Clinical updates of B-cell maturation antigen-targeted therapy in multiple myeloma (MM) and relapsed/refractory MM (Review)

Despite significant progress in managing multiple myeloma (MM) in recent years, certain patients still have a short duration of therapeutic response, often relapsing within 18 months. These patients typically have high-risk genetic mutations and may show little to no response to current treatments, highlighting the need for further exploration of optimal therapeutic targets for MM. B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA), highly expressed in mature B lymphocytes and plasma cells and upregulated in MM, is a promising therapeutic target. Various BCMA-targeted strategies, including antibody-drug conjugates, bispecific T-cell engagers and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, are under clinical evaluation to optimize efficacy and safety. This review summarizes the latest clinical updates on these strategies, highlights their effectiveness in MM and relapsed/refractory MM and provides future perspectives and recommendations for overcoming current challenges.