Cevostamab in Patients with Heavily Pretreated Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (RRMM): Updated Results from an Ongoing Phase I Study Demonstrate Clinically Meaningful Activity and Manageable Safety and Inform the Doses and Regimen for Combination Studies
Authors: Richter Joshua , Thomas Sheeba K. , Krishnan Amrita Y , Laubach Jacob P. , Cohen Adam D. , Trudel Suzanne , Costa Luciano J. , Bahlis Nizar J. , Forsberg Peter A. , Kaedbey Rayan , Fonseca Rafael , Spencer Andrew , Rodríguez-Otero Paula , Mateos Maria-Victoria , Wong Chihunt , Cooper James , Tyagi Tulika , Nakamura Rin , Choeurng Voleak , Lesokhin Alexander M. 
Published: December 2024

Background: Fc receptor-homolog 5 (FcRH5) is a type I membrane protein that is expressed exclusively in the B-cell lineage, and at a higher level on multiple myeloma (MM) cells than on normal B cells. Cevostamab is a FcRH5xCD3 bispecific antibody that facilitates T cell-mediated killing of MM cells. In an ongoing Phase I dose-escalation and dose-expansion study (GO39775; NCT03275103), cevostamab monotherapy demonstrated target dose (TD)-dependent activity and manageable safety in patients (pts) with heavily pretreated RRMM (Trudel et al. ASH 2021). We report updated efficacy and safety data from pts who received cevostamab once every 3 weeks (Q3W) at the 160mg TD level.

Methods: Eligible pts were those with RRMM for which no established therapy was available or appropriate. Cevostamab was initiated with Cycle (C) 1 single-step (SS) dosing, double-step (DS) dosing (Trudel et al. ASH 2021), or triple-step (TS) dosing (step doses on D1, D2 [or D3 or D4 depending on the emergence and resolution of cytokine release syndrome [CRS] with the previous administration], and D8, TD on D9 [or D10 or D11]). Cevostamab was then continued at the TD on D1 of each subsequent 21-day cycle. Cevostamab was continued for 17 cycles, unless disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurred.

Results: As of February 23, 2024, 167 pts (median age: 66 years, range: 40-90; ECOG PS: 0, 35% or 1, 65%; median time from first MM therapy: 6.3 years, range: 0.3-21.8) had received cevostamab at the 160mg TD level (SS: n=10; DS: n=97; TS: n=60); 28% of pts had extramedullary disease and 38% of pts with a conclusive assay result (38/100) had high-risk cytogenetics (t(4;14), t(14;16), or del(17p)). The median number of prior lines of therapy was 6 (range: 2-18). Almost all pts (95.8%) were triple-class refractory and 73.7% were penta-drug refractory; 85.0% were refractory to their last prior therapy. A majority (57%) of pts had received ≥1 prior B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeted therapy. Twenty four percent of pts had received ≥1 prior bispecific antibody.

Median observation time was 11.3 months (range: 0.5-42.8). The overall response rate (ORR) in all pts who received cevostamab at the 160mg TD level was 43.1% (72/167 pts); 6.6% achieved a stringent complete response (CR), 6.6% a CR, 12.6% a very good partial response (VGPR), and 17.4% a partial response (PR). The VGPR or better rate was 25.7%. Median time to first response (PR or better) was 1.4 months (range: 0.6-4.6) and to best response was 2.4 months (range: 0.7-13.4). Median duration of response was 10.4 months (95% CI: 6.8, 10.5). ORR was 30.2% (29/96) in pts with ≥1 prior BCMA-targeted therapy and 60.6% (43/71) in those without. ORR was 30.0% (12/40) in pts with ≥1 prior bispecific antibody, 33.3% (20/60) with ≥1 prior chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell, and 41.2% (14/34) with ≥1 prior antibody-drug conjugate.

Common (≥20%) adverse events (AEs) included CRS (74.3%; Grade [Gr] 1: 52.7%; Gr 2: 19.8%; Gr 3: 1.2%; Gr 4: 0.6%), neutropenia (31.1%; Gr 1-2: 3.0%; Gr 3: 12.0%; Gr 4: 16.2%), cough (30.5%; Gr 1-2: 29.9%; Gr 3: 0.6%), nausea (28.1%; Gr 1-2: 27.5%; Gr 3: 0.6%), diarrhea (24.0%; all Gr 1-2), anemia (23.4%; Gr 1-2: 5.4%; Gr 3: 17.4%; Gr 4: 0.6%), and fatigue (21.0%; Gr 1-2: 19.8%; Gr 3: 1.2%). Possible immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) occurred in 13.2% of pts (Gr 1: 6.0%; Gr 2: 5.4%; Gr 3: 1.8%). Infections occurred in 53.9% of pts, with serious events and Gr ≥3 events in 22.2% and 19.2%, respectively. Treatment-related AEs leading to cevostamab discontinuation occurred in 11 pts (6.6%) and treatment-related Gr 5 (fatal) AEs in 3 pts (1.8%; hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, n=2; disseminated intravascular coagulation and pseudomonal sepsis, n=1).

In the 0.3/1.2/3.6/160mg TS cohort, CRS occurred in 19/30 pts (63.3%) and was all Gr 1 (46.7%) or Gr 2 (16.7%). Pts with CRS were managed with tocilizumab (47.4%), steroids (21.1%), or both agents (10.5%). No pts discontinued cevostamab due to CRS and all events were resolved at cut-off.

Conclusions: Cevostamab demonstrates clinically meaningful activity and manageable safety at the 160mg TD level in pts with heavily pretreated RRMM. C1 TS dosing provides effective CRS mitigation. Cevostamab combination studies may use the 0.3/1.2/3.6mg TS regimen and the Q3W 160mg TD (or similar TD exposure).