Efficacy of Treatments for Patients with Triple-Class Refractory (TCR) Multiple Myeloma (MM): Benchmark for New Agents Utilizing Real-World Data (RWD)

Background: MM that is refractory to a proteasome inhibitor (PI), an immunomodulatory agent (IMiD) and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody (CD38MoAb) is labeled triple-class refractory (TCR) and recognized as a modern therapeutic challenge. In recent years, new agents have shown activity in this setting in single arm trials and many more are in development. The assessment of the impact of new agents in the TCR setting is impaired by limited information on the therapeutic outcomes of these patients when treated with non-investigational therapies.Methods: We utilized an independent RWD dataset of patients with MM refractory to CD38MoAb built from academic collaboration (MAMMOTH study) to identify patients with TCR MM who received subsequent therapy. Patients with MM that was CD38MoAb refractory but not TCR were followed longitudinally and only included if, after subsequent lines of therapy, MM became TCR. Patients were excluded if they had plasma cell leukemia, poor renal function (serum creatinine > 2 mg/dl) or if next therapy after TCR status included experimental agents. Refractoriness to a MM agent was defined as lack of objective response and/or progression while receiving therapy or within 60 days of last dose as per International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) criteria. Time zero for analysis was initiation of next therapy after MM became TCR. Response to therapy and progression were adjudicated utilizing IMWG criteria. MM that was TCR but also exposed to 2 PIs, 2 IMiDs and a CD38MoAb was considered penta-exposed, and when refractory to 2 PIs, 2 IMiDs and a CD38MoAb, it was considered penta-refractory.Results: Data collection occurred between 2016 and 2018 (prior to commercial availability of selinexor, belantamab mafodotin, melflufen or ide-cel). Of 275 patients in the MAMMOTH study, 177 were included. Median age was 65 years (range 27-90), 53% were male, 76% white, 28 % had International Staging System stage 3, and 29% high risk cytogenetics [t(4;14), t(14;16) or del(17p)]. Median number of prior lines of therapy was 5 (range 3-17), median time from diagnosis to TCR was 4.8 years (range 0.9-19.4), 73% had received prior autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation, 84% were refractory to bortezomib or ixazomib, 58% were refractory to carfilzomib, 87% to lenalidomide and 74% to pomalidomide. Penta-exposed patients were 58% and penta-refractory 30%. The first regimen after MM became TCR included cytotoxic chemotherapy in 45%, CD38MoAb in 25%, SLAMF7 MoAb in 7%, carfilzomib in 24%, and pomalidomide in 34% of cases. Overall response rate (ORR) was 30% (20.9% PR, 7.3% VGPR and 1.7% CR). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 2.8 mo. (95% C.I. 2.3-3.2) and overall survival (OS) 8.6 mo. (95% C.I. 6.8-10.3),(Figure). For Patients with MM that was penta-exposed (N=102), ORR was 30%, median PFS was 2.7 mo (95% C.I 2.1-3.2), and median OS 7.7 mo (95% C.I. 6.0-9.4). For patients with penta-refractory MM (N=53), ORR was 32%, median PFS was 2.5 mo. (95% C.I. 1.7-3.3), and median OS 6.9 mo. (95% C.I. 4.9-8.9). PFS or OS was similar among patients who were TCR but not penta-exposed, TCR plus penta-exposed but not penta- refractory or TCR plus penta-refractory (Figure). Outcomes according to next regimen after MM became TCR are outlined in the Table. In multivariable analysis, no factor was predictor of PFS while refractoriness to carfilzomib (HR 2.2, 95% C.I. 1.5-3.3), presence of high-risk chromosome abnormalities (HR 1.5, 95% C.I. 1.0-2.2) and short interval from diagnosis to TCR (HR 0.92, 95% C.I. 0.85-0.99) were predictors of shorter OS.Conclusions: Patients with TCR MM have a uniformly low chance of response to subsequent conventional therapy with short PFS and OS even when not penta-exposed or penta-refractory. This dataset provides efficacy benchmark for new therapies being developed in this setting.Figure 1 Figure 1.

Duke Scholars

Author Yubin Kang Medicine, Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy