What the trial was testing
The trial enrolled 43 patients with multiple myeloma. The study was sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was an early-stage trial — researchers are still confirming safety and getting an early look at how well the treatment works. Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
7 in 10 patients responded to the infusion, and 5 had no cancer detectable in their bone marrow.
Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology · 2020 · NCT02514239
These findings — that at the best dose tested, most patients' cancer shrank or disappeared — were published in the Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 43 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with multiple myeloma, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
This was an early-stage study and the treatment is not yet FDA-approved. The infusion showed promise for people with multiple myeloma who had already tried other treatments, but it required long hospital stays for continuous infusion. Ask your doctor about open trials or related approved options for multiple myeloma.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open multiple myeloma trials
GMMG Multiple Myeloma Registry
The goal of this observational study is to collect long-term clinical follow-up data on patients with multiple myeloma who participated in a therapy study of the German-Speaking Myeloma Multicenter Group (GMMG). Target variables of interest are: Overall survival, progression-free survival and follow-up time. The relevant registry data will be provided and evaluated together with the therapy study data for scientific research projects. This allows seamless documentation of patient data from the end of the trial to long-term follow-up.
Testing an Experimental Approach to Treat Patients With Plasma Cell Leukemia, The QUANTUM Trial
This phase II trial compares standard consolidation with daratumumab, carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone to consolidation with teclistamab following standard induction therapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant for improving overall survival of patients with plasma cell leukemia. Consolidation therapy is treatment given after initial therapy to kill any cancer cells that may remain in the body. Daratumumab is in a class of medications called monoclonal antibodies. It binds to a protein called CD38, which is found on some types of immune cells and cancer cells, including myeloma cells. Daratumumab may block CD38 and help the immune system kill cancer cells. Carfilzomib inhibits protein complexes called proteasomes, which inhibits cancer cell growth and leads to cancer cell death. Lenalidomide may help kill cancer cells and prevents the growth of blood vessels that cancer cells need to survive. Dexamethasone is in a class of medications called corticosteroids. It is used to reduce inflammation and lower the body's immune response to help lessen the side effects of chemotherapy drugs. Teclistamab is a monoclonal antibody that may interfere with the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. A monoclonal antibody is a type of protein that can bind to certain targets in the body, such as molecules that cause the body to make an immune response (antigens). Giving teclistamab as consolidation therapy after induction and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant may improve survival outcomes in patients with plasma cell leukemia, compared to standard consolidation with daratumumab, carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone.