Monoclonal antibodies in myeloma

The development of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for the treatment of disease goes back to the vision of Paul Ehrlich in the late 19th century; however, the first successful treatment with a mAb was not until 1982, in a lymphoma patient. In multiple myeloma, mAbs are a very recent and exciting addition to the therapeutic armamentarium. The incorporation of mAbs into current treatment strategies is hoped to enable more effective and targeted treatment, resulting in improved outcomes for patients. A number of targets have been identified, including molecules on the surface of the myeloma cell and components of the bone marrow microenvironment. Our review focuses on a small number of promising mAbs directed against molecules on the surface of myeloma cells, including CS1 (elotuzumab), CD38 (daratumumab, SAR650984, MOR03087), CD56 (lorvotuzumab mertansine), and CD138/syndecan-1 (BT062/indatuximab ravtansine).