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Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has shown promise in patients with late-line refractory multiple myeloma, with response rates ranging from 73 to 98%. To date, three products have been approved: Idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel) and ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel), which are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency, Health Canada (ide-cel only), and Brazil ANVISA (cilta-cel only); and equecabtagene autoleucel (eque-cel), which was approved by the Chinese National Medical Products Administration. CAR T-cell therapy is different from previous anti-myeloma therapeutics with unique toxic effects that require distinct mitigation strategies. Thus, a panel of experts from the International Myeloma Working Group was assembled to provide guidance for clinical use of CAR T-cell therapy in myeloma. This consensus opinion is from experts in the field of haematopoietic cell transplantation, cell therapy, and multiple myeloma therapeutics., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests YL received consultancy fees from Janssen, Sanofi, NexImmune, Caribou, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), Pfizer, Regeneron, and Genentech; research fees from Janssen and BMS; serves on advisory boards for Janssen, Sanofi, BMS, Regeneron, and Genentech; serves on scientific advisory boards for NexImmune and Caribou; and serves on the data safety monitor board for Pfizer. LQ received consultancy fees from Beigene, Xi'an, Janssen, Pfizer, Sanofi, and AstraZeneca; and is on the speaker board for Beigene, Xi'an, Janssen, Pfizer, Sanofi, AstraZeneca, and Roche. SU receives consultancy fees from AbbVie, Amgen, BMS, EdoPharma, Genentech, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Janssen, Karyopharm Therapeutics, Merck, Oncopeptides, Sanofi, Seagen, Secura Bio, SkylineDx, and Takeda; and received research funding from AbbVie, Amgen, Array Biopharma, BMS, EdoPharma, Genentech, Gilead, GSK, Janssen, Merck, Moderna, Pharmacyclics, Seagen, Sanofi, SkylineDx, Takeda, and TeneoBio. CWJ received honoraria from AbbVie, Amgen, BMS, Pfizer, Sanofi, Regeneron, GSK, and Janssen; and research funding from Novartis, Janssen, and BMS Celgene. LC received research grants from Amgen, Janssen, BMS, Genentech, Caribou, and AbbVie; and honoraria from Amgen, Janssen, AbbVie, Pfizer, Sanofi, and Adaptive Biotechnologies. BD received advisory board and consulting fees from Janssen and COTA; research fees from GSK and Amgen; honoraria from the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and Plexus Communications; and is an independent reviewer for BMS. HE has an advisory role for and received consulting fees from BMS Celgene, Janssen, Amgen, GSK, and Sanofi; and received research funding from BMS Celgene, Janssen, Amgen, GSK, and Sanofi. CFdL received institutional grants from BMS, Janssen, and Amgen; honoraria from Amgen, Jassen, BMS, GSK, and Sanofi; support for attending meetings or travel from Janssen, BMS, GSK, and Amgen; is on data safety monitoring or advisory boards for Janssen, BMS, Amgen, Pfizer, and Sanofi; and received funding from the Spanish Institute of Health, the Asociación Española Contra el Cancer (AECC), the “La Caixa” Foundation, and AGAUR. RH received grants from Janssen, Amgen, Celgene, BMS, Novartis, and Takeda; consulting fees from Janssen, Amgen, Celgene, BMS, Novartis, Takeda, AbbVie, PharmaMar, Oncopeptides, Sanofi, and GSK; and honoraria from Janssen, Amgen, Celgene, BMS, PharmaMar, and Takeda. PJH serves on advisory boards (honoraria not accepted) for Antengene, Gilead, iTeos Therapeutics, Janssen, Novartis, and Pfizer. EK received honoraria from Janssen, Pfizer, GSK, and Prothena; and research support to the institution from GSK, Janssen, and Pfizer. JM-L received consultancy fees from Janssen, BMS, Sanofi, GSK, Novartis, Menarini, Incity, Roche, Gilead, Pfizer, and Karyopharm; and research funding from BMS, Janssen, Incity, Amgen, and Pfizer. M-VM received honoraria for serving on advisory boards and received fees for lectures from Janssen, BMS Celgene, Novartis, GSK, Sanofi, Amgen, Pfizer, AbbVie, and Regeneron. JM received consultancy fees from Amgen, BMS, Janssen, Sanofi, and Takeda; and research funding from BMS Clinical Trial. PM serves on advisory boards and received honoraria from Janssen and BMS Celgene. CN received consultancy fees from Janssen, BMS, Sanofi, GSK, Pfizer, Amgen, AstraZeneca, and DKSH; and research funding from Janssen and Amgen. AN serves on advisory boards and received honoraria from Adaptive Biotechnologies, Amgen, BMS, Cellectar Biosciences, GSK, Janssen, K36 therapeutics, ONK therapeutics, Pfizer, Sanofi, and