MRD dynamics predicts progression and reveals a vulnerable state for immunotherapy interception in multiple myeloma

C Carmen González C Camila Guerrero (CIMA, Pamplona, Spain) M Marta Larrayoz A Aintzane Zabaleta (Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Centro de Investigacion Medica Aplicada (CIMA), Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), CIBER-ONC number CB16/12/00369, Pamplona, Spain, Pamplona, Spain) J Junfei Zhao I Ioannis V Kostopoulos (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ATHENS, Greece) O Ourania Tsitsilonis (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece) E Evangelos Terpos N Norma C. Gutierrez (Hospital Universitario de Salamanca. IBSAL. Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, Salamanca, Spain) M Manuela Fernandez (Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain) M Maria J José Calasanz (UNIVERSITY OF NAVARRA, Pamplona, Spain) P Paula Rodriguez-Otero F Felipe Prosper T Teresa Lozano (Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada, CIMA, Pamplona, Spain) J Juan J Lasarte (Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada, CIMA, Pamplona, Spain) B Benjamin L Ebert (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States) A Albert Oriol (Institut Català d’Oncologia and Institut Josep Carreras, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain) A Anna Sureda (Institut Català d'Oncologia, Barcelona, Spain) M María-Jesús Blanchard (Hospital Ramon y Cajal, madrid, Spain) Y Yolanda González-Montes (Hospital Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain) J Joan Bargay (Hospital Universitario Son LLatzer, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa),, Palma de Mallorca, Spain) S Sunil Lakhwani (Hospital Universitario de Canarias. Universidad de La Laguna., San Cristobal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain) R Rafael Ríos-Tamayo (Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain) L Laura Rosiñol (Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona) J Joaquín Martínez-López (Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre, Complutense University of Madrid, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas, Madrid Institute of Cancer, Madrid) J Juan-Jose Lahuerta (Instituto de Investigación.Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain) J Joan Bladé (Hospital Clínic i Provincial, Institut de Investicacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain) M María-Victoria Mateos J Jesus San-Miguel M Maria-Teresa Cedena N Noemi Puig P Patrick Ryan Hagner (Bristol-Myers Squibb, Summit, New Jersey, United States) M Maria Ortiz Estevez (Bristol Myers Squibb, Sevilla, Spain) J Jose A Martínez-Climent (Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain) B Bruno Paiva

Abstract

The clinical significance of one or two measurable residual disease (MRD) assessments is established in multiple myeloma (MM). However, how to stratify patients according to ≥3 MRD assessments remains unknown. The traits of MRD resistance and if treatment of persistent MRD vs relapse could improve outcomes also remains unknown. MRD dynamics were computed using next-generation flow cytometry and Connector in 539 newly-diagnosed MM patients with ≥3 assessments in the GEM2012MENOS65/GEM2014MAIN and GEM2017FIT trials. Molecular and immune profiling were performed in matched diagnostic and MRD samples. The survival impact of treating persistent MRD vs relapse was investigated with anti-BCMA CAR T cells in MIcγ1huCRBN mice. Computed MRD dynamics based on 3,610 MRD assessments identified five subgroups with different survival. Patients with late-sustained MRD response had excellent outcomes, similar to those with early-sustained MRD response. Patients with volatile results and those with primarily and resurgent MRD resistance had dismal survival. MRD dynamics outperformed transplant-eligibility and the R-ISS. These results were validated in 249 MM patients treated in routine practice. Multiomics characterization of MRD dynamics in patients and mouse models of MRD resistance revealed genomic evolution, transcriptional adaption and a pro-inflammatory tumor-immune microenvironment. Increasing clonality and exhaustion of endogenous T cells throughout disease progression urged investigating if MRD interception with anti-BCMA CAR-T cells could improve outcomes. Infusion at MRD resistance prolonged mouse survival compared to identical treatment at relapse. Altogether, MRD dynamics is the strongest predictor of progression and may help tailoring treatment to prevent additional tumor and immune alterations prior to relapse.

Article Details

Journal Blood
Volume / Issue Vol. 1, Issue 1
Published July 24, 2026
ISSN 0006-4971
Publisher Elsevier BV

Journal Info

Blood

Elsevier BV

ISSN: 0006-4971 Health Sciences

Authors (35)

C

Carmen González

C

Camila Guerrero

CIMA, Pamplona, Spain

M

Marta Larrayoz

A

Aintzane Zabaleta

Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Centro de Investigacion Medica Aplicada (CIMA), Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), CIBER-ONC number CB16/12/00369, Pamplona, Spain, Pamplona, Spain

J

Junfei Zhao

I

Ioannis V Kostopoulos

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ATHENS, Greece

O

Ourania Tsitsilonis

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

E

Evangelos Terpos

N

Norma C. Gutierrez

Hospital Universitario de Salamanca. IBSAL. Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, Salamanca, Spain

M

Manuela Fernandez

Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain

M

Maria J José Calasanz

UNIVERSITY OF NAVARRA, Pamplona, Spain

P

Paula Rodriguez-Otero

F

Felipe Prosper

T

Teresa Lozano

Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada, CIMA, Pamplona, Spain

J

Juan J Lasarte

Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada, CIMA, Pamplona, Spain

B

Benjamin L Ebert

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

A

Albert Oriol

Institut Català d’Oncologia and Institut Josep Carreras, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain

A

Anna Sureda

Institut Català d'Oncologia, Barcelona, Spain

M

María-Jesús Blanchard

Hospital Ramon y Cajal, madrid, Spain

Y

Yolanda González-Montes

Hospital Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain

J

Joan Bargay

Hospital Universitario Son LLatzer, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa),, Palma de Mallorca, Spain

S

Sunil Lakhwani

Hospital Universitario de Canarias. Universidad de La Laguna., San Cristobal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain

R

Rafael Ríos-Tamayo

Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain

L

Laura Rosiñol

Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona

J

Joaquín Martínez-López

Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre, Complutense University of Madrid, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas, Madrid Institute of Cancer, Madrid

J

Juan-Jose Lahuerta

Instituto de Investigación.Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain

J

Joan Bladé

Hospital Clínic i Provincial, Institut de Investicacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain

M

María-Victoria Mateos

J

Jesus San-Miguel

M

Maria-Teresa Cedena

N

Noemi Puig

P

Patrick Ryan Hagner

Bristol-Myers Squibb, Summit, New Jersey, United States

M

Maria Ortiz Estevez

Bristol Myers Squibb, Sevilla, Spain

J

Jose A Martínez-Climent

Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

B

Bruno Paiva