Elotuzumab Combo Delays Myeloma Progression in Phase 3 Trial

Adding elotuzumab to lenalidomide (Revlimid) and dexamethasone reduced the risk of disease progression by 30% in patients with relapsed-refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM), according to interim results from the phase 3 ELOQUENT-2 trial. The data, which were presented during a presscast held in advance of the 2015 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), showed that combining the monoclonal antibody with standard care prolonged remission by 4.5 months.

“Based on this randomized phase 3 trial, we hope that we will soon have a new treatment option for patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma where an immune therapy—based approach can be added with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for the management of these patients,” said lead author Sagar Lonial, MD, chief medical officer of the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, and professor and executive vice chair o the department of hematology and medical oncology of Emory University School of Medicine.

Elotuzumab, which is being developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb and AbbVie, binds to the SLAMF7 protein found on the surface of both myeloma cells and natural killer lymphocytes in the immune system. “One of the unique attributes of elotuzumab is that it appears to have a dual mechanism through which it both targets the myeloma cell and appears to enhance the activation of natural killer cells,” said Lonial.

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