Takeda; received research grants from Aduro Biotech, Amgen, Arch Oncology, BMS, Cellectis, Genentech, GSK, Janssen, Karyopharm, Kite Pharma, Merck, Pfizer, and Takeda; and received grants for investigator initiated studies from Amgen, GSK, Janssen, Merck, and Takeda. FS received consultancy fees from AbbVie, GSK, Celgene, Takeda, Janssen, Oncopeptides, Sanofi, and BMS; honoraria from Amgen, BMS, Takeda, AbbVie, Janssen, Novartis, SkyliteDX, Oncopeptides, Sanofi, Pfizer, Daiki-Sankyo, and GSK; and research grants from Celgene, Janssen, Oncopeptides, Sanofi, GSK, and Targovax. SS received research grants from Magenta Therapeutics, BMS, Allogene, Jansse, Novartis, AbbVie, Sanofi, Oncopeptides, Takeda, Kite, and Regeneron; and consultancy fees from Magenta Therapeutics, BMS, Janssen, AbbVie, Sanofi, Oncopeptides, Takeda, Kite, and Regeneron. NWCJvdD received research grants from Janssen, Amgen, Celgene, Novartis, Cellectis, and BMS; and serves on advisory boards for Janssen, Amgen, Celgene, BMS, Sanofi, Takeda, Roche, Novartis, Bayer, Adaptive, Pfizer, AbbVie, and Servier (all paid to institution). KW received research grants from AbbVie, Amgen, BMS Celgene, Janssen, GSK, Sanofi, and Takeda; honoraria from AbbVie, Amgen, Adaptive Biotech, Astra Zeneca, BMS Celgene, BeiGene, Janssen, GSK, Karyopharm, Novartis, Oncopeptides, Pfizer, Roche Pharma, Sanofi, Stemline, Takeda, and Menarini; and consulting fees from AbbVie, Amgen, Adaptive Biotech, BMS Celgene, BeiGene, Janssen, GSK, Karyopharm, Oncopeptides, Pfizer, Roche Pharma, Sanofi, Takeda, and Menarini. SZ serves on advisory boards for Janssen, BMS, Takeda, Sanofi, Oncopeptides, and Amgen (no personal fees). PRO received honoraria for consulting or advisory board from BMS Celgene, Janssen, Roche, AbbVie, Pfizer, GSK, Sanofi, H3Biomedicine; travel grants from Pfizer; serves on steering committees for BMS Celgene, Regeneron, and Janssen; and is on the speakers bureau for Janssen, BMS Celgene, GSK, Sanofi, and AbbVie. LDA received consulting fees and serves on advisory boards for Janssen, Celgene, BMS, Amgen, GSK, AbbVie, Beigene, Cellectar, Sanofi, and Prothena. SK received consultancy fees from Oncopeptides, AbbVie, Celgene, Janssen, Takeda, Adaptive, KITE, and MedImmune AstraZeneca; and research grants from AbbVie, Celgene, Janssen, Takeda, Adaptive, KITE, MedImmune AstraZeneca, Merck, Novartis, Roche, and Sanofi. TM received research funding from Sanofi. All other authors declare no competing interests. IMWG are listed in the appendix (pp 9–21)., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. 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Radiation therapy (RT) may play an important role prior to and following BCMA-targeted CAR T-cell therapy in multiple myeloma (MM). We report a series of 13 patients: 5 patients received bridging RT pre-CAR T, 4 patients received salvage RT post-CAR T failure, and 4 patients received both. There was no worsening of CAR-T- or RT-related toxicities. The RT in-field local control rate was 100%, with a median follow-up after each RT course of 7.3 months. RT as a bridging and salvage strategy is safe, feasible, and offers excellent local control in MM patients treated with CAR T-cell therapy., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Infections are an important complication after B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and risks may differ between the early and late periods. We evaluated infections in 99 adults who received a first BCMA-directed CAR T-cell therapy (commercial and investigational autologous BCMA CAR T-cell products at the recommended phase 2 dose) for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma between November 2016 and May 2022. Infections were recorded until day 365, if patients experienced symptoms with a microbiologic diagnosis, or for symptomatic site-specific infections treated with antimicrobials. One-year cumulative incidence functions were calculated based on time to first respiratory infection using dates of infection-free death and receipt of additional antineoplastic therapies as competing risks. Secondary analysis evaluated risk factors for late respiratory infections using univariate and multivariable Cox regression models. Thirty-seven patients (37%) experienced 64 infectious events over the first year after BCMA-directed CAR T-cell therapy, with 42 early infectious events (days, 0-100), and 22 late infectious events (days, 101-365). Respiratory infections were the most common site-specific infection and the relative proportion of respiratory infections increased in the late period (31% of early events vs 77% of late events). On multivariable analysis, hypogammaglobulinemia (hazard ratio [HR], 6.06; P = .044) and diagnosis of an early respiratory viral infection (HR, 2.95; P = .048) were independent risk factors for late respiratory infection. Respiratory infections predominate after BCMA CAR T-cell therapy, particularly after day 100. Hypogammaglobulinemia and diagnosis of an early respiratory infection are risk factors for late respiratory infections that may be used to guide targeted preventive strategies., (© 2023 by The American Society of Hematology. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), permitting only noncommercial, nonderivative use with attribution. All other rights reserved.)

Idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel) is a B-cell-maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy. We performed a post hoc analysis of a single-arm phase 1 multicenter study in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (CRB-401) (n = 62; median follow-up, 18.1 months). The primary endpoint was safety outcomes, and secondary endpoints included overall response rate (ORR), complete response (CR) and very good partial response (VGPR). The study met its primary endpoint with low rates of grade 3/grade 4 cytokine release syndrome (6.5%) and neurotoxicity (1.6%). ORR was 75.8%; 64.5% achieved VGPR or better and 38.7% achieved CR or stringent CR. Among exploratory endpoints, median duration of response, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival were 10.3, 8.8 and 34.2 months, respectively, and ide-cel expansion in blood and bone marrow correlated with clinical efficacy and postinfusion reduction of soluble BCMA. Patients with PFS ≥ 18 months had more naive and less exhausted T cells in apheresis material and improved functional T cell phenotype in the drug product compared with those with less durable responses. These results confirm ide-cel safety, tolerability and efficacy and describe T cell qualities that correlate with durable response. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier : NCT02658929 ., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The role of measurable residual disease (MRD) in multiple myeloma patients treated with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells is uncertain. We analyzed MRD kinetics during the first year after idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel) infusion in 125 relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma patients enrolled in KarMMa. At month 1 after ide-cel, there were no differences in progression-free survival (PFS) between patients in less than complete response (CR) versus those in CR; only MRD status was predictive of significantly different PFS at this landmark. In patients with undetectable MRD at 3 months and beyond, PFS was longer in those achieving CR versus

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapies are Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for patients with triple refractory multiple myeloma (MM). Real-world access to CAR-T therapy remains challenging owing to supply chain limitations impacting manufacturing. The goal of this study was to evaluate the extent of this issue and how major centers are handling the challenges of CAR-T manufacturing slot allocation. MM CAR-T physician leaders at each CAR-T treatment center across the United States were surveyed. We received responses from 17 of 20 centers. A median of 1 slot is allocated per month per center, and the median number of patients per center on the waitlist since the FDA's approval of idecabtagene vicleucel is 20 (range, 5 to 100). As a result, patients remain on the waitlist for a median of 6 months (range, 2 to 8 months) prior to leukapheresis. For patient selection, all centers reported using a committee of experienced CAR-T physicians to ensure consistency. To ensure transparency, 15 centers make selection criteria, selection timelines, and priority scores readily available for CAR-T providers. Centers also reported using ethical values for selection: (1) equal treatment: time spent on waiting list (n = 12); (2) priority to the worst-off: limited therapeutic options (n = 14), MM burden (n = 11), high Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Comorbidity Index (n = 5); (3) maximize benefit: most likely to complete apheresis (n = 13) or infusion (n = 13) or to achieve response (n = 8); and (4) social value: younger patients (n = 3). Maximizing benefit was considered the most important criterion by 10 centers. This study is the first attempt to evaluate existing issues with CAR-T access for patients with MM and the variability and challenges in patient selection. Integrating ethical resource allocation strategies, similar to those described here, into formal institutional policies would help streamline access to CAR-T therapy and protect