The disease originates when the plasma cells, which are responsible for producing antibodies, grow uncontrollably. Now Argentine patients have a new therapeutic resource: the monoclonal antibody Isatuximab, which has been shown to reduce the risk of mortality and disease progression by 40%.
In addition, the drug managed to increase progression-free survival, which is the time it takes to stop the progression of the pathology.
It is called multiple myeloma because it affects several systems and organs at the same time, which is why patients can present very varied signs and symptoms, but anemia, kidney damage, hypercalcemia and bone lesions stand out as typical symptoms of this disease.
The disease is characterized by alternating episodes of remissions and relapses, which require various therapeutic approaches. Although progress has been made in better treatments, it is still an incurable disease, which is why the development of new and better therapeutic options is encouraging.
In recent decades, the mortality rate from this disease has decreased at a rate of 0.8% per year and the five-year survival rate after diagnosis has increased consistently since 1975.
“The disease usually produces relapses, more and more frequent, with treatments that are no longer effective, having to change to another therapeutic scheme. For this reason, the arrival of new molecules that allow us to respond to these patients is critical,” said Dr. Dorotea Fantl, member of the Hematology section of the Italian Hospital of Buenos Aires, advisor to the Argentine Myeloma Foundation and former president of the Argentine Society of Hematology.
A new monoclonal antibody, called Isatuximab, was recently approved in Argentina and is now available. In combination with Pomalidomide and Dexamethasone in patients with Multiple Myeloma who received two previous therapies, it was shown to reduce the risk of death or disease progression by 40%. disease and nearly doubled the time to myeloma progression compared to standard therapy (11.5 months versus 6.4 months).
“The use of this new medication, in combination with two others, allowed patients to spend almost a year with their disease under control, which represents an improvement of five months compared to the standard, an extremely auspicious improvement in a complex disease to treat” , stressed Dr. Juan Dupont, head of Hematology at CEMIC and president of the Argentine Society of Hematology.
Isatuximab was approved in combination with two other drugs (pomalidomide and dexamethasone) for the treatment of adult myeloma patients who have progressed on at least two prior therapies, including lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor.
The medication fights malignant cells by attaching to a receptor called CD38, which is found on the surface of all myeloma cells. “Myeloma is incurable, but response to treatment is important to maintain a favorable quality of life.
Negative minimal residual disease is the absence of detectable malignant cells after achieving complete remission. When this is achieved, we know that progression-free survival and overall survival are clearly better.
In different clinical studies, the use of Isatuximab, in different combinations, allows more patients to reach this therapeutic goal”, added Dr. Dupont.
Source: Infobae
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