Monoclonal antibodies - A new era in the treatment of multiple myeloma

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are currently the most investigated therapeutic compounds in oncology, but there is no monoclonal antibody approved in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM). Nevertheless several really promising molecules are under investigation in phase III clinical trials. Dominantly daratumumab (anti-CD38) and elotuzumab (anti-CS1) showed extraordinary effectiveness in phase I/II trials. The toxicity was acceptable which is important for their addition to standard anti-myeloma agents like proteasome inhibitors or immunomodulatory drugs. Monoclonal antibodies such as denosumab (anti-RANKL) or BHQ880 (anti-DKK-1) are investigated also in the management of myeloma bone disease. This review is focused on the most promising mAbs, their mechanisms of action and the rationale of use. Practically all available results have been described. If the ongoing trials confirm the efficacy and safety of mAbs, they would become an important part of MM treatment that would be translated in the further improvement of therapeutic outcomes. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.