Daratumumab-Based Combination Therapy in Newly Diagnosed Myeloma: GRIFFIN Study Update
Posted: Monday, March 30, 2020
According to an update on the phase II GRIFFIN clinical trial, published in Blood and presented at the 2019 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting (Abstract 691), the addition of daratumumab to the combination regimen of lenalidomide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (RVd) led to improved responses in patients with multiple myeloma. “As seen in other randomized studies, continued use of daratumumab improved the depth of response,” concluded Peter M. Voorhees, MD, of the Levine Cancer Institute in North Carolina, and colleagues.
The study included 207 patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who were randomly assigned to receive either RVd plus daratumumab (n = 104) or RVd alone (n = 103). All participants underwent four induction cycles followed by the standard of care of high-dose therapy, autologous stem cell transplantation, and two cycles of consolidation before moving on to 24 months of maintenance therapy. Daratumumab was found to improve the stringent complete response rate of patients in that cohort, with responses deepening over time. At the end of induction therapy, the rate was 12% with daratumumab versus 7% without, increasing to 21% versus 14% after autologous stem cell transplantation and topping at 50% versus 37% at the cutoff date.
By the end of consolidation therapy, patients receiving daratumumab also experienced an improved overall response rate of 99% versus 92% in addition to superior rates of at least very good partial responses (91% vs. 73%) and complete responses (52% vs. 42%). Although no difference was noted in the rate of grade 3 or 4 infection between the treatment groups, patients receiving daratumumab experienced higher rates of grade 3 or 4 neutropenia (32% vs. 15%), thrombocytopenia (16% vs. 8%), and leukopenia (15% vs. 7%).
Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit ashpublications.org.
