In December, clinical research teams activated the phase 1b Cilta-Talq Fusion Study, led by Othman Akhtar, MD, Assistant Professor of Hematology and Oncology. The investigator-initiated trial evaluates the safety and feasibility of using talquetamab as a bridging therapy prior to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy with cilta-cel in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MM).“We’re helping the patient’s disease stay stable during a critical window in their treatment,” said Dr. Akhtar. “By using a targeted immunotherapy while CAR T cells are being manufactured, we’re aiming to support patients through that waiting period and help ensure they can move forward with CAR T therapy as safely and effectively as possible.”
For patients with relapsed or refractory MM, CAR T-cell therapy has become an important treatment option, but access is not immediate. After a patient’s T cells are collected through apheresis, it can take several weeks for their personalized CAR T-cell product to be manufactured, during which time disease progression may occur.
The Cilta-Talq Fusion Study addresses this gap by incorporating talquetamab as a bridging therapy. Following apheresis, patients receive talquetamab, with the option for an additional cycle if manufacturing is delayed. Talquetamab is a bispecific antibody that targets a different antigen than cilta-cel and redirects the immune system to attack myeloma cells. “By sequentially targeting two distinct myeloma antigens, the study provides disease control during the manufacturing window while also exploring whether this approach may improve efficacy compared to historical treatment strategies,” added Dr. Akhtar.
Once manufacturing is complete, patients proceed with standard preparative chemotherapy followed by cilta-cel infusion. Ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel) is a CAR T-cell therapy that uses a patient’s own engineered immune cells to target BCMA, a protein commonly found on multiple myeloma cells and was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for adults with relapsed or refractory MM after prior therapies.
“MCW has the clinical expertise and research infrastructure to move innovative ideas like this directly into patient care,” said Dr. Akhtar. “As CAR T-cell and immunotherapy approaches continue to evolve in multiple myeloma, studies like this help us refine how these treatments are delivered and expand options for patients with relapsed or refractory disease.”