Dr. Ola Landgren Of MSKCC Selects His Top 5 ASH 2018 Myeloma Abstracts

If you wanted to find out what is the best treatment strategy for myeloma,  ask an expert myeloma specialist.  We used this same principle to identify the best of the best ASH 2018 myeloma abstracts.  We're releasing our Best of ASH series from myeloma experts early - just days in advance of the largest hematology meeting in the world. 

Dr. Ola Landgren  is one of the top myeloma specialists in the world.  He is Chief of the Myeloma Service in the Division of Hematologic Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. Previously, Dr. Landgren was the Chief of the Multiple Myeloma Section at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the Center for Cancer Research.  He is a board-certified hematologist-oncologist whose research focuses on the development of novel treatment strategies and advanced disease monitoring by new minimal residual disease (MRD) assays, as well as biological studies focusing on disease and host biology. He also studies the mechanism and markers of progression from MGUS/smoldering myeloma to symptomatic multiple myeloma, and the identification of high-risk precursor patients who may be candidates for early treatment. He has a strong interest in the development of early-treatment clinical trials targeting high-risk smoldering myeloma.   The following are Dr. Landgren's Top 5 myeloma abstracts in their order of importance.  You can click on the Abstract number below to go to the complete abstract.

1) Abstract 957 - JCARH125, Anti-BCMA CAR T-cell Therapy for Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma: Initial Proof of Concept Results from a Phase 1/2 Multicenter Study (EVOLVE)

First presentation from this Juno multicenter registrational BCMA CAR T cell study for relapsed myeloma. Will be exciting to see the data.  2) Abstract 1010 - Treatment with AMG 420, an Anti-B-Cell Maturation Antigen (BCMA) Bispecific T-Cell Engager (BiTE®) Antibody Construct, Induces Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) Negative Complete Responses in Relapsed and/or Refractory (R/R) Multiple Myeloma (MM) Patients: Results of a First-in-Human (FIH) Phase I Dose Escalation Study

First official presentation on the Amgen bispecific BCMA-CD3 monoclonal antibody. Preliminary data looks amazing.

3) Abstract 1994 - Updated Results from the Phase 2 Centaurus Study of Daratumumab (DARA) Monotherapy in Patients with Intermediate-Risk or High-Risk Smoldering Multiple Myeloma (SMM)

Daratumumab could become the first FDA approved drug for smoldering myeloma when ingoing phase 3 study reads out. Impressive efficacy with minimal toxicity. 

4) Abstract 589 - CAR T Cell Therapy Targeting G Protein-Coupled Receptor Class C Group 5 Member D (GPRC5D), a Novel Target for the Immunotherapy of Multiple Myeloma

Creative preclinical work aiming to use new targets - beyond BCMA - for myeloma CAR T cell therapy. Clinical protocol could open in January 2019 - fast moving field!

5) Abstract 3281 - Bone Marrow-Based and Longitudinal Blood-Based MRD Tracking in Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Patients Treated with Daratumumab, Carfilzomib, Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone (DKRd): A Correlative and Clinical Phase II Study

Novel blood based MRD assays compared Head-to-Head with both flow cytometry and next generation sequencing based bone marrow based asssays. Here tested in newly diagnosed myeloma treated with daratumumab-KRd therapy. Very promising data!

Thank You, Dr. Landgren for this excellent list, your leadership in myeloma treatment, early treatment for high risk smoldering patients, and the development of MRD testing.