Stem cell boost improves hematologic recovery after real-world CAR-T therapy
Cytopenias are common in CAR-T therapy recipients with myeloma, often occurring within 30 days and persisting for 30–90 days after CAR-T infusion. In a retrospective multicenter real-world study, published in Blood Cancer Journal, autologous stem cell boost (SCB) improved hematologic recovery, as indicated by higher median hemoglobin levels and platelet counts, compared to supportive care alone.

Generation of in vivo CAR-T cells using site-specific transgene integration
Currently approved CAR-T therapies across indications, including myeloma, require time-intensive and costly ex vivo manufacture. In this context, methods for in vivo CAR-T cell generation are of great interest. In a report in Nature, researchers describe the development of a two-vector system that enables CAR transgene integration into a T cell-specific locus. At the 7^th IMS Workshop on Imune Effector Cell Therapies in Multiple Myeloma, to be held March 27–28, 2026, in Boston, the last session will focus on “In vivo Approaches” for myeloma CAR-T cell therapies.

Outpatient cilta-cel administration is safe and effective for heavily pretreated patients
With improved understanding and predictability of CAR-T–associated toxicities, use of outpatient administration of CAR-T therapies has increased. In a retrospective study comparing healthcare resource use (HRU), reported in the Journal of Medical Economics, outpatient administration of cilta-cel had comparable effectiveness and safety in patients with RRMM after ≥4 prior lines of therapy, with significantly lower HRU, compared to inpatient cilta-cel delivery.

Bispecifics have comparable real-world effectiveness in heavily pretreated myeloma
To date, the four approved bispecific antibodies/T-cell engagers have not been compared head-to-head in a randomized phase 3 trial. A retrospective real-world study compared the time to the next treatment, overall survival, and adverse events in patients with heavily pretreated RRMM who received either teclistamab or elranatamab. The findings, reported in Targeted Oncology, show comparable real-world effectiveness but different toxicity profiles of these bispecifics, supporting “individualized treatment selection,” the authors concluded.

Genetics-guided identification of therapeutic targets in myeloma
Researchers in the UK and USA leveraged a genetics-based statistical method – Mendelian randomization – to assess the causal relationship between 2923 circulating proteins and six B-cell malignancies, including myeloma. This approach, published in Blood Neoplasia, helped identify eight proteins significantly associated with risk of myeloma, including CD46, a complement regulator.

Second primary malignancy incidence is low in patients receiving CAR-T therapies  
The incidence of second primary malignancies (SPMs) in patients who received CAR-T therapies for myeloma, lymphoma, or leukemia was modest — 4.5% — according to a systematic literature review of data for over 20,000 CAR-T–treated patients across 131 studies. Prior therapy/risk factors were likely drivers of most SPMs, with only five out of 434 SPMs attributed to the CAR-T therapy. These findings were published in Cancer Treatment and Research Communications.