Strategy for the treatment of multiple myeloma utilizing monoclonal antibodies: A new era begins

Abstract

Novel agents, such as immunomodulantory drugs (IMiDs) and proteasome inhibitors (PI), have significantly improved overall survival of multiple myeloma (MM) patients. Yet, MM remains an incurable disease, relapse inevitably occurs and patients tend to become resistant to subsequent treatments. This led to the evaluation of new treatment strategies. The recent development of monoclonal antibodies is changing the treatment algorithm of MM by increasing the therapeutic armamentarium. Elotuzumab and Daratumumab were shown to be very effective and are likely to be soon approved by the FDA. Other antibodies are in pre-clinical or early clinical phases of evaluation and further investigation and more robust data are needed. This review will give an overview of the most active monoclonal antibodies against MM.

Keywords:

• Daratumumab
• elotuzumab
• multiple myeloma
• monoclonal antibodies
• novel agents
• SAR650984
• siltuximab

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the assistance of Giorgio Schirripa.

Potential conflict of interest

SB has received honoraria from Celgene, Janssen-Cilag and Novartis; consultancy fees from Onyx, and served on the advisory committee for Merck Sharp & Dohme; AP has received honoraria and consultancy fees from Amgen, Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Genmab A/S, Celgene, Janssen-Cilag, Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi Aventis. Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text of this article at http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/10428194.2015.1102245.