Ciltacatabtagen autoleucel, also known by its trade name Carvykti, is a treatment that involves genetically modifying the body’s immune cells. According to a study published Monday, it reduces the risk of disease progression by 74% in people with a rare type of blood cancer.
Carvykti was tested in a clinical trial involving 419 patients with multiple myeloma whose disease did not respond to the commonly prescribed chemotherapy treatment, lenalidomide.
While the latter’s use “has become more widespread, so has the number of patients whose disease no longer responds to treatment,” oncologist Oreofe Odejide said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Medical Oncology, where the results.
Used earlier in the treatment phase
Carvykti “provides remarkably effective results compared to current patient options” and “can be used safely earlier in the treatment phase,” added Oreofe Odejide, who was not involved in this study.
In the clinical trial, half of the patients received Carvykti and the other half received a cocktail of currently commonly prescribed drugs, including chemotherapy and steroids.
“After a median follow-up of 16 months, investigators found that ciltacabtagen autoleucel reduced the risk of disease progression by 74%, compared with standard treatments,” read a statement.
7 out of 100,000 people each year
Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer that affects a type of white blood cells called plasma cells and can cause cascading damage to the bones, kidneys, and immune system.
It affects 7 in 100,000 people each year, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The risk increases with age, with men and black people being more affected. There is currently no cure, although the progression can be slowed or stopped for a long time.
The new treatment involves taking a patient’s chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells and genetically modifying them in a laboratory so that they have specific proteins called receptors that can seek out and destroy cancer cells.
Adverse effects
During the clinical trial, the number of serious or life-threatening adverse events was slightly higher in the Carvykti group than in the other group (97% vs. 94%), three quarters of which had an immune overreaction and approximately 5% of them due to a neurotoxicity syndrome.
Researchers will continue to follow all of these patients to determine the long-term effects and impact on quality of life of these treatments. The clinical trial was funded by Janssen Research & Development and Legend Biotech USA.
Source: BFM TV
