The addition of daratumumab – or in this particular study – Darzalex to bortezomib, lenalidomide and dexamethasone (VRd) induced higher response rates in newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma who were eligible for high-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) compared with VRd alone.
Peter M. Voorhees, the leader of the study at Levine Cancer institute, said that this study is the second randomized study to investigate the benefit of daratumumab for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are eligible for a transplant, and the first in combination with lenalidomide for this population. He said this study adds to the growing body of evidence for the addition of daratumumab to proteasome inhibitor/immunomodulatory combination therapy in the transplant setting.
Results from the Phase 2 Griffin study showed that a greater percentage of patients receiving Darzalex-VRd achieved the primary endpoint of stringent complete response (sCR) compared with VRd alone.
Andree Amelsberg, Vice President, Oncology Medical Affairs, Janssen Biotech, said that this primary analysis of the study builds on the safety and efficacy data in the initial group of 16 patients. Amelsberg said it provides further support for evaluation of Darzalex in the transplant-eligible patient population.“(This)is important as we continue our work to discover new therapeutic approaches to improve outcomes for patients,” sai Amelsberg.