Minimally Invasive Assessment of Peripheral Residual Disease During Maintenance or Observation in Transplant-Eligible Patients With Multiple Myeloma.

Clinical trials frequently include multiple end points that mature at different times. The initial report, typically based on the primary end point, may be published when key planned co-primary or secondary analyses are not yet available. Clinical Trial Updates provide an opportunity to disseminate additional results from studies, published in JCO or elsewhere, for which the primary end point has already been reported.In multiple myeloma (MM), measurable residual disease (MRD) is assessed in bone marrow (BM). However, less invasive evaluation of peripheral residual disease (PRD) in blood could be advantageous and less cumbersome. We investigated the prognostic value of PRD monitoring after 24 cycles of maintenance in 138 transplant-eligible patients with MM enrolled in the GEM2012MENOS65/GEM2014MAIN clinical trials. PRD was assessed using next-generation flow (NGF) and mass spectrometry (MS). Positive PRD by NGF in 16/138 (11.5%) patients was associated with a 13-fold increased risk of progression and/or death; median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 2.5 and 47 months, respectively. Considering patients' MRD status in BM as the reference, PRD detection using NGF showed positive and negative predictive values of 100% and 73%, respectively. Presence of PRD helped identifying patients at risk of imminent progression among those with positive MRD in BM. Patients with undetectable PRD according to both NGF and MS showed 2-year PFS and OS rates of 97% and 100%, respectively. In multivariate analyses including the Revised International Staging System and the complete remission status, only MRD in BM and PRD by NGF showed independent prognostic value for PFS. This study supports the use of less invasive PRD monitoring during maintenance or observation in transplant-eligible patients with MM.

A plain language summary of the PERSEUS study of daratumumab plus bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone for treating newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

What is this summary about?: This summary describes the first analysis of the PERSEUS study, which looked at adults with multiple myeloma that had never been treated before, also called newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer in the blood, specifically in plasma cells within the soft, spongy tissue in the center of most bones, called the bone marrow. Researchers wanted to see if adding daratumumab (D) to a standard treatment of three other medicines called VRd, which stands for bortezomib (V), lenalidomide (R), and dexamethasone (d), could stop the multiple myeloma from getting worse and help participants live longer without multiple myeloma. Half of the participants were assigned to the treatment plan with daratumumab; they received D-VRd during initial treatment phases (induction and consolidation), followed by daratumumab as well as lenalidomide (D-R) in the maintenance phase. The other half of participants received treatment without daratumumab; they received VRd induction and consolidation followed by lenalidomide alone (R) maintenance. In addition, all participants were able to receive an autologous stem cell transplant, a procedure used to further help reduce multiple myeloma. What were the results?: At the time of this analysis of PERSEUS, about 4 years after participants started the study, participants who received D-VRd treatment followed by D-R maintenance had a better response to treatment (as measured by specific markers of multiple myeloma) and were more likely to be alive and free from their multiple myeloma getting worse in comparison to participants who received VRd followed by R maintenance. Side effects (unwanted or undesirable effects of treatment) in both treatment groups were in line with the known side effects of daratumumab and VRd. What do the results mean?: The results of the PERSEUS study showed that including daratumumab in D-VRd induction/consolidation and D-R maintenance was better for treating multiple myeloma than the current standard VRd treatment followed by R maintenance alone in adults with a new diagnosis of multiple myeloma who were also able to receive an autologous stem cell transplant. Of importance, there were no unexpected side effects in either group. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT02874742 (GRIFFIN) (ClinicalTrials.gov).^ieng

Measurable Residual Disease by Mass Spectrometry and Next-Generation Flow to Assess Treatment Response in Myeloma.

Quantitative immuneprecipitation mass-spectrometry (QIP-MS) allows the identification of the M-protein in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) otherwise in complete response, and could be considered suitable for measurable residual disease (MRD) evaluation in peripheral blood. In the context of the GEM2012MENOS65 and GEM2014MAIN trials, we compared the performance of QIP-MS in serum with next-generation flow (NGF) cytometry in bone marrow to assess MRD in paired samples obtained post-induction, transplant, consolidation and after 24 cycles of maintenance. At each time point, both NGF and QIP-MS were able to segregate two groups of patients with significantly different progression-free survival (PFS); when the evolution of the results obtained with either method was considered, maintaining or converting to MRD negativity was associated with longer survival, significantly better when compared to sustaining or converting to MRD positivity. Of note, reemergence of MRD by QIP-MS was associated with high risk of imminent clinical progression. In conclusion, MRD evaluation by NGF and MS achieve similar prognostic value based in single time point assessments and kinetics. Thus, the minimally-invasive nature of MRD monitoring by MS represents a breakthrough in high-sensitive response assessment in MM. GEM2012MENOS65: #NCT01916252 and EudraCT as #2012-005683-10. GEM2014MAIN: #NCT02406144 and at EudraCT as 2014-00055410.

