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Answering the Transplant Question for Newly Diagnosed Patients - The FASTER Study image

Answering the Transplant Question for Newly Diagnosed Patients - The FASTER Study

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Oct 19, 2026
Description

For three decades, a stem cell transplant has been a standard part of care for newly diagnosed myeloma patients who are eligible for one. But with powerful immunotherapies moving earlier into treatment, a question patients ask us constantly is finally being put to the test: is transplant still necessary?
Dr. Timothy Schmidt of the University of Wisconsin joins us to discuss FASTER, a COMMIT consortium trial he co-chairs. After induction therapy, FASTER randomly assigns patients to either a bispecific antibody combination — elranatamab plus daratumumab — or to transplant followed by standard maintenance. MRD testing then guides what happens next. Patients with disease still detectable after a year cross over to the other approach, and patients who reach sustained MRD negativity may be able to stop treatment entirely and simply be watched.
We talk about what transplant really asks of a patient, who might still need one, how bispecific antibodies work, infection risk and how it's managed, and what it means to stop myeloma treatment after years of being told maintenance continues indefinitely.

On this episode
Healthtree contact Jenny Ahlstrom

Jenny Ahlstrom

Myeloma survivor, patient advocate, wife, mom of 6. Believer that patients can help accelerate a cure by weighing in and participating in clinical research. Founder of the HealthTree Foundation.
Healthtree contact Timothy Schmidt, MD

Timothy Schmidt, MD

Dr. Timothy Schmidt is a faculty member of the Division of Hematology, Medical Oncology, and Palliative Care within the Department of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is a member of the American Society of Hematology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the International Myeloma Society. Dr. Schmidt also serves as a peer reviewer for clinical hematology journals and is involved in medical education for trainees, medical professionals, and patient outreach organizations. His clinical interest is in management of hematological malignancies, including the use of bone marrow transplantation and CAR-T cell therapy. In his clinic, he specializes in caring for patients with multiple myeloma and other plasma cell disorders including monoclonal gammopathies and amyloidosis. Dr. Schmidt’s research focuses on improving outcomes for patients with multiple myeloma. He is involved in the development and conduct of early phase and cooperative group clinical trials for patients with plasma cell disorders. Dr. Schmidt is interested in differentiating patterns of disease biology that lead to variable outcomes among patients with multiple myeloma. Through outcomes research and scientific collaborations with laboratory-based researchers, Dr. Schmidt hopes to translate these findings into clinical trials that aim to clarify how treatment may be tailored for individual patients to improve survival and reduce toxicity.

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