Latest Myeloma Research from ASH 2025: CARTITUDE-4 updates, GLP-1s and MGUS, and Live Vaccination After ASCT

The 2025 American Society of Hematology’s Annual Meeting is currently underway in Orlando, Florida between December 6 to 9. At this conference, researchers testing new and existing treatments for blood cancers have gathered to present their latest results. 

Below you will find some of the latest multiple myeloma research that was presented on the first two days of the conference. 

Update from CARTITUDE-4 shows earlier use of cilta-cel improves survival for patients with standard-risk relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma

Ciltacabtagene autoleucel (Carvykti, Janssen Biotech, Inc.), also known as cilta-cel, is a BCMA-directed CAR T-cell therapy. It is currently approved to treat relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least three prior lines of therapy and disease progression on or after the last chemotherapy regimen. 

CARTITUDE-4 (NCT04181827) is an ongoing clinical trial following patients who have received cilta-cel after 1 or more prior lines of therapy. In the group of patients with standard-risk, relapsed or refractory myeloma were treated with 1 infusion of cilta-cel, there was a  progression-free survival (PFS) of 80.5% and an overall survival (OS) of 87.3% after 30 months. This means that 80.5% of patients had not had disease progression in 30 months, and 87.3% of patients were alive after 2.5 years. In earlier trials studying cilta-cel after 3 or more prior lines of therapy, this group of patients had a PFS of 59.9% and an OS of 70.6%.

Read this abstract: Long-term progression-free survival benefit with ciltacabtagene autoleucel in standard-risk relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Data includes updated numbers presented during the ASH conference on December 6, 2025.

GLP-1s could lower the risk of progression from MGUS to smoldering myeloma or active multiple myeloma

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a benign precursor condition of multiple myeloma. For some people, MGUS can turn into smoldering myeloma or active myeloma. Finding ways to prevent MGUS progression is an important research topic. GLP-1 receptor agonists are a medication used to treat diabetes and obesity. Other benefits of these medications have been identified, including reducing the risk of certain types of cancers. 

In an analysis of over 13,000 real-world patients, researchers found that patients with MGUS who also took a GLP-1 had a 70% lower risk of progressing to smoldering myeloma. People with smoldering myeloma had a 37% lower risk of progressing to active myeloma. Researchers suspect this may be because the GLP-1 medications affect obesity-related and inflammatory pathways that also impact MGUS progression. 

Read this abstract: Glp-1 receptor agonist use is associated with lower risk of progression from MGUS to SMM or MM in large real-world cohort. 

Research suggests live measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine may be safe for patients with multiple myeloma receiving daratumumab after an autologous stem cell transplant

After an autologous stem cell transplant, the immune system cannot fight infections like it could before. Revaccination after an ASCT is important, but not all vaccines are considered safe for these patients. Inactive vaccines, such as flu, COVID-19, and pneumococcal, are recommended within three months after an ASCT. But live vaccines are currently not recommended for at least two years after an ASCT. 

Live vaccines use a weakened form of the disease to help the immune system develop antibodies. Antibodies help the immune system fight that illness if exposed. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is an important live vaccine that is typically given in childhood. Because of vaccine hesitancy in the United States, there are more and more cases of measles every year. This can be dangerous for people with multiple myeloma who are immunocompromised and no longer have antibodies from their childhood MMR vaccine after an ASCT. 

New research presented at the 2025 ASH Annual Meeting suggests that the live MMR vaccine may be safe for people with multiple myeloma who have had an ASCT and are receiving daratumumab. There were 41 patients with multiple myeloma who had received an ASCT and were receiving treatment with daratumumab and other medications  enrolled in the study. All 41 were given the live MMR vaccine. None of the patients in the clinical trial developed active measles, mumps, or rubella after vaccination. There were no hospitalizations or deaths reported after vaccination. 

This is a small sample size and there have not been changes to the current recommendations, but this is an important step in understanding how live vaccines affect people who have had an ASCT. Always talk to your health care team about which vaccines you should get after an ASCT.

Read this abstract: Safety of live-attenuated MMR vaccination in patients with multiple myeloma receiving daratumumab after autologous stem cell transplantation. 

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