CAR T-Cell Therapy Shows Long-Term Promise for Multiple Myeloma Patients

CAR T-cell therapy is transforming treatment outcomes for multiple myeloma patients, with findings from the CARTITUDE-1 trial showing that one-third of patients treated with CAR T therapy remained progression-free for five years or more. The results signal the possibility that multiple myeloma, long considered incurable, may now be within reach of a cure for some patients.

Nearly 200,000 people in the United States live with multiple myeloma, a cancer that occurs when a type of white blood cell grows out of control, causing low blood counts, bone and calcium problems, frequent infections and kidney damage. According to the American Cancer Society, when traditional chemotherapy doesn't work, one treatment, called CAR T-cell therapy, uses genetically modified cells to fight the cancer.

In 2024, the Food and Drug Administration eliminated some barriers to that care to increase patient access. Since then, one type of this therapy has seen promising results.

CARVYKTI is an option for multiple myeloma patients when traditional cancer treatments are no longer effective. The process involves collecting, genetically modifying and re-infusing white blood cells to attack the cancer. One treatment takes about two to three months to complete. It has been approved for three years, and new longer-term data from a study show that CARVYKTI doesn't just slow the progression of the disease; it also helps patients live longer.

Historically, the outcome of these patients is pretty poor, with the average survival of under a year. The average age of when a patient with multiple myeloma is diagnosed is about 70 years.

Researchers are advancing innovative treatments – including CAR T cell therapy and bispecific antibodies – that are delivering unprecedented response rates in patients with relapsed or refractory disease.