Where multiple myeloma treatment is heading
Multiple myeloma · Updated Nov 13, 2026
About 35,000 people in the US are diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow, each year. It usually responds well to treatment at first but tends to return. Bispecific antibodies and CAR T-cell therapy, once reserved for the most heavily pretreated patients, are now proving powerful enough to use much earlier, including at first relapse.
- 1,064studies open or running
- 130phase 3 trials
- 3,397papers published this year
- 40NIH-funded projects
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Now
Nov 2026
A bispecific antibody beats standard care at first relapseHappened 69.8% progression-free at 18 mo
Teclistamab alone: 69.8% progression-free at 18 months vs 26.9% with standard combination treatment.
69.8%: progression-free at 18 months, vs 26.9% with standard treatment.
Teclistamab plus daratumumab nearly stops progressionHappened 83.4% progression-free at 3 yrs
83.4% progression-free at 3 years vs 29.7% with standard treatment; approved March 2026.
83.4%: progression-free at 36 months, vs 29.7% with standard treatment.
Treating myeloma before it becomes activeHappened 63.1% progression-free at 5 yrs
In high-risk smoldering myeloma, daratumumab cut progression risk in half compared with monitoring.
63.1%: progression-free at 5 years, vs 40.8% with monitoring.
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6 months
by May 2027
Pairing two bispecific antibodiesPossible
Early combination data support testing talquetamab with teclistamab in bigger trials.
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12 months
by Nov 2027
Bispecific antibodies move to first diagnosisPossible
MajesTEC-7 (1,590 people) tests teclistamab plus daratumumab and lenalidomide as a first treatment; due April 2031.
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3 years
by late 2029
Combining two different bispecific targets at scalePossible
MonumenTAL-6 (838 people) tests talquetamab and teclistamab combinations against standard care; due April 2026.
New non-chemo combinations after relapsePossible
Celgene's SUCCESSOR-1 and EXCALIBER-RRMM test newer pills (mezigdomide, iberdomide) against today's standard regimens.
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5 years
by late 2031
Refining maintenance after stem cell transplantLong shot
DRAMMATIC (1,100 people) tests adding daratumumab to maintenance therapy after transplant, guided by minimal residual disease; due 2032.
The research paths
Bispecific antibodies
83.4% progression-free at 3 yrsDetails and 2 trialsHide
Moving from last-resort use to first relapse and now first diagnosis.
WatchMajesTEC-7 at diagnosis; MonumenTAL-6 combinations.
Treating earlier, even before diagnosis
63.1% progression-free at 5 yrsDetailsHide
High-risk smoldering myeloma is being treated before it causes organ damage.
WatchLonger follow-up and survival data.
New pills and transplant maintenance
Details and 3 trialsHide
Next-generation immune-modulating pills and refined maintenance after transplant.
WatchSUCCESSOR-1, EXCALIBER-RRMM, DRAMMATIC.
Borrowed from other cancers
From Research across antibody-based cancer therapy
Daratumumab
Approved / phase 3
An anti-CD38 antibody now tested even before active myeloma develops.
From Lymphoma research
Bispecific antibody design
Approved
T-cell engaging bispecific antibodies, a format pioneered in blood cancers broadly.
Open to join now
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Newly diagnosed
Teclistamab, daratumumab and lenalidomide
Locations and eligibility → -
Relapsed, after lenalidomide
Mezigdomide combination
Locations and eligibility → -
Relapsed or refractory
Elranatamab with elotuzumab
Locations and eligibility →
See every recruiting Multiple myeloma trial →
When the trials finish
Completion dates the trials registered. Results usually follow 3 to 12 months later.
- Heating up
- Maturing
- Early
- Cooling
- Fully enrolled, waiting on results
- Still enrolling
What just happened
Teclistamab beats standard care at first relapse
MajesTEC-9, NEJM.
FDA approves teclistamab plus daratumumab
MajesTEC-3.
Treating high-risk smoldering myeloma halves progression risk
NEJM.
Standard treatment today
- Smoldering, high riskActive monitoring, or daratumumab in some cases.
- New diagnosis, transplant-eligibleDaratumumab plus a 3- or 4-drug combination, stem cell transplant, then maintenance.
- New diagnosis, not transplant-eligibleDaratumumab-based combination therapy.
- RelapseA bispecific antibody (teclistamab, talquetamab, elranatamab) or CAR T-cell therapy, increasingly used earlier.
How to read this page, and sourcesHow to read this page, and sources
- Bispecific antibodies carry real risks of infection and cytokine release syndrome; these trade-offs are part of the "earlier use" decision.
- Forecasts are editorial judgments by Find a Trial, not predictions from sponsors or regulators.
See Multiple myeloma trials recruiting now →