Graded Organ Response and Progression Criteria for Kidney Immunoglobulin Light Chain Amyloidosis.

Importance: Kidney light chain (AL) amyloidosis is associated with a risk of progression to kidney replacement therapy (KRT) and death. Several studies have shown that a greater reduction in proteinuria following successful anticlonal therapy is associated with improved outcomes. Objective: To validate graded kidney response criteria and their association with kidney and overall survival (OS). Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective, multicenter cohort was conducted at 10 referral centers for amyloidosis from 2010 to 2015 and included patients with kidney AL amyloidosis that was evaluable for kidney response and who achieved at least hematologic partial response within 12 months of diagnosis. The median follow-up was 69 (54-88) months. Data analysis was conducted in 2023. Exposure: Four kidney response categories based on the reduction in pretreatment 24-hour urine protein (24-hour UP) levels: complete response (kidCR, 24-hour UP ≤200 mg), very good partial response (kidVGPR, >60% reduction in 24-hour UP), partial response (kidPR, 31%-60% reduction), and no response (kidNR, ≤30% reduction). Kidney response was assessed at landmark points (6, 12, and 24 months) and best kidney response. Main Outcomes and Measures: Cumulative incidence of progression to KRT and OS. Results: Seven-hundred and thirty-two patients (335 women [45.8%]) were included, with a median (IQR) age of 63 (55-69) years. The median (IQR) baseline 24-hour proteinuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate was 5.3 (2.8-8.5) g per 24 hours and 72 (48-92) mL/min/1.73m2, respectively. In a competing-risk analysis, the 5-year cumulative incidence rates of progression to KRT decreased with deeper kidney responses as early as 6 months from therapy initiation (11%, 12%, 2.1%, and 0% for kidNR, kidPR, kidVGPR, and kidCR, respectively; P = .002) and were maintained at 12 months and 24 months and best kidney response. Patients able to achieve kidCR/kidVGPR by 24 months and at best response had significantly better OS compared with kidPR/kidNR. Kidney progression, defined as a 25% or greater decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate, was associated with cumulative incidence of progression to KRT and OS. Conclusions and Relevance: The results of this cohort study suggest that graded kidney response criteria offers clinically and prognostically meaningful information for treating patients with kidney AL amyloidosis. The response criteria potentially inform kidney survival based on the depth of reduction in 24-hour proteinuria levels and demonstrate an OS advantage for those able to achieve kidCR/kidVGPR compared with kidPR/kidNR. Taken together, achievement of at least kidVGPR by 12 months is needed to ultimately improve kidney and patient survival.

Single-point and kinetics of peripheral residual disease by mass spectrometry to predict outcome in patients with high risk smoldering multiple myeloma included in the GEM-CESAR trial.

The value of quantitative immunoprecipitation mass spectrometry (QIP-MS) to identify the M-protein is being investigated in patients with monoclonal gammopathies but no data are yet available in high-risk smoldering myeloma (HRsMM). We have therefore investigated QIP-MS to monitor peripheral residual disease (PRD) in 62 HRsMM patients enrolled in the GEM-CESAR trial. After 24 cycles of maintenance, detecting the M-protein by MS or clonal plasma cells by NGF identified cases with a significantly shorter median PFS (mPFS; MS: not reached vs 1,4 years, p=0.001; NGF: not reached vs 2 years, p=0.0002) but reaching CR+sCR did not discriminate patients with different outcome. With NGF as a reference, the combined results of NGF and MS showed a high negative predictive value (NPV) of MS: 81% overall and 73% at treatment completion. When sequential results were considered, sustained negativity by MS or NGF was associated with a very favorable outcome with a mPFS not yet reached vs 1.66 years and 2.18 years in cases never attaining PRD or minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity, respectively. We can thus conclude that 1) the standard response categories of the IMWG do not seem to be useful for treatment monitoring in HRsMM patients, 2) MS could be used as a non-invasive, clinical valuable tool with the capacity of guiding timely bone marrow evaluations (based on its high NPV with NGF as a reference) and 3) similarly to NGF, sequential results of MS are able identify a subgroup of HRsMM patients with long-term disease control. This study was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02415413).

