Hematology Experts Highlight Emerging Trends, Research From EHA 2026 Congress

Last week, from June 11 to 14, hematology experts gathered in Stockholm, Sweden, to discuss the latest updates and innovations in the field at the 31st European Hematology Association (EHA) Congress. Throughout the meeting, experts shared their biggest takeaways with The American Journal of Managed Care^®.

Featured experts included Nitin Jain, MD, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Irina Murakhovskaya, MD, of Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, NY; Rahul Banerjee, MD, of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center; and Julie Kanter, MD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

A recurring theme was the rapid expansion of immunotherapy options. Jain highlighted new data on in vivo chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, bispecific antibodies in lymphoma, and Bruton tyrosine kinase degraders, including combination strategies in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Meanwhile, in acute myeloid leukemia, emerging data addressed the optimization of venetoclax duration and triplet combinations.

“A lot of new ideas and strategies are being presented, and it's really a wonderful time to be at EHA,” he said.

Next, Murakhovskaya described the congress as growing larger and more clinically focused each year, with breakthroughs continuing to accelerate.

“The science is very exciting,” she said.

Additionally, Banerjee framed the meeting as a turning point in multiple myeloma. Until this year, B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)–targeted therapy was considered the default choice at first relapse. However, new MonumenTAL-3 (NCT05455320) data showed that talquetamab-based, BCMA-sparing regimens outperformed standard daratumumab-based triplets.

He explained that talquetamab is currently FDA approved only after 4 or more prior lines of therapy. It is expected to move into earlier treatment settings, creating a more complex decision landscape encompassing BCMA-directed CAR T-cell therapy, BCMA-targeted bispecific antibodies, GPRC5D-targeted bispecific antibodies, and the BCMA-targeted antibody-drug conjugate belantamab mafodotin, all potentially available within 1 to 2 prior lines of therapy.

Despite the added complexity, he emphasized that these immunotherapy options represent a significant advance over older standards such as daratumumab-pomalidomide-dexamethasone (Dara-Pd), isatuximab-pomalidomide-dexamethasone (Isa-Pd), and isatuximab-carfilzomib-dexamethasone (Isa-Kd).

“The only losers of this argument are all our traditional triplets like Dara-PD, Isa-Pd, Isa-Kd,” Banerjee said. “I know them. I've loved them. I've used them many, many times, but in the era of immunotherapy, I think it's time to say bye-bye to those old ones.”

The final area of discussion centered on sickle cell disease, where Kanter called for reform of clinical trial end points. She argued that current end points exclude too much of the population affected by sickle cell disease and that broadening criteria to capture 50% to 60% of patients would meaningfully strengthen the field and prevent it from being dismissed as stagnant.

“I'm excited to see more and more coming out in sickle cell disease,” Kanter said.