J&J/Legend’s Carvykti Data Show Earlier-Line Efficacy As Commercial Headwinds Remain

Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Pharmaceutical Cos. and Legend Biotech Corp. have unblinded their Phase III study of the BCMA-targeted CAR-T therapy Carvykti (ciltacabtagene autoleucel) in patients with second- to fourth-line multiple myeloma after the trial met its primary endpoint. But even if the data give Carvykti a leg up over its main competitor, 2seventy Bio, Inc./Bristol Myers Squibb Company’s Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel), ongoing production and logistical issues may make the rollout to a larger patient population particularly challenging.