Increased PVR Expression on Bone Marrow Macrophages May Promote Resistance to TIGIT Blockade in Multiple Myeloma.

PURPOSE: TIGIT blockade in our ex vivo model of bone marrow (BM) reduced the number of malignant plasma cells (PC) in only half of patients with multiple myeloma. Here, we wanted to investigate whether increased expression of TIGIT ligands may inhibit T-cell immune response promoting resistance to TIGIT blockade. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We first characterized the number and phenotype of BM macrophages in different stages of the disease by multiparameter flow cytometry. We assessed the effect of TIGIT ligands on PC survival by performing experiments in the ex vivo BM model and analyzed changes in gene expression by using NanoString technology and real-time PCR. RESULTS: The frequency of BM macrophages was significantly decreased in multiple myeloma, which was accompanied by changes in their immunophenotype. Moreover, we found a higher number of malignant PC in ex vivo BM cells cultured onto the poliovirus receptor (PVR) and nectin-2 compared with control, suggesting that both ligands may support PC survival. In addition, the presence of PVR, but not nectin-2, overcame the therapeutic effect of TIGIT blockade or exogenous IL2. Furthermore, exogenous IL2 increased TIGIT expression on both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and, indirectly, PVR on BM macrophages. Consistently, PVR reduced the number of cytotoxic T cells and promoted a gene signature with reduced effector molecules. CONCLUSIONS: IL2 induced TIGIT on T cells in the BM, in which increased PVR expression resulted in cytotoxic T-cell inhibition, promoting PC survival and resistance to TIGIT blockade.

Curative Strategy for High-Risk Smoldering Myeloma: Carfilzomib, Lenalidomide, and Dexamethasone (KRd) Followed by Transplant, KRd Consolidation, and Rd Maintenance.

PURPOSE: Early treatment of high-risk smoldering myeloma has been shown to delay progression to multiple myeloma (MM). We conducted this trial with curative intention using a treatment approach employed for newly diagnosed patients with MM. METHODS: Patients with high-risk smoldering myeloma (>50% progression risk at 2 years) and transplant candidates were included and received induction therapy with carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (KRd), six cycles, followed by high-dose melphalan (200 mg/m2) autologous stem-cell transplantation (HDM-ASCT), two KRd consolidation cycles, and Rd maintenance for 2 years. The primary end point was undetectable measurable residual disease (uMRD) rate by next-generation flow after ASCT. Sustained uMRD 4 years after ASCT was the secondary end point. RESULTS: Between June 2015 and June 2017, 90 patients were included, and 31% met at least one SixtyLightchain MRI (SLiM)-hypercalcemia, renal impairment, anemia, bone disease (CRAB) criterion. After a median follow-up of 70.1 months, 3 months after ASCT, in the intention-to-treat population, 56 (62%) of 90 patients had uMRD, and 4 years later, it was sustained in 29 patients (31%). Five patients progressed to MM, and the 70-month progression rate was 94% (95% CI, 84 to 89). The presence of any SLiM CRAB criteria predicted progression to MM (four of the five patients; hazard ratio, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.14 to 1.13; P = .03). Thirty-six patients showed biochemical progression, and failure to achieve uMRD at the end of treatment predicted it. The 70-month overall survival was 92% (95% CI, 82 to 89). Neutropenia and infections were the most frequent adverse events during treatment, resulting in one treatment-related death. Three second primary malignancies have been reported. CONCLUSION: Although a longer follow-up is needed, this curative approach is encouraging and more effective than active MM, with 31% of the patients maintaining the uMRD 4 years after HDM-ASCT.

A Simple Frailty Score Predicts Survival and Early Mortality in Systemic AL Amyloidosis.

