Despite significant advancements in multiple myeloma (MM) treatment, MM remains largely incurable, particularly for relapsed or refractory cases. The focus on B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) as a target has shifted treatment approaches, with several BCMA-targeted therapies like antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific T cell engagers (BiTEs), and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies currently under investigation. These treatments aim to better serve heavily pretreated patients and may change treatment paradigms for both newly diagnosed and refractory MM cases.

Clinical trials play a crucial role in developing these BCMA-targeted therapies, demonstrating their potential to significantly improve progression-free and overall survival rates. These therapeutic strategies vary in mechanism—ranging from ADCs delivering cytotoxins directly to cancer cells to BiTEs and CAR-T cells that mobilize the immune system against cancer—all unified by their targeting of BCMA, which is highly expressed in myeloma cells. Ongoing research aims to refine these therapies’ efficacy and safety, optimize dosages, manage side effects, and potentially incorporate them into the standard care for MM.

Reference: Kleber M, Ntanasis-Stathopoulos I, Terpos E. BCMA in Multiple Myeloma-A Promising Key to Therapy. J Clin Med. 2021 Sep 10;10(18):4088. doi: 10.3390/jcm10184088. PMID: 34575199; PMCID: PMC8472544.