2025-06-03
Single infusion of CARVYKTI® (ciltacabtagene autoleucel) delivered lasting treatment-free remissions for at least five years in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma
New long-term CARTITUDE-1 data show one-third of patients treated with CARVYKTI® remain progression-free CARTITUDE-4 analysis shows compelling overall survival and progression-free benefits in standard and high-risk subgroups across prior lines of treatmentCHICAGO, June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) announced today new long-term follow-up data from the Phase 1b/2 CARTITUDE-1 study demonstrating 33 percent (n=32) of patients in the study (n=97) with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) treated with CARVYKTI® (ciltacabtagene autoleucel; cilta-cel) achieved progression-free survival (PFS) of five years or more with a single infusion and no maintenance or subsequent anti-myeloma therapy.1 These data underscore Johnson & Johnson's dedication to advancing transformative therapies that aim to reshape the treatment landscape for patients with multiple myeloma. In a subset of 12 patients who underwent serial evaluations at a single site, all were minimal residual disease (MRD) negative and imaging negative throughout five years of post-treatment follow-up. Findings were featured in an oral presentation at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting (Abstract #7507). The data were also simultaneously published in The Journal of Clinical Oncology."This new evidence shows how a single infusion of CARVYKTI can help patients survive without disease progression much longer than previously thought possible in this setting, and without any maintenance or subsequent treatment," said Peter M. Voorhees*, M.D., Clinical Professor of Hematology and Oncology at Atrium Health, Levine Cancer Institute at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. "In a heavily pre-treated population, a third of patients remained treatment- and progression-free for at least five years."The Phase 1b/2 CARTITUDE-1 study (n=97) evaluated CARVYKTI® for the treatment of heavily pre-treated patients with RRMM. Patients who remained progression free for at least five years (n=32) had a median of six prior lines of therapy and included subgroups with high-risk cytogenetics (23.3 percent), extramedullary disease (12.5 percent), triple-class refractory (90.6 percent), and penta-drug refractory (46.9 percent). At a median follow-up of 61.3 months, median overall survival (OS) was 60.7 months (95 percent confidence interval [CI] 41.9, not estimable [NE]), highlighting the depth and durability of response with CARVYKTI®.With longer follow up, the safety profile in CARTITUDE-1 was consistent with the known safety profile of CARVYKTI®, with no new safety signals observed. There were two newly reported second primary malignancies (both solid tumors) and no new Parkinsonism events or cranial nerve palsies.Additional data from another CARVYKTI® study, CARTITUDE-4, presented at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting evaluated PFS and OS versus standard of care in prespecified subgroups, including patients with standard and high-risk cytogenetics, extramedullary disease and by line of therapy (Abstract #7539). Results demonstrated that CARVYKTI® improved PFS and OS across subgroups. In patients with standard-risk disease after one to three prior lines of treatment, PFS curves indicate stability in survival rates."Across our multiple myeloma portfolio and pipeline, we are shifting from treating to progression to treating to cure," said Jordan Schecter, M.D., Vice President, Research & Development, Multiple Myeloma, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine. "Our focus is to extend patient survival, and based on our expertise of the disease biology, develop treatment regimens with curative potential."Results will also be presented at the upcoming European Hematology Association (EHA) 2025 Congress.About the CARTITUDE-1 Study CARTITUDE-1 (NCT03548207) is a Phase 1b/2, open-label, multicenter study that evaluated the efficacy and safety of cilta-cel in adults with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM), 99 percent of whom were refractory to the last line of treatment; 88 percent of whom were triple-class refractory, meaning their cancer did not or no longer responds to an immunomodulatory agent, a proteasome inhibitor and an anti-CD38 antibody.2 The primary objective of the Phase 1b portion of the study, involving 29 patients, was to characterize the safety and confirm the dose of cilta-cel, informed by the first-in-human study with LCAR-B38M CAR-T cells (LEGEND-2). Based on the safety profile observed in this portion of the study, outpatient dosing is being evaluated in additional CARTITUDE studies. The Phase 2 portion of the study is evaluating the efficacy of cilta-cel with overall response as the primary endpoint. The study involved patients with heavily pretreated RRMM who historically have an expected