Rethinking anti-BCMA T-cell engager design
Mené sur 97 patients atteints d'un myélome multiple réfractaire ou récidivant (âge médian : 69 ans), cet essai de phase I détermine la dose maximale tolérée de MK-4002 (une immunothérapie ciblant BCMA), analyse ses caractéristiques pharmacocinétiques et évalue son efficacité du point de vue du taux de réponse globale
B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeting bispecific T-cell engagers (TCEs) have transformed outcomes in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. In The Lancet Haematology, Sumit Madan and colleagues1 report a phase 1 study of MK-4002, a novel BCMA-directed TCE built on the TriTAC platform, which simultaneously engages BCMA, CD3, and albumin. Unlike currently approved anti-BCMA TCEs, MK-4002 lacks an Fc domain, a design intended to limit non-specific immune-cell engagement. The results highlight a critical question for the field: with several effective anti-BCMA TCEs already approved, what does any single TCE format offer over another?
The Lancet Haematology , commentaire, 2026