What Should Patients with Multiple Myeloma Know After ASCO 2025?

Dr. Joshua K. Sabari and Dr. Nausheen Ahmed sat down to discuss topline takeaways in the realm of hematologic malignancies following the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting, highlighting what patients should know following the meeting.

"We had a great ASCO Meeting [with updates across] the myeloma and lymphoma fields. I am going to highlight some of the some of the studies that were presented that were [most] interesting," Ahmed began.

To kick things off, Ahmed highlighted the phase 3 PERSEUS trial which evaluated transplant-eligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, and in the study, investigators evaluated treatment with subcutaneous Darzalex (daratumumab) plus Velcade (bortezomib), Revlimid (lenalidomide), dexamethasone and Revlimid maintenance versus standard Velcade, Revlimid, and dexamethasone. The trial showed an improvement in stringent complete response and minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity with the investigate regimen compared with standard of care.

Ahmed continued by touching on the ADVANCE trial in the transplant-eligible, newly diagnosed myeloma patient population. The study evaluated treatment with Kyprolis (carfilzomib), Revlimid, and dexamethasone with or without Darzalex (daratumumab), finding that the investigative treatment showed a statistically significant improvement in minimal residual disease negativity, with no new safety signals.

She also touched on key takeaways in the lymphoma patient population, highlighting cellular therapies specifically. Ahmed highlighted the phase 1 study of KITE-363, an anti-CD19/CD20 CAR-T cell therapy for those with relapsed/refractory B -cell lymphoma. Investigators found that utilizing the therapeutic had a favorable safety and efficacy profile, and demonstrated a potential role as a next-generation CAR T product.

“Thank you, Dr. Ahmed,” Dr. Sabari concluded. “That was a beautiful and exhaustive list of different abstracts presented at ASCO 2025. It's great to hear that the number of therapies being developed and approved for our patients with hematologic malignancies. Thank you for joining us and thank you for imparting your wisdom on our CURE readership.”

Ahmed is a board-certified hematologist and associate professor, Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics, at The University of Kansas, KU Medical Center. Sabari is the editor in chief of CURE. He also serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and director of High Reliability Organization Initiatives at Perlmutter Cancer Center.

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