Systemic AL amyloidosis is a challenging disease for which many patients are considered frail in daily clinical practice. However, no study has so far addressed frailty and its impact on the outcome of these patients. We built a simple score to predict mortality based on three frailty-associated variables: age, ECOG performance status (<2 vs. ≥2) and NT-proBNP (<8500 vs. ≥8500 ng/L). Four-hundred and sixteen consecutive newly diagnosed patients diagnosed at ten sites from the Spanish Myeloma Group were eligible for the study. The score was developed in a derivation cohort from a referral center, and it was externally validated in a multicenter cohort. Multivariate analysis showed that the three variables were independent predictors of survival. The score was able to discriminate four groups of patients in terms of overall survival and early mortality in both cohorts. Comorbidity was also analyzed with the Charlson comorbidity index, but it did not reach statistical significance in the model. A nomogram was created to easily estimate the mortality risk of each patient at each time point. This score is a simple, robust, and efficient approach to dynamically assess frailty-dependent mortality both at diagnosis and throughout follow-up. The optimal treatment for frail AL amyloidosis patients remains to be determined but we suggest that the estimation of frailty-associated risk could complement current staging systems, adding value in clinical decision-making in this complex scenario.

The evolving pattern of the monoclonal protein improves the IMWG 2/20/20 classification for patients with smoldering multiple myeloma.

The 2/20/20 International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) score is the most employed risk score in clinical practice to evaluate the risk of progression from smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) to symptomatic multiple myeloma. However, it faces a serious limitation: The risk score is applied at diagnosis and cannot be reapplied. Since a dynamic accurate patient risk assessment for progression is necessary, we aimed to investigate whether the detection of an evolving pattern in serum M-protein (SMP) improves the identification of high-risk patients. Eighty-three patients diagnosed with SMM between 2011 and 2020 were included. Patients were initially classified applying the 2/20/20 IMWG score at baseline and later reclassified depending on the presence of an SMP evolving pattern into six groups. We regrouped the patients into three final risk groups: low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk. The risk of progression at two years for the high-risk group was 88% and all patients had progressed at 4 years. The performance measurements were superior for the new 2/20/20-Evolving score independently for the detection of high-risk patients. We show that the sequential measurement of the SMP is a noninvasive and widely available test that improves the 2/20/20 IMWG risk score.

A case of benign immunoglobulin D monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance with 26 years of follow-up.

The presence of a serum immunoglobulin D (IgD) monoclonal protein (M-protein) is seen in < 1% of patients with monoclonal gammopathies and is usually indicative of a malignant plasma cell disorder. Only a few cases of well-documented benign monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) of IgD subtype have been reported, and only 2 of those had over 5 years of follow-up at the time they were reported. Herein we describe longer-term follow-up of one of those 2 patients who has subsequently passed away from unrelated causes but never developed multiple myeloma or amyloidosis after 26 years of follow-up. Although IgD MGUS is extremely rare, this case confirms that presence of an IgD M-Protein is not always synonymous with a malignant plasma cell process.

Selinexor, daratumumab, bortezomib and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma: results of the phase II, nonrandomized, multicenter GEM-SELIBORDARA study.

The treatment landscape for multiple myeloma has significantly evolved in the last decade. Notwithstanding, a large proportion of patients continue to relapse and novel combinations continue to be needed. In this phase II study, selinexor, a first-in-class inhibitor of exportin-1 was evaluated in combination with standard daratumumab-bortezomib-dexamethasone (DVd), for the treatment of relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). The aim of the trial was to assess the efficacy and safety of the combination of selinexor with DVd (S-DVd). A total of 57 patients were enrolled in the two parts of the study. Part 1 enrolled a heavily pretreated population with at least three prior lines (PL) of therapy and part 2 enrolled an early relapse population with at least one PL of therapy. The primary endpoint was complete response (CR) rate in part 2 and overall response rate (ORR) in part 1. In the latter, 24 patients were treated with a median of three PL. Overall response rate (ORR) was 50% with two CR. Median progression- free survival (PFS) was 7 months. In part 2, 33 patients were enrolled, with a median of one PL. ORR was 82% and CR or better was 33%. Median PFS was 24 months. In lenalidomide-refractory patients, a median PFS of 22.1 months was observed. Thrombocytopenia was the most common hematological adverse event (69%; grade 3-4: 34%) and nausea, the most frequent non-hematological adverse event (38%; grade 3-4: 6%). Sixty-two percent of the patients required dose modifications. In summary, although the primary endpoint of the study was not met, the combination of S-DVd showed encouraging clinical efficacy with a generally manageable safety profile representing a potential option for the treatment of RRMM patients.

Predictors of unsustained measurable residual disease negativity in transplant-eligible patients with multiple myeloma.

