Emerging Therapies in Multiple Myeloma Shift Focus Toward Cure: Asya Nina Varshavsky-Yanovsky, MD, PhD

As treatment options for multiple myeloma rapidly expand, clinicians are increasingly focused on aligning innovation with what patients value most: durable outcomes, manageable adverse effects, and the ability to maintain quality of life. In an interview with The American Journal of Managed Care^®, at an Institute for Value-Based Medicine^® event in Philadelphia on April 9, Asya Nina Varshavsky-Yanovsky, MD, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies at Fox Chase Cancer Center, highlighted how recent advances are reshaping both expectations and care strategies.

“We are living in a really exciting time for multiple myeloma; in the past few years, the field literally exploded with amazing immunotherapy options,” she said, pointing to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies and bispecific antibodies. These innovations, alongside emerging approaches such as trispecific antibodies and next-generation CAR T-cell products, are enabling clinicians to better tailor treatments to individual patient needs, preferences, and lifestyles. Notably, she emphasized that the field is now beginning to discuss the possibility of cure—an unprecedented shift after decades of limited long-term optimism.

Among the latest therapies, each offers distinct quality-of-life benefits. CAR T-cell therapy, for example, represents a “once-and-done” approach for patients with relapsed or refractory disease. Although the treatment process can be intensive and may require travel to specialized centers, it offers the potential for treatment-free remission lasting years. Early data suggest that a subset of patients may even meet emerging definitions of cure, maintaining deep remission for 5 years or more, Varshavsky-Yanovsky said.

For patients who may not be candidates for CAR T-cell therapy due to age or comorbidities, bispecific antibodies provide an alternative. These therapies can achieve similarly deep responses without the need for a single intensive intervention and are increasingly accessible in community settings. Although typically administered continuously, ongoing research is exploring shorter treatment durations and extended dosing intervals to reduce patient burden.

Varshavsky-Yanovsky also pointed to cereblon E3 ligase modulatory drugs (CELMoDs), an investigational class of oral agents, as another promising option. With improved specificity and tolerability, these therapies may further expand patient-centered care by offering effective, convenient treatment options.