median progression-free survival of About CARTITUDE-4 CARTITUDE-4 (NCT04181827) is the first randomized Phase 3 study evaluating the efficacy and safety of CARVYKTI®. The study compares CARVYKTI® with standard of care treatments PVd or DPd in adult patients with relapsed and lenalidomide-refractory multiple myeloma who received one to three prior lines of therapy. The primary endpoint of the study is progression-free survival (PFS); safety, OS, minimal residual disease negative rate and overall response rate are secondary endpoints. About CARVYKTI® (ciltacabtagene autoleucel; cilta-cel) CARVYKTI® (cilta-cel) received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in February 2022 for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma after four or more prior lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody.3 In April 2024, CARVYKTI® was approved as the first and only cell therapy in the U.S. for treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior line of therapy including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent, and who are refractory to lenalidomide. In April 2024, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved a Type II variation for CARVYKTI® for the treatment of adults with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy, including an immunomodulatory agent and a proteasome inhibitor, have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy, and are refractory to lenalidomide. CARVYKTI® is a BCMA-directed, genetically modified autologous T-cell immunotherapy that involves reprogramming a patient's own T-cells with a transgene encoding chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) that directs the CAR-positive T cells to eliminate cells that express BCMA. BCMA is primarily expressed on the surface of malignant multiple myeloma B-lineage cells, as well as late-stage B cells and plasma cells. The CARVYKTI® CAR protein features two BCMA-targeting single domains designed to confer high avidity against human BCMA. Upon binding to BCMA-expressing cells, the CAR promotes T-cell activation, expansion, and elimination of target cells. In December 2017, Janssen Biotech, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, entered into an exclusive worldwide license and collaboration agreement with Legend Biotech USA, Inc. to develop and commercialize CARVYKTI®. For more information, visit www.CARVYKTI.com. About Multiple Myeloma Multiple myeloma is an incurable blood cancer that affects a type of white blood cell called plasma cells, which are found in the bone marrow.4 In multiple myeloma, these plasma cells proliferate and spread rapidly and replace normal cells in the bone marrow with tumors.5 Multiple myeloma is the third most common blood cancer worldwide and remains an incurable disease.6 In 2024, it was estimated that more than 35,000 people will be diagnosed with multiple myeloma in the U.S. and more than 12,000 people would die from the disease.7 People living with multiple myeloma have a 5-year survival rate of 59.8 percent.8 While some people diagnosed with multiple myeloma initially have no symptoms, most patients are diagnosed due to symptoms that can include bone fracture or pain, low red blood cell counts, tiredness, high calcium levels and kidney problems or infections.9,10CARVYKTI® IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION INDICATIONS AND USAGE CARVYKTI® (ciltacabtagene autoleucel) is a B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed genetically modified autologous T cell immunotherapy indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, who have received at least 1 prior line of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor and an immunomodulatory agent, and are refractory to lenalidomide. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION WARNING: CYTOKINE RELEASE SYNDROME, NEUROLOGIC TOXICITIES, HLH/MAS, PROLONGED and RECURRENT CYTOPENIA, and SECONDARY HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCIES Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), including fatal or life-threatening reactions, occurred in patients following treatment with CARVYKTI®. Do not administer CARVYKTI® to patients with active infection or inflammatory disorders. Treat severe or life-threatening CRS with tocilizumab or tocilizumab and corticosteroids. Immune Effector Cell-Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome (ICANS), which may be fatal or life-threatening, occurred following treatment with CARVYKTI®, including before CRS onset, concurrently with CRS, after CRS resolution, or in the absence of CRS. Monitor for neurologic events after treatment with CARVYKTI®. Provide supportive care and/or corticosteroids as needed. Parkinsonism and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and their associated complications resulting in fatal or life-threatening reactions have occurred following treatment with CARVYKTI®.Full story available on Benzinga.com
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