Results from one of Johnson & Johnson’s 2023 key clinical trials. This bodes very well for the future prospects of multiple myeloma CAR-T Carvykti.
Carvykti (ciltacabtagene autoleucel), a BCMA-directed cell therapy, has experienced slow growth since it was first approved by the FDA in March 2022 as a fifth-line and beyond treatment for multiple myeloma. 4 May be used early in research. treatment route.
The study, which tested Carvykti in patients who had received 1-3 lines of prior therapy, allowed J&J to compete with Bristol-Myers Squibb, now also indicated as a 5th line, and BCMA CAR-T, a competitor to 2Seventy bio. You can get the chance to jump over the therapy Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel). or subsequent treatment for blood cancers.
CAR-T, which partners with Legend Biotech, has yet to reach sales levels to justify being reported in J&J’s quarterly results, in part due to manufacturing issues. We’ve reached the first quarter of the year.
Legend has it that Carvykti made $55 million in the fourth quarter last week. Meanwhile, Abecma, which hit the market about a year before Carvykti, surpassed his $100 million in sales in the third quarter of 2022, with nine-month sales surpassing his $263 million. became. BMS plans to report fourth-quarter results on February 2nd.
Kartitude-4 Carvykti was compared with triplet multiple myeloma regimens of pomalidomide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (PVd) or daratumumab, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone (DPd) in patients who relapsed after at least one lenalidomide-containing regimen. bottom. Cancer radiotherapy.
Following the significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) in the Carvykti group, the study was unblinded on the recommendation of an independent data monitoring committee.
J&J Chief Executive Officer Joaquin Duato said on the company’s first quarter conference call that multiple myeloma will be the most important driver for the company’s pharmaceutical division in the next few years.
Expanding use of Carvykti will move the anti-CD38 antibody Darzalex (daratumumab) into first-line therapy and two bispecific antibodies, the recently approved BCMAxCD3 drug Tecvayli (teclistamab) and the recently filed GPRC5DxCD3 candidate. is an important factor in the growth of Tarquetamab.
BMS, of course, also hopes to move Abecma into the early treatment of multiple myeloma, with promising results from the KarMMa-3 trial reported last August for lenalidomide and Darzalex treatments.
Final results from CARTITUDE-4, including the secondary endpoint of overall survival, will be presented at a future medical meeting. This should allow comparison of Carvykti and Abecma on previous treatments.
Some analysts are already predicting blockbuster sales if J&J’s CAR-T can get rapid approval for second-line treatment. The population is estimated to be approximately 3,000 with use of fifth-line therapy for approximately 36,000 patients annually.
Meanwhile, both J&J and BMS are testing their respective CAR-Ts as first-line therapy in the CARTITUDE-5/CARTITUDE-6 and KarMMa-9 trials that started last year.
