Combination treatment shows large improvement in survival for people with relapsed myeloma

At the American Society of Hematology Conference in Orlando, new results from the MajesTEC-3 study show that combining teclistamab with daratumumab could help people with myeloma whose cancer has come back or hasn’t responded to previous treatment, to live longer without their cancer getting worse.

The results published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at ASH represent the first phase 3 evidence that a bispecific antibody can outperform established triplet therapies in earlier relapse.

Myeloma is a type of blood cancer that affects plasma cells in the bone marrow. It is currently incurable and will return even after treatment to keep the disease at bay.

Key findings from the MajesTEC-3 trial

The phase 3 trial included 587 people from hospitals across Europe, Asia, the United States and South America. Everyone taking part had received between one and three earlier treatments.

The study found that people given teclistamab and daratumumab had a much longer period of remission (where the disease is undetectable) before their cancer came back compared to those given standard combinations such as daratumumab with pomalidomide or bortezomib.

At a median follow-up of 34.5 months, the combination of teclistamab and daratumumab produced one of the largest improvements ever seen in a major myeloma trial:

Progression-free survival at 36 months was 83.4% with teclistamab–daratumumab, compared with 29.7% on the standard combination.

How the new combination works

Teclistamab is a bispecific antibody, meaning it binds to BCMA (on myeloma cells) and CD3 (on T cells), activating the immune system to kill cancer cells. Daratumumab, already a cornerstone of myeloma therapy, targets CD38 and helps create an immune environment that strengthens teclistamab’s effects.

While serious side effects were common in both groups—70.7% in the teclistamab–daratumumab group and 62.4% with standard options—the safety profile was considered manageable.

Dr. Richard Francis, Deputy Director of Research at Blood Cancer UK, said, “It is encouraging to see results like this because every advance in myeloma treatment has a real impact on people’s lives, especially when the cancer has already come back once before. Myeloma can be exhausting to live with, and many people go through several rounds of treatment, so a combination that keeps the cancer under control for longer, giving people more time with their loved ones is very welcome.

“At Blood Cancer UK we will follow this global work closely because progress anywhere helps us move faster towards our goal to beat blood cancer. Shockingly, blood cancer is the UK’s third biggest cancer killer and it is only by understanding these studies in detail that we can help make sure people in the UK benefit from the best new ideas as soon as possible.”

Provided by
Blood Cancer UK