Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the blood that is marked by abnormal proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow and can cause severe tissue damage. As such, it is a difficult disease to manage, and effective treatments are always being sought. Daratumumab is an antibody-based cancer treatment that has been showing promise in managing multiple myeloma.
About monoclonal antibody
Monoclonal Antibody (MAb) is a type of antibody that is produced by a single clone of identical cells, derived from the same antibody-producing cell. It is a laboratory-made immune molecule that binds to a specific target protein in the body, helping to identify and eliminate diseased cells or virally-infected cells. MAbs are widely used in medical research and diagnostics, thanks to their high specificity and wide availability.
Insight into it
Daratumumab, also known as a monoclonal antibody, does not attack cancer cells directly as traditional chemotherapy does. Instead, it targets a protein called CD38 on the outside of multiple myeloma cells that helps the cancer cells to survive and proliferate. By blocking the CD38 protein, daratumumab interrupts the cancer cells’ growth and can effectively halt the disease’s progression. Daratumumab also has the advantage of being well-tolerated by patients and is mostly administered intravenously once every week or once every three weeks.
Results of clinical studies
The results of clinical studies involving daratumumab as a multiple myeloma treatment have been promising. In one phase three study, patients who had previously been treated for multiple myeloma but had seen their disease progress were given daratumumab. After a median follow-up of 18 months, 56% of the patients in the daratumumab group experienced complete remission from their cancer, compared to 46% of those in the placebo group. Moreover, the median overall survival in the daratumumab group was 28.2 months, compared to 22.2 in the placebo group.
Encouraging results from studies
Other studies have produced similarly encouraging results. In a phase two study involving 121 patients, daratumumab was able to induce partial or complete remission in 48% of the study participants. And in a phase three study involving 844 patients, daratumumab combined with existing treatments was able to reduce the risk of death by 24%, compared to the existing treatments alone.
Effective in managing multiple myeloma
Based on the results of these studies, daratumumab appears to be effective in managing multiple myeloma, both as an independent treatment and in combination with existing treatments. While further studies may be needed to confirm these results and to explore daratumumab’s potential in other types of cancer, the initial findings indicate that it has the potential to be an important part of managing multiple myeloma.
Newly developed cancer treatment
Daratumumab injection is a newly developed cancer treatment for a type of blood cancer called multiple myeloma. It is a monoclonal antibody, meaning it is created from a single type of immune cell and works by targeting and attacking cancer cells specifically. It is commonly referred to as one of the “antibody-drug conjugates” (ADCs).
Dose of its use
Daratumumab injection is given intravenously (IV) with a two-hour infusion. Its main purpose is to prevent the progression of cancer and reduce tumour size within the patient’s body. Before treatment, patients are assessed and monitored to ensure they are healthy enough to undergo treatment. Once they have been approved, they receive the first dose of the drug over two hours. During the infusion, they might experience side effects that must be continually monitored by the healthcare team.
Following the initial dose, patients usually receive two more doses of daratumumab, with the last dose given four weeks later. This will likely be accompanied by chemotherapy, depending on the severity of the patient’s condition. After the third dose, other chemotherapy medications may be administered over several months. After the patient has received all three doses, they will continue to receive follow-up care to monitor the progress of their treatment and to assess the safety, tolerability, and effectiveness of the drug.
Conclusion
The daratumumab injection helps prevent multiple myeloma from progressing and allows it to be managed over the long term. It is the only anti-cancer drug to be approved without chemotherapy and works quickly to target tumour cells and reduce their size. This form of treatment has fewer side effects for patients than many other forms of cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy and radiation.
FAQs
- What is a monoclonal antibody?
Monoclonal Antibody (MAb) is a type of antibody that is produced by a single clone of identical cells, derived from the same antibody-producing cell.
- What is the action of dartumumab
This mainly targets a protein called CD38 on the outside of multiple myeloma cells that helps the cancer cells to survive and proliferate
- Which disease does it target?
It targets multiple myeloma