Transforming Multiple Myeloma Treatment With CAR T Cell Therapy
Published on Mar 5, 2025 Share
Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a cancer of plasma cells that disrupts normal immune function and blood cell production. While traditional treatments such as chemotherapy and immunomodulatory drugs have helped manage the disease, relapse remains a significant challenge. Some recent advances in Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapy target the B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) on the cells’ surface. These therapies have shown promising results, offering new hope for patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.
High-quality T cell processing enables CAR T therapies to reach their full potential. Removing non-targeted T cells from the starting material enhances therapy effectiveness by improving expansion potential and reducing treatment inefficiencies.
Multiple Myeloma: Causes, Risk Factors, and Disease Impact
Multiple Myeloma is caused by malignant plasma cells, a type of white blood cell responsible for antibody production. As myeloma cells multiply uncontrollably in the bone marrow, they crowd out normal blood cells, weakening immune function and leading to complications such as anemia, kidney dysfunction, and bone damage.
MM is most commonly diagnosed in older adults, with an average onset at around 69 years. It occurs more frequently in men than women, and some genetic predisposition has been observed. Many patients are diagnosed following routine blood work that reveals abnormalities, though some experience fatigue, bone discomfort, or recurrent infections before seeking medical attention.
BCMA-Directed CAR T Cell Therapy: A Breakthrough in Multiple Myeloma
B cell maturation antigens (BCMA) are proteins highly expressed on multiple myeloma cells, making them an ideal target for CAR T cell therapy. CAR T therapy provides a personalized and powerful treatment approach by modifying a patient’s T cells to recognize and eliminate BCMA-expressing myeloma cells. BCMA-directed CAR T cell therapies, such as Abecma® and Carvykti™, have demonstrated high remission rates in patients with relapsed or refractory MM.
Key Benefits of BCMA-Directed CAR T Therapy:
- High remission rates in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma patients
- Extended progression-free survival, with some patients experiencing long-term responses
- Personalized treatment approach by leveraging the patient’s immune system to fight cancer
Challenges in BCMA CAR T Therapy:
- T cell exhaustion from prior treatments may impair cell function, reducing their expansion potential.
- Non-target cell contamination, including unwanted immune cells, can limit the effectiveness of CAR T cells, necessitating efficient depletion techniques.
Enhancing BCMA CAR T Cell Therapy With Advanced Cell Processing
For CAR T cell therapy to be effective, high-quality T cell preparation is essential. Traditional magnetic separation methods can introduce mechanical stress, affecting cell viability and expansion potential. Akadeum’s Alerion™ Microbubble Cell Separation System offers a gentler, more effective alternative for isolating and depleting T cells.
The Alerion™ system maintains T cell viability by leveraging microbubble technology to selectively isolate target cells without excessive handling. This innovative system allows for better expansion and persistence of engineered CAR T cells, ensuring a higher-quality therapeutic product. Akadeum’s system enhances the efficiency of CAR T cell therapy manufacturing by eliminating non-target cells while preserving viable T cells.
Specialized Tools for CAR T Cell Therapy in Multiple Myeloma
Akadeum offers specialized tools designed to streamline T cell processing:
Human T Cell Leukopak Isolation Kit
The Human T Cell Leukopak Isolation Kit is designed for use with the Alerion™ system or as a standalone solution. This kit rapidly isolates high-purity T cells from leukopak samples, maintaining the quality of the starting material and optimizing T cell expansion potential.
Human T Cell Depletion Kit
The Human T Cell Depletion Kit selectively removes CD3+ cells, ensuring high-purity CAR+ cells. By removing unedited T cells, this kit can potentially enhance the effectiveness of BCMA-directed CAR T cell therapies by enabling a more pure population of edited T cells. The Human T Cell Depletion kit is also compatible with the Alerion™ system.
Next-Generation CAR T Therapy for Multiple Myeloma
Research into CAR T cell therapy for multiple myeloma continues to evolve, with scientists exploring new strategies to improve effectiveness and accessibility. Some of the most promising advancements include:
- Dual-targeting CAR T cells. Engineering CAR T cells to recognize both BCMA and additional markers to reduce the risk of relapse
- Allogeneic (off-the-shelf) CAR T cells. Developing donor-derived CAR T therapies to increase accessibility and reduce the time to treatment
- Combination strategies. Pairing CAR T therapy with checkpoint inhibitors or other treatments to enhance immune response and durability
- Early intervention in treatment protocols. Expanding clinical trials to evaluate CAR T therapy in earlier stages of multiple myeloma to improve long-term outcomes
Take the Next Step With Akadeum’s Cell Processing Solutions
As CAR T cell therapy for multiple myeloma progresses, optimizing T cell preparation remains a crucial opportunity to potentially enhance treatment effectiveness. Akadeum’s Alerion™ Microbubble Cell Separation System and specialized T cell kits provide scalable, high-efficiency solutions for cell processing in CAR T cell manufacturing.
If you want to improve BCMA CAR T cell therapy manufacturing, Akadeum looks forward to working with you! Explore Akadeum’s lineup of cell therapy kits to discover how our cutting-edge cell processing technology can accelerate research and enable improved clinical outcomes.