment for multiple myeloma patients who’ve had their first relapse. The study demonstrates an increase in progression-free survival for the group given a new, triple-drug therapy versus a double therapy already in use.
In the phase III study, patients with relapsed refractory multiple myeloma who had undergone one to three prior lines of therapy were randomized to receive either a combination of two drugs—Kyprolis and dexamethasone (called Kd), already used as a treatment—or a new combination of three drugs in which a new medication—isatuximab (brand name Sarclisa)—was added to the Kd regimen. The new combination is called Isa-Kd.
An analysis of the results shows that the median progression to survival for the control group was around 19 months, while the Isa-Kd group hadn’t reached their median survival yet, meaning that they’re continuing to do well past 19 months.
“This drug, isatuximab, was approved in March 2020 for patients who have received at least two prior therapies, but now doctors may have the opportunity to prescribe it after one prior line of therapy,” says Dr. Nina Shah, a hematologist-oncologist at the University of California, San Francisco.
Isatuximab is a monoclonal antibody that binds to a specific part of the antigen on multiple myeloma cells. The drug works against the disease in several ways, including stopping the growth of tumor cells and programming their death.
The complete study results haven’t been published yet, but once they are it’s almost certain that Sanofi, the drug’s manufacturer, will approach the FDA for approval to use isatuximab as part of the Isa-Kd triple therapy for patients who’ve had at least one relapse.
“This is something people can ask their doctors about, particularly if they’re having their first relapse,” says Dr. Shah.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
Preliminary results from a clinical trial called IKEMA point to a promising new combination treatment for multiple myeloma patients who’ve had their first relapse. The study demonstrates an increase in progression-free survival for the group given a new, triple-drug therapy versus a double therapy already in use.
In the phase III study, patients with relapsed refractory multiple myeloma who had undergone one to three prior lines of therapy were randomized to receive either a combination of two drugs—Kyprolis and dexamethasone (called Kd), already used as a treatment—or a new combination of three drugs in which a new medication—isatuximab (brand name Sarclisa)—was added to the Kd regimen. The new combination is called Isa-Kd.
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An analysis of the results shows that the median progression to survival for the control group was around 19 months, while the Isa-Kd group hadn’t reached their median survival yet, meaning that they’re continuing to do well past 19 months.
“This drug, isatuximab, was approved in March 2020 for patients who have received at least two prior therapies, but now doctors may have the opportunity to prescribe it after one prior line of therapy,” says Dr. Nina Shah, a hematologist-oncologist at the University of California, San Francisco.
Isatuximab is a monoclonal antibody that binds to a specific part of the antigen on multiple myeloma cells. The drug works against the disease in several ways, including stopping the growth of tumor cells and programming their death.
The complete study results haven’t been published yet, but once they are it’s almost certain that Sanofi, the drug’s manufacturer, will approach the FDA for approval to use isatuximab as part of the Isa-Kd triple therapy for patients who’ve had at least one relapse.
“This is something people can ask their doctors about, particularly if they’re having their first relapse,” says Dr. Shah.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
