CAR T-cell Therapy for Multiple Myeloma not Neurotoxic

In preliminary results from the phase II iMMagine-1 trial released today, the BCMA-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy anitocabtagene autoleucel (anito-cel) did not elicit any neurotoxicities, including Parkinson-like symptoms and cranial nerve palsies, in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Other BCMA-directed therapies have elicited neurologic side effects. The therapy, jointly developed by Arcellx and Gilead-owned Kite, led to overall and complete responses in 95% (55 out of 58) and 62% (36/58) of patients, respectively. Sixty-two percent of patients developed neutropenia, 26% developed thrombocytopenia, and 26% developed anemia of grade 3 or higher. More data will be presented at next month’s American Society of Hematology annual meeting.