the needs of both current and future patients and physicians., (Copyright © 2023 The American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) is a plasma cell neoplasm defined by progressively refractory disease necessitating chronic and increasingly intensive therapy. Despite recent advances, limited treatment options exist for RRMM. This single-arm, open label phase 1 study aimed to evaluate the safety of novel B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeting chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T construct that leverages a completely synthetic antigen-binding domain (CART-ddBCMA), which was specifically engineered to reduce immunogenicity and improve CAR cell surface stability. Thirteen patients ≥18 years with RRMM who received at least 3 prior regimens of systemic therapy were enrolled in the study. Patients received a single dose of 100 × 106 CART-ddBCMA (DL1) or 300 × 106 CART-ddBCMA (DL2) following standard lymphodepleting chemotherapy. The primary endpoints of the study were to evaluate the incidence of treatment emergent adverse events, including dose-limiting toxicities, and establish a recommended phase 2 dose. Results showed that CART-ddBCMA was well tolerated and demonstrated a favorable toxicity profile. Only 1 case of grade ≥3 cytokine release syndrome and 1 case of immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity were reported; both were at DL2 and were manageable with standard treatment. No atypical neurological toxicities and Parkinson disease-like movement disorders were observed. The maximum tolerated dose was not reached. All infused patients responded to CART-ddBCMA, and 9/12 (75%) patients achieved complete response/stringent complete response. Responses deepened over time, and at the time of last data-cut (median follow-up 56 weeks), 8/9 (89%) evaluable patients achieved minimal residual disease negativity. In conclusion, the findings demonstrate the safety of CART-ddBCMA cells and document durable responses to CART-ddBCMA in patients with RRMM. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT04155749., (© 2023 by The American Society of Hematology. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), permitting only noncommercial, nonderivative use with attribution. All other rights reserved.)

Background: Idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel, also called bb2121), a B-cell maturation antigen-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, has shown clinical activity with expected CAR T-cell toxic effects in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma., Methods: In this phase 2 study, we sought to confirm the efficacy and safety of ide-cel in patients with relapsed and refractory myeloma. Patients with disease after at least three previous regimens including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent, and an anti-CD38 antibody were enrolled. Patients received ide-cel target doses of 150 × 10 6 to 450 × 10 6 CAR-positive (CAR+) T cells. The primary end point was an overall response (partial response or better); a key secondary end point was a complete response or better (comprising complete and stringent complete responses)., Results: Of 140 patients enrolled, 128 received ide-cel. At a median follow-up of 13.3 months, 94 of 128 patients (73%) had a response, and 42 of 128 (33%) had a complete response or better. Minimal residual disease (MRD)-negative status (<10 -5 nucleated cells) was confirmed in 33 patients, representing 26% of all 128 patients who were treated and 79% of the 42 patients who had a complete response or better. The median progression-free survival was 8.8 months (95% confidence interval, 5.6 to 11.6). Common toxic effects among the 128 treated patients included neutropenia in 117 patients (91%), anemia in 89 (70%), and thrombocytopenia in 81 (63%). Cytokine release syndrome was reported in 107 patients (84%), including 7 (5%) who had events of grade 3 or higher. Neurotoxic effects developed in 23 patients (18%) and were of grade 3 in 4 patients (3%); no neurotoxic effects higher than grade 3 occurred. Cellular kinetic analysis confirmed CAR+ T cells in 29 of 49 patients (59%) at 6 months and 4 of 11 patients (36%) at 12 months after infusion., Conclusions: Ide-cel induced responses in a majority of heavily pretreated patients with refractory and relapsed myeloma; MRD-negative status was achieved in 26% of treated patients. Almost all patients had grade 3 or 4 toxic effects, most commonly hematologic toxic effects and cytokine release syndrome. (Funded by bluebird bio and Celgene, a Bristol-Myers Squibb company; KarMMa ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03361748.)., (Copyright © 2021 Massachusetts Medical Society.)

