The Haematology Service of the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, in collaboration with IDIVAL, has participated in an international clinical trial that opens up new possibilities in the treatment of Multiple Myeloma, a type of blood cancer that is difficult to treat. The results have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, one of the most prestigious medical journals in the world (Q1), which reflects the high impact and relevance of this research.
The clinical trial is a phase I/II trial, which means that it evaluates the safety, side effects and optimal dose of a new treatment, as well as its efficacy in a specific disease, allowing results to be obtained faster or with fewer patients.
Immunotherapy has changed the way certain types of cancer are fought, allowing the immune system to identify and attack malignant cells. In this study, the combination of two bispecific antibodies, teclistamab and talquetamab, which activate T-cells to attack myeloma on two different fronts, improving the efficacy of treatment, was tested for the first time.
The trial included 94 patients with advanced disease resistant to other treatments. The results have been very positive: 80% of patients treated at the recommended dose responded to therapy, and in 86% of cases the improvement was sustained for 18 months. In patients with more aggressive forms of the disease, the response rate was 61%, with 82% stable over time. Although the treatment can cause side effects, mainly infections, these were well managed.
This study has been possible thanks to the efforts of the IDIVAL and Valdecilla research team, which works closely with international groups to develop innovative therapies.
The results obtained support the evaluation of this drug combination as a possible new standard for treating advanced Multiple Myeloma, especially in the most aggressive cases. This publication reinforces IDIVAL’s role as a reference centre in the search for new therapeutic solutions for oncohematological diseases.
