Noopur Raje, MD, on the Future of Targeting BCMA in Myeloma

“It uses the same construct as [idecabtagene vicleucel], which we’re all familiar with,” Dr. Raje said.

Idecabtagene vicleucel is an autologous CAR T-cell product directed toward BCMA, and bb21217 is the “next generation of the same drug product,” she said.

“The difference here is that this autologous drug product is exposed to bb007 …  a PI3 kinase inhibitor,” Dr. Raje said. “And the rationale behind this is exposing it to the PI3 kinase inhibitor will enrich for a naïve memory-like phenotype.”

This mechanism may hold promise for improved clinical outcomes.

“By doing so the hope is that you’re going to see persistence of these T cells become better, and with that duration of responses should improve,” Dr. Raje said.