BMS/Bluebird Ready Abecma, First BCMA-Targeting CAR-T, For Initial Patients

Bristol Myers Squibb Company and bluebird bio are bringing to market the first chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy targeting B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) and the first CAR-T therapy for multiple myeloma. BMS chief commercialization officer Chris Boerner told Scrip that the initial focus of the Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel, ide-cel) launch is working to certify the first treatment centers to administer the one-time treatment following US Food and Drug Administration approval on 26 March.

Abecma, which is under review for approval in the EU, was approved by the FDA to treat relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma patients after at least four prior lines of therapy, including an immunomodulatory agent (IMiD), proteasome inhibitor (PI) and a CD38-targeting antibody