Site Editors
Shaji K. Kumar, MD
Prashant Kapoor, MD, FACP
Shaji K. Kumar, MD
Prashant Kapoor, MD, FACP
Posted: Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Given the clinical benefits of the monoclonal antibody elotuzumab in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma observed in the ELOQUENT-2 and ELOQUENT-3 trials, current research has been focused on determining whether there may be a role for elotuzumab-containing regimens in the newly diagnosed setting. According to the GMMG-HD6 trial published in The Lancet Haematology, however, adding elotuzumab to the standard induction and consolidation regimen of lenalidomide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (RVd) and lenalidomide maintenance therapy did not improve clinical outcomes in this patient population, explained Hartmut Goldschmid, MD, of the University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany, and colleagues.
“The GMMG-HD6 trial complements the existing evidence on the use of elotuzumab in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma,” stated the investigators. Although long-term follow-up of this trial is ongoing, there appears to be no survival benefit with the addition of elotuzumab in the induction and consolidation regimens assessed in this study.
From 2015 to 2017, a total of 564 patients with symptomatic multiple myeloma were recruited for the study; all were treatment-naive. Patients were randomly assigned to one of four treatment regimens. Regimen 1 consisted of RVd induction and consolidation therapy followed by lenalidomide maintenance therapy. Regimen 2 included RVd induction therapy, elotuzumab plus RVd consolidation therapy, and elotuzumab/lenalidomide maintenance therapy. Regimen 3 consisted of elotuzumab plus RVd induction therapy, RVd consolidation therapy, and lenalidomide maintenance therapy. Regimen 4 included elotuzumab plus RVd induction and consolidation therapy followed by elotuzumab/lenalidomide maintenance therapy.
No significant differences in progression-free survival rates between the four treatment groups were observed after the median follow-up of 49.8 months. The rate of 3-year progression-free survival was 69% for regimen 1, 69% for regimen 2, 66% for regimen 3, and 67% for regimen 4. In addition, the most common treatment-related adverse event reported in all groups was infection. Severe treatment-related adverse events were experienced by 39%, 38%, 36%, and 48% of patients in the regimens 1 through 4, respectively.
Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit thelancet.com.
JNCCN Spotlights
