New Frontiers with BCMA Targeting in the Treatment of Heavily Relapsed Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a clonal plasma cell disorder arising from the bone marrow and is the second most common hematologic malignancy in the United States (US), with an incidence of approximately 35,000 new cases per year. While progression-free survival (PFS) benefit is often seen with MM therapeutics, overall survival (OS) benefit is rarely seen with novel therapies, and improvements in PFS are still associated with adverse events and long-term disease refractoriness. Over the past few decades, rigorous pre-clinical and clinical research has led to the discovery of novel therapies that have dramatically changed the treatment landscape of MM in the frontline as well as in the relapsed/refractory setting. Despite implementing multimodal approaches to treat MM, the major challenge remains that the vast majority of patients eventually relapse and become refractory to multiple drug classes. Additionally, patients require continuous treatment throughout the disease course, which can negatively affect their quality of life due to potential therapy-related side effects. This collaborative social learning platform establishes a network of providers who can support each other locally, as well as those from different communities, with the goal of learning and sharing best practices that will improve outcomes for patients with multiple myeloma.