New results suggest earlier treatment may increase the likelihood of long-term remission
Study adds to Johnson & Johnson's overwhelming body of evidence supporting its innovative multiple myeloma therapies in second line, where earlier intervention may increase long-term remission and disease control
Sept. 25, 2026 -- Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), a worldwide leader in multiple myeloma therapies, announced today new long-term follow-up data from the initial subgroup of cohort A in the Phase 2 CARTITUDE-2 study (N=20) showing that 50% of patients (10/20) in early line relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) who were treated with a single infusion of CARVYKTI® (ciltacabtagene autoleucel; cilta-cel) remained alive and progression-free for at least five years without maintenance therapy.1 These results build on the durable, treatment-free remissions observed in the CARTITUDE-1 study, which evaluated patients in later lines of therapy, and reinforce that earlier treatment with CARVYKTI® may increase long-term remission and disease control. Together, these findings add to the emerging evidence suggesting that CARVYKTI® may have curative potential in some patients.
Findings were presented at the International Myeloma Society (IMS) Annual Meeting (Abstract #PA-288).
Expert and company perspectives on earlier treatment-free remissions with CARVYKTI®
"Five years ago, treatment-free remissions of this duration were difficult to imagine for many patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma," said Niels van de Donk, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Hematology, University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.* "These new CARVYKTI findings provide additional evidence that when highly effective, established therapies are used earlier in the disease course, more patients may have the opportunity to achieve deep, durable remissions and long-term disease control without maintenance."
"These results add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that CARVYKTI may have curative potential for some patients, and reinforce the value of bringing highly effective therapies to patients earlier in their treatment journey," said Yusri Elsayed, M.D., M.H.Sc., Ph.D., Global Therapeutic Area Head, Oncology, Johnson & Johnson. "As we continue to advance a portfolio of complementary and combinable therapies, these findings reinforce our commitment to pursuing curative approaches and redefining what patients can expect from multiple myeloma treatment."
CARTITUDE-2 cohort A (N=20) enrolled patients with RRMM who had received one to three prior lines of therapy, were exposed to a proteasome inhibitor, and were refractory to lenalidomide.1 The primary endpoint was minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity.1 Patients from initial cohort A were followed to assess long-term outcomes following a single CARVYKTI® infusion without maintenance therapy.1
At a median follow-up of 60.7 months:
Half of the patients (n=10, 50%) remained alive and progression-free at five years
The five-year overall survival rate was 69.2%
Median progression-free survival was 60.5 months
Patients received a single CARVYKTI® infusion without maintenance therapy
At five years, MRD was assessed by bone marrow in three patients and was not required per protocol.1 All three patients were MRD-negative at the deepest level tested (10-6), indicating no detectable disease using highly sensitive testing methods.1
Long-term remissions were observed even among patients with high-risk disease features.1 Of the 10 patients who remained alive and progression-free at five years, five had at least one high-risk cytogenetic abnormality, including four patients with two or more high-risk features.1
The safety profile observed with longer follow-up was consistent with the known safety profile of CARVYKTI®, with no new CAR T-cell-related neurotoxicity reported.1 Since the previous analysis, one patient developed a new hematologic malignancy (acute myeloid leukemia) and two deaths occurred due to progressive disease and new cancer.1
CARTITUDE-2 (NCT04133636) is an ongoing, multicohort Phase 2 study evaluating the efficacy and safety of ciltacabtagene autoleucel (CARVYKTI®) in patients in different clinical settings, including patients with one to three prior lines of therapy, and continues to generate long-term follow-up data on depth and durability of response. CARTITUDE-2 findings have been presented at major medical congresses, including the International Myeloma Society (IMS) Annual Meeting, and contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting earlier use of CARVYKTI® in multiple myeloma.
Multiple myeloma is a complex blood cancer that affects a type of white blood cell called plasma cells, which are found in the bone marrow.2 In multiple myeloma, these plasma cells proliferate and spread rapidly and replace normal cells in the bone marrow with tumors.3 Multiple myeloma is the third most common blood cancer worldwide.4 More than 180,000 new cases of multiple myeloma are diagnosed globally each year.5 People living with multiple myeloma have a 5-year survival rate of 59.8%.6 While some people diagnosed with multiple myeloma initially have no symptoms, most patients are diagnosed due to symptoms that can include bone fracture or pain, low red blood cell counts, tiredness, high calcium levels and kidney problems or infections.7,8 In recent years, potential overall survival has improved from years to decades for some patients, with effective treatment options now available across every stage and line of therapy.9
Johnson & Johnson is a global leader in multiple myeloma therapies, with a broad and differentiated portfolio designed to address the complexity and heterogeneity of the disease. Our portfolio spans multiple mechanisms of action, targets and treatment modalities, including CD38-directed therapies, BCMA- and GPRC5D-targeting bispecific antibodies, and cellular therapies.
Over the past decade, Johnson & Johnson therapies have helped extend survival for patients with multiple myeloma. With the right medicines, used as early as possible, combined and sequenced for the best results, Johnson & Johnson is expanding treatment options to match the right therapy to the right patient at the right stage of disease and drive deeper and more durable responses.
Through ongoing research and a robust clinical program, Johnson & Johnson is committed to transforming multiple myeloma into a more manageable condition that is no longer treated to progression but has the potential to, ultimately, be cured.
CARVYKTI® (cilta-cel) received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in February 2022 for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma after four or more prior lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody.10
In April 2024, CARVYKTI® was approved in the U.S. for treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior line of therapy including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent, and who are refractory to lenalidomide, following a unanimous (11 to 0) FDA Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) recommendation in support of this new indication. In April 2024, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved a Type II variation for CARVYKTI® for the treatment of adults with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy, including an immunomodulatory agent and a proteasome inhibitor, have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy, and are refractory to lenalidomide. In September 2022, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) approved CARVYKTI® for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in patients that have no history of CAR-positive T cell infusion therapy targeting BCMA and who have received three or more lines of therapies, including an immunomodulatory agent, a proteasome inhibitor and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, and in whom multiple myeloma has not responded to or has relapsed following the most recent therapy. In July 2026, CARVYKTI® obtained a label expansion in Japan, allowing its use in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least on prior therapy.
CARVYKTI® is a BCMA-directed, autologous T-cell immunotherapy, which involves reprogramming a patient's own T-cells with a transgene encoding chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) that directs the CAR-positive T cells to eliminate cells that express BCMA. BCMA is primarily expressed on the surface of malignant multiple myeloma B-lineage cells, as well as late-stage B cells and plasma cells. The CARVYKTI® CAR protein features two BCMA-targeting single domains designed to confer high avidity against human BCMA. Upon binding to BCMA-expressing cells, the CAR promotes T-cell activation, expansion, and elimination of target cells. CARVYKTI® is available in 17 markets worldwide and has been used to treat more than 13,000 patients globally.
In December 2017, Janssen Biotech, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, entered into an exclusive worldwide license and collaboration agreement with Legend Biotech USA, Inc. to develop and commercialize CARVYKTI®.
At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity.
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