ABSTRACT: The role of measurable residual disease (MRD) negativity as a biomarker to stop treatment is being investigated in transplant-eligible patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Thus, it is important to identify risk factors of MRD resurgence and/or progressive disease (PD) among patients achieving undetectable MRD to avoid undertreating them. Here, we studied 267 newly diagnosed transplant-eligible patients with MM enrolled in the GEM2012MENOS65 and GEM2014MAIN clinical trials who achieved MRD negativity by next-generation flow cytometry. After a median follow-up of 73 months since the first MRD negative assessment, 111 of the 267 (42%) patients showed MRD resurgence and/or PD. The only prognostic factors at diagnosis that predicted MRD resurgence and/or PD were an International Staging System (ISS) 3 and the presence of ≥0.01% circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Failure to achieve MRD negativity after induction also predicted higher risk of MRD resurgence and/or PD. Patients having 0 vs 1 vs ≥2 risk factors (ISS 3, ≥0.01% CTCs, and late MRD negativity) showed 5-year rates of MRD resurgence and/or PD of 16%, 33%, and 57%, respectively (P < .001). Thus, these easily measurable risk factors could help refine the selection of patients for whom treatment cessation after MRD negativity is being investigated in clinical trials. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01916252 and NCT02406144.

Daratumumab, Bortezomib, Lenalidomide, and Dexamethasone for Multiple Myeloma.

BACKGROUND: Daratumumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting CD38, has been approved for use with standard myeloma regimens. An evaluation of subcutaneous daratumumab combined with bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRd) for the treatment of transplantation-eligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma is needed. METHODS: In this phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned 709 transplantation-eligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma to receive either subcutaneous daratumumab combined with VRd induction and consolidation therapy and with lenalidomide maintenance therapy (D-VRd group) or VRd induction and consolidation therapy and lenalidomide maintenance therapy alone (VRd group). The primary end point was progression-free survival. Key secondary end points were a complete response or better and minimal residual disease (MRD)-negative status. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 47.5 months, the risk of disease progression or death in the D-VRd group was lower than the risk in the VRd group. The estimated percentage of patients with progression-free survival at 48 months was 84.3% in the D-VRd group and 67.7% in the VRd group (hazard ratio for disease progression or death, 0.42; 95% confidence interval, 0.30 to 0.59; P<0.001); the P value crossed the prespecified stopping boundary (P = 0.0126). The percentage of patients with a complete response or better was higher in the D-VRd group than in the VRd group (87.9% vs. 70.1%, P<0.001), as was the percentage of patients with MRD-negative status (75.2% vs. 47.5%, P<0.001). Death occurred in 34 patients in the D-VRd group and 44 patients in the VRd group. Grade 3 or 4 adverse events occurred in most patients in both groups; the most common were neutropenia (62.1% with D-VRd and 51.0% with VRd) and thrombocytopenia (29.1% and 17.3%, respectively). Serious adverse events occurred in 57.0% of the patients in the D-VRd group and 49.3% of those in the VRd group. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of subcutaneous daratumumab to VRd induction and consolidation therapy and to lenalidomide maintenance therapy conferred a significant benefit with respect to progression-free survival among transplantation-eligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. (Funded by the European Myeloma Network in collaboration with Janssen Research and Development; PERSEUS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03710603; EudraCT number, 2018-002992-16.).

Integrated analysis of randomized controlled trials evaluating bortezomib + lenalidomide + dexamethasone or bortezomib + thalidomide + dexamethasone induction in transplant-eligible newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Objective: Providing the most efficacious frontline treatment for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) is critical for patient outcomes. No direct comparisons have been made between bortezomib + lenalidomide + dexamethasone (VRD) and bortezomib + thalidomide + dexamethasone (VTD) induction regimens in transplant-eligible NDMM. Methods: An integrated analysis was performed using patient data from four trials meeting prespecified eligibility criteria: two using VRD (PETHEMA GEM2012 and IFM 2009) and two using VTD (PETHEMA GEM2005 and IFM 2013-04). Results: The primary endpoint was met, with VRD demonstrating a noninferior rate of at least very good partial response (≥ VGPR) after induction vs VTD. GEM comparison demonstrated improvement in the ≥ VGPR rate after induction for VRD vs VTD (66.3% vs 51.2%; P = .00281) that increased after transplant (74.4% vs 53.5%). Undetectable minimal residual disease rates post induction (46.7% vs 34.9%) and post transplant (62.4% vs 47.3%) support the benefit of VRD vs VTD. Treatment-emergent adverse events leading to study and/or treatment discontinuation were less frequent with VRD (3%, GEM2012; 6%, IFM 2009) vs VTD (11%, IFM 2013-04). Conclusion: These results supported the benefit of VRD over VTD for induction in transplant-eligible patients with NDMM. The trials included are registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01916252, NCT01191060, NCT00461747, and NCT01971658).

