Sequential targeting in multiple myeloma: talquetamab, a GPRC5D bispecific antibody, as a bridge to BCMA CAR-T therapy

B Binod Dhakal (2Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI) O Othman S. Akhtar (4Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI) D David Fandrei (2Institut Gustave Roussy, Computational Clinical Oncology Lab, UMR 981, Villejuif, France) A Alexandria Jensen R Rahul Banerjee D Darren Pan (1University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States) S Shambavi Richard (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York) R Reed Friend (2Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, charlotte, United States) M Matthew Rees (1St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Oncology, Memphis, United States) P Patrick Costello (9Division of Hematology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA) M Mariola Vazquez Martinez (10Division of Hematology and Cell Therapy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL) O Oren Pasvolsky (The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States) C Charlotte Wagner J James A. Davis (13Division of Hematology-Oncology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC) O Omar Castaneda Puglianini (10Division of Hematology and Cell Therapy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL) R Ran Reshef (13Division of Hematology/Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapy Program, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY) A Aimaz Afrough (Myeloma, Waldenstrom’s, and Amyloidosis Program, Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy Program, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center (A.A.), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.) D Danai Dima (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States) M Manisha Bhutani (Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States) O Omar Nadeem R Ricardo Parrondo (2Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, United States) C Ciara Freeman (10Division of Hematology and Cell Therapy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL) L Lekha Mikkilineni (Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, United States) S Shahzad Raza (Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland) L Larry D. Anderson Jr (15Division of Hematology, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX) P Prashant Kapoor (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN) H Hitomi Hosoya S Saurabh Chhabra (6The Mayo Clinic Arizona, Pheonix, United States) A Ariel Grajales-Cruz (1H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, United States) M Mahmoud Gaballa (4The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States) S Shonali Midha (13Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, United States) M Melissa Alsina (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States) D Douglas Sborov (9University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt lake City, United States) K Krina Patel (4The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States) Y Yi Lin C Christopher Ferreri (7Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute, Charlotte, United States) N Nico Gagelmann (From the Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.) A Anupama Kumar (1University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States) D Doris Hansen (1H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, United States) A Andrew Cowan (3University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, United States) L Luciano J. Costa (Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham) M Maximilian Merz (11Myeloma Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) S Surbhi Sidana (Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA)

Abstract

Abstract Ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel) and idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel), 2 B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)–directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies, have transformed outcomes for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma; however, the 6 to 8 weeks manufacturing time risks disease progression or death in up to 10% of patients. Talquetamab, a G-protein–coupled receptor, family C, group 5, member D (GPRC5D)–targeting bispecific antibody, represents a promising option. We performed a multi-institutional retrospective analysis across 20 centers (18 United States, 2 Germany) evaluating talquetamab as a bridging therapy prior to cilta-cel or ide-cel. Among 134 patients receiving talquetamab, 119 proceeded to CAR-T (n = 98 cilta-cel, n = 21 ide-cel). Reasons for not proceeding (n = 15) included progression (n = 7), manufacturing failure (n = 6), or patient decision (n = 2). Median age was 65 years and had median 5 prior lines of therapy. Notably, 85% would not have met CARTITUDE-1/KarMMa eligibility criteria. Talquetamab was administered for a median 23 days. Toxicity was manageable: no grade ≥3 cytokine release syndrome (CRS), 2% grade 3 immune effector cell–associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) and grade 1 to 2 talquetamab unique toxicities (70% oral, 38% skin, and 17% nail; 60% resolved). Talquetamab achieved 71% response rate. After CAR-T, 88% responded (54% complete response), with low-grade toxicities (2 grade ≥3 CRS, 1 grade 3 ICANS, and 5% grade ≥3 infections). Two cases of facial palsy and 1 acute myeloid leukemia occurred. Talquetamab correlated with sustained soluble BCMA decline and peak CAR-T expansion around day 14. Talquetamab bridging appears safe, enabling the majority of difficult-to-treat patients to successfully proceed to BCMA CAR-T therapy.

Article Details

Journal Blood
Volume / Issue Vol. 146, Issue 17
Published October 23, 2025
Pages 2063-2072
ISSN 0006-4971
Publisher Elsevier BV

Journal Info

Blood

Elsevier BV

ISSN: 0006-4971 Health Sciences

Authors (43)

B

Binod Dhakal

2Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI

O

Othman S. Akhtar

4Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI

D

David Fandrei

2Institut Gustave Roussy, Computational Clinical Oncology Lab, UMR 981, Villejuif, France

A

Alexandria Jensen

R

Rahul Banerjee

D

Darren Pan

1University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States

S

Shambavi Richard

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York

R

Reed Friend

2Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, charlotte, United States

M

Matthew Rees

1St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Oncology, Memphis, United States

P

Patrick Costello

9Division of Hematology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA

M

Mariola Vazquez Martinez

10Division of Hematology and Cell Therapy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL

O

Oren Pasvolsky

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States

C

Charlotte Wagner

J

James A. Davis

13Division of Hematology-Oncology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC

O

Omar Castaneda Puglianini

10Division of Hematology and Cell Therapy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL

R

Ran Reshef

13Division of Hematology/Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapy Program, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY

A

Aimaz Afrough

Myeloma, Waldenstrom’s, and Amyloidosis Program, Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy Program, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center (A.A.), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.

D

Danai Dima

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States

M

Manisha Bhutani

Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

O

Omar Nadeem

R

Ricardo Parrondo

2Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, United States

C

Ciara Freeman

10Division of Hematology and Cell Therapy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL

L

Lekha Mikkilineni

Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, United States

S

Shahzad Raza

Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland

L

Larry D. Anderson Jr

15Division of Hematology, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX

P

Prashant Kapoor

Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

H

Hitomi Hosoya

S

Saurabh Chhabra

6The Mayo Clinic Arizona, Pheonix, United States

A

Ariel Grajales-Cruz

1H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, United States

M

Mahmoud Gaballa

4The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States

S

Shonali Midha

13Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, United States

M

Melissa Alsina

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States

D

Douglas Sborov

9University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt lake City, United States

K

Krina Patel

4The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States

Y

Yi Lin

C

Christopher Ferreri

7Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute, Charlotte, United States

N

Nico Gagelmann

From the Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.

A

Anupama Kumar

1University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States

D

Doris Hansen

1H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, United States

A

Andrew Cowan

3University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, United States

L

Luciano J. Costa

Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham

M

Maximilian Merz

11Myeloma Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

S

Surbhi Sidana

Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA