Efficacy of Upfront Daratumumab Combination Regimen in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma

Introduction:

Management of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM), which accounts for 1% of all cancers, is an area in dire need of therapeutic innovation. In recent years, the introduction of novel agents is one of the major advances in the management of patients with NDMM, in both transplant- eligible and transplant- ineligible candidates. Studies have combined daratumumab, a human IgGκ monoclonal antibody that targets CD38 which is highly expressed on myeloma cells, with proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory agents-based regimens in the first-line treatment of NDMM. The purpose of our study is to explore and consolidate the efficacy of upfront daratumumab combination regimen in patients with NDMM.

Methods:

We systematically conducted a comprehensive literature search using MEDLINE, EMBASE databases and meeting abstracts from inception through June 2019. Phase III RCTs utilizing daratumumab in patients with newly diagnosed/ untreated multiple myeloma were incorporated in the analysis. A generic inverse variance method was used to calculate the estimated pooled hazard ratio (HR) for progression-free survival (PFS) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Mantel-Haenszel (MH) method was used to calculate the estimated pooled risk ratio (RR) for overall response rate (ORR), including stringent complete response (sCR), CR and very good partial response (VGPR). Heterogeneity was assessed with Cochran's Q -statistic. Random effects model was applied.

Results:

Three phase III RCTs with a total of 2,528 patients with NDMMwere included.Studies compared daratumumab (D) + bortezomib (V) + melphan (M) + prednisone (P) vs VMP, D + lenalidomide (R) + dexamethasone (d) vs Rd, and DVd + thalidomide (T) vs VTd. The randomization ratio was 1:1 in all studies. The I²statistic for heterogeneity was 0, suggesting homogeneity among RCT. The pooled HR for PFS was statistically significant at 0.52 (95% CI: 0.44-0.61; P < 0.0001). The PFS benefit was observed in all ISS categories, types of immunoglobulin (Ig) and standard risk cytogenetic; ISS I cohort (HR, 0.55; 95% CI: 0.37- 0.82; P = 0.003), ISS II cohort (HR, 0.43; 95% CI: 0.33- 0.55; P < 0.0001), ISS III cohort (HR, 0.63; 95% CI: 0.48- 0.82; P = 0.0006), IgG cohort (HR, 0.56; 95% CI: 0.40- 0.77; P = 0.0003), non-IgG cohort (HR, 0.52; 95% CI: 0.28- 0.97; P = 0.04), and standard risk cytogenetic cohort (HR, 0.43; 95% CI: 0.35- 0.53; P < 0.0001). The pooled HR for PFS in high risk cytogenetic cohort was not statistically significant at 0.76 (95% CI: 0.53- 1.10; P = 0.15). The pooled RR for ORR was 1.13 (95% CI: 1.01-1.26; P = 0.03), sCR was 2.02 (95% CI: 1.33-3.08; P = 0.001), CR was 1.46 (95% CI: 1.20-1.79; P = 0.0002),and VGPR was 1.01 (95% CI: 0.82-1.25; P = 0.93). The pooled RR for negative minimal residual disease (MRD) was 2.54 (95% CI: 1.24-5.20; P = 0.01).

Conclusions:

Upfront combination regimen with daratumumab significantly improved PFS, ORR, sCR and CR along with negative MRD, compared to control arm in patients with NDMM. The improvement in PFS was noted across all subgroups except in high-risk cytogenetic group. More randomized studies are required to explore further novel agents and to formulate optimal combination regimen to improve survival in this high-risk cytogenetic subset.