Background: Chimeric antigen receptors redirect T cells (CAR-T) to target cancer cells. There are limited data characterizing cardiac toxicity and cardiovascular (CV) events among adults treated with CAR-T., Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible cardiac toxicities of CAR-T., Methods: The registry included 137 patients who received CAR-T. Covariates included the occurrence and grade of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and the administration of tocilizumab for CRS. Cardiac toxicity was defined as a decrease in the left ventricular ejection fraction or an increase in serum troponin. Cardiovascular events were a composite of arrhythmias, decompensated heart failure, and CV death., Results: The median age was 62 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 54 to 70 years), 67% were male, 88% had lymphoma, and 8% had myeloma. Approximately 50% were treated with commercial CAR-T (Yescarta or Kymriah), and the remainder received noncommercial products. CRS, occurring a median of 5 days (IQR: 2 to 7 days) after CAR-T, occurred in 59%, and 39% were grade ≥2. Tocilizumab was administered to 56 patients (41%) with CRS, at a median of 27 h (IQR: 16 to 48 h) after onset. An elevated troponin occurred in 29 of 53 tested patients (54%), and a decreased left ventricular ejection fraction in 8 of 29 (28%); each occurred only in patients with grade ≥2 CRS. There were 17 CV events (12%, 6 CV deaths, 6 decompensated heart failure, and 5 arrhythmias; median time to event of 21 days), all occurred with grade ≥2 CRS (31% patients with grade ≥2 CRS), and 95% of events occurred after an elevated troponin. The duration between CRS onset and tocilizumab administration was associated with CV events, where the risk increased 1.7-fold with each 12-h delay to tocilizumab., Conclusions: Among adults, cardiac injury and CV events are common post-CAR-T. There was a graded relationship among CRS, elevated troponin, and CV events, and a shorter time from CRS onset to tocilizumab was associated with a lower rate of CV events., (Copyright © 2019 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Preclinical studies suggest that bb2121, a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy that targets B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA), has potential for the treatment of multiple myeloma., Methods: In this phase 1 study involving patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, we administered bb2121 as a single infusion at doses of 50×10 6 , 150×10 6 , 450×10 6 , or 800×10 6 CAR-positive (CAR+) T cells in the dose-escalation phase and 150×10 6 to 450×10 6 CAR+ T cells in the expansion phase. Patients had received at least three previous lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor and an immunomodulatory agent, or were refractory to both drug classes. The primary end point was safety., Results: Results for the first 33 consecutive patients who received a bb2121 infusion are reported. The data-cutoff date was 6.2 months after the last infusion date. Hematologic toxic effects were the most common events of grade 3 or higher, including neutropenia (in 85% of the patients), leukopenia (in 58%), anemia (in 45%), and thrombocytopenia (in 45%). A total of 25 patients (76%) had cytokine release syndrome, which was of grade 1 or 2 in 23 patients (70%) and grade 3 in 2 patients (6%). Neurologic toxic effects occurred in 14 patients (42%) and were of grade 1 or 2 in 13 patients (39%). One patient (3%) had a reversible grade 4 neurologic toxic effect. The objective response rate was 85%, including 15 patients (45%) with complete responses. Six of the 15 patients who had a complete response have had a relapse. The median progression-free survival was 11.8 months (95% confidence interval, 6.2 to 17.8). All 16 patients who had a response (partial response or better) and who could be evaluated for minimal residual disease (MRD) had MRD-negative status (≤10 -4 nucleated cells). CAR T-cell expansion was associated with responses, and CAR T cells persisted up to 1 year after the infusion., Conclusions: We report the initial toxicity profile of a BCMA-directed cellular immunotherapy for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Antitumor activity was documented. (Funded by Bluebird Bio and Celgene; CRB-401 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02658929.)., (Copyright © 2019 Massachusetts Medical Society.)