Outcomes of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Transplant-Ineligible Multiple Myeloma According to Clinical Trials Enrollment: Experience of a Single Institution.

The proportion of non-transplant-eligible (NTE) newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients excluded from clinical trials (CTs) and their prognosis is unknown. CT results may not be generalizable to real-world practice due to strict recruitment criteria. We analyzed causes of NTE-NDMM patient exclusion form CTs and their outcomes. A total of 211 NTE-NDMM patients were included. They were divided into three periods: 2003-2007, 2008-2012, and 2013-2017. Overall, 50% received non-trial treatment (NCT), while 50% participated in a CT (20% control group (CG) and 30% experimental group (EG)). Main causes for exclusion from CTs were comorbidities, ECOG > 2, and renal insufficiency. In the first two periods, the CR rate was similar regardless of treatment type, but in the last period, the EG group showed improved CR. Median PFS was similar in the first two periods, with a benefit seen only in the EG in the last period. The median OS was significantly longer in CT-included patients compared to NCT group in the last two periods. Conclusions: The presence of comorbidities and worsened ECOG were the main reasons for CT exclusion. Patients included in CTs had a longer OS than NCT. This OS benefit may be influenced by a selection bias, making it challenging to generalize CT results to real clinical practice.

Recovery of uninvolved heavy/light chain pair immunoparesis in newly diagnosed transplant-eligible myeloma patients complements the prognostic value of minimal residual disease detection.

Immunoparesis (IP) in multiple myeloma (MM) patients can be measured by classic assessment of immunoglobulin (Ig) levels or by analysis of the uninvolved heavy/light chain pair of the same immunoglobulin (uHLC) by the Hevylite® assay. In this study we evaluate the prognostic value of recovery from IP measured by classic total Ig and uHLC assessment in newly diagnosed MM transplant-eligible (NDMM-TE) patients with intensive treatment and its association with Minimal Residual Disease (MRD). Patients were enrolled and treated in the PETHEMA/GEM2012MENOS65 trial and continued in the PETHEMA/GEM2014MAIN trial. Total Ig (IgG, IgA and IgM) and uHLC were analyzed in a central laboratory at diagnosis, after consolidation treatment and after the first year of maintenance. MRD was analyzed by next generation flow cytometry after consolidation (sensitivity level 2x10-6). We found no differences in progression free survival (PFS) between patients who recovered and patients who didn't recover from IP after consolidation when examining classic total Ig and uHLC. However, after the first year of maintenance, in contrast to patients with classic IP, patients with recovery from uHLC IP had longer PFS than patients without recovery, with hazard ratio of 0.42 (CI95% 0.21-0.81; p=0.008). Multivariate analysis with Cox proportional-hazards regression models confirmed recovery from uHLC IP after the first year of maintenance as an independent prognostic factor for PFS, with an increase in C-statistic of 0.05 (-0.04-0.14; p<0.001) when adding uHLC IP recovery. Moreover, we observed that MRD status and uHLC IP recovery affords complementary information for risk stratification. In conclusion, recovery from uHLC IP after one year of maintenance is an independent prognostic factor for PFS in NDMM-TE patients who receive intensive treatment. Immune reconstitution, measured as recovery from uHLC IP, provides complementary prognostic information to MRD assessment.

Large T cell clones expressing immune checkpoints increase during multiple myeloma evolution and predict treatment resistance.

