Antibody treatment is safe for elderly patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma
MD Anderson Research Highlight May 16, 2025
Treatment with teclistamab, a bispecific antibody, was recently approved for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) based on the MajesTEC-1 study results. However, while multiple myeloma primarily affects the elderly, only 15% of patients in the Phase I/II trial were aged 75 or older, highlighting a need to evaluate teclistamab’s safety and efficacy in older patients. Therefore, researchers led by Oren Pasvolsky, M.D., and Hans Lee, M.D., examined age-related outcomes in 385 patients with RRMM treated with teclistamab, including 302 (78%) patients under the age of 75 and 83 (22%) patients aged 75 and older. There were no significant differences in cytokine release syndrome, immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), survival outcomes or response rates. The overall response rate was 62% and 53% in the older and younger groups, respectively, and progression-free survival was 10.7 months and 5.2 months, respectively. These findings suggest that teclistamab has favorable safety and efficacy outcomes for elderly patients with RRMM. Learn more in Blood Cancer Journal.
Our data suggests that teclistamab can be safely administered also in select patients aged 75 and older, and that advanced age should not be the sole reason to preclude treatment. We hope this study will help expand access to teclistamab in older patients with RRMM.