Tumor recognition by T cells is essential for antitumor immunity. A comprehensive characterization of T cell diversity may be key to understanding the success of immunomodulatory drugs and failure of PD-1 blockade in tumors such as multiple myeloma (MM). Here, we use single-cell RNA and T cell receptor sequencing to characterize bone marrow T cells from healthy adults (n = 4) and patients with precursor (n = 8) and full-blown MM (n = 10). Large T cell clones from patients with MM expressed multiple immune checkpoints, suggesting a potentially dysfunctional phenotype. Dual targeting of PD-1 + LAG3 or PD-1 + TIGIT partially restored their function in mice with MM. We identify phenotypic hallmarks of large intratumoral T cell clones, and demonstrate that the CD27- and CD27+ T cell ratio, measured by flow cytometry, may serve as a surrogate of clonal T cell expansions and an independent prognostic factor in 543 patients with MM treated with lenalidomide-based treatment combinations.

Clinical perspectives on the optimal use of lenalidomide plus bortezomib and dexamethasone for the treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

To improve the outcomes of patients with the otherwise incurable hematologic malignancy of multiple myeloma (MM), a key paradigm includes initial treatment to establish disease control rapidly followed by maintenance therapy to ensure durability of response with manageable toxicity. However, patients' prognosis worsens after relapse, and the disease burden and drug toxicities are generally more challenging with subsequent lines of therapy. It is therefore particularly important that patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) receive optimal frontline therapy. The combination of lenalidomide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (RVd) has consistently demonstrated a tolerable safety profile with significant and clinically relevant benefit, including deep and durable responses with improved survival in patients with NDMM regardless of their transplant eligibility. Furthermore, comparative studies evaluating this triplet regimen against both doublet and other triplet regimens have established RVd as a standard of care in this setting based upon its remarkable and concordant efficacy. Given the breadth of clinical data, physician familiarity, inclusion in treatment guidelines, and the emerging potential of RVd-containing quadruplet regimens, RVd will likely continue as a key cornerstone of the treatment of NDMM, and its role will therefore likely continue to grow as a therapeutic backbone in the initial treatment of MM.

Lenalidomide and dexamethasone maintenance with or without ixazomib, tailored by residual disease status in myeloma.

From November 2014 to May 2017, 332 patients homogeneously treated with bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRD) induction, autologous stem cell transplant, and VRD consolidation were randomly assigned to receive maintenance therapy with lenalidomide and dexamethasone (RD; 161 patients) vs RD plus ixazomib (IRD; 171 patients). RD consisted of lenalidomide 15 mg/d from days 1 to 21 plus dexamethasone 20 mg/d on days 1 to 4 and 9 to 12 at 4-week intervals, whereas in the IRD arm, oral ixazomib at a dose of 4 mg on days 1, 8, and 15 was added. Therapy for patients with negative measurable residual disease (MRD) after 24 cycles was discontinued, whereas those who tested positive for MRD remained on maintenance with RD for 36 more cycles. After a median follow-up of 69 months from the initiation of maintenance, the progression-free survival (PFS) was similar in both arms, with a 6-year PFS rate of 61.3% and 55.6% for RD and IRD, respectively (hazard ratio, 1.136; 95% confidence interval, 0.809-1.603). After 2 years of maintenance, treatment was discontinued in 163 patients with negative MRD, whereas 63 patients with positive MRD continued with RD therapy. Maintenance discontinuation in patients tested negative for MRD resulted in a low progression rate (17.2% at 4 years), even in patients with high-risk features. In summary, our results show the efficacy of RD maintenance and support the safety of maintenance therapy discontinuation in patients with negative MRD at 2 years. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02406144 and at EudraCT as 2014-00055410.

Management of multiple myeloma-related renal impairment: recommendations from the International Myeloma Working Group.

Here, the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) updates its clinical practice recommendations for the management of multiple myeloma-related renal impairment on the basis of data published until Dec 31, 2022. All patients with multiple myeloma and renal impairment should have serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and free light chains (FLCs) measurements together with 24-h urine total protein, electrophoresis, and immunofixation. If non-selective proteinuria (mainly albuminuria) or involved serum FLCs value less than 500 mg/L is detected, then a renal biopsy is needed. The IMWG criteria for the definition of renal response should be used. Supportive care and high-dose dexamethasone are required for all patients with myeloma-induced renal impairment. Mechanical approaches do not increase overall survival. Bortezomib-based regimens are the cornerstone of the management of patients with multiple myeloma and renal impairment at diagnosis. New quadruplet and triplet combinations, including proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory drugs, and anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies, improve renal and survival outcomes in both newly diagnosed patients and those with relapsed or refractory disease. Conjugated antibodies, chimeric antigen receptor T-cells, and T-cell engagers are well tolerated and effective in patients